Category Archives: COVID-19

The 4th Nine Weeks Stretch…

26 Friday Mar 2021

Posted by in COVID-19, Deciding, Encouragement, Intentions, Leader, Leadership, Momentum, Motivation, Purpose, Teachers, Useful, Value

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Well, here we are. We have made it—the 4th nine weeks. Just like the 7th Inning stretch in baseball, the end is in sight. For 27 weeks, educators have taught like they never have before. In our teaching, we have dug deeper, gone further, taught harder, and almost exhausted every bit of teaching methodology we know. And, one more thing… most educators have now perfected what I call “Eduzoomcation.“

With all of that being said, we are still not done. As I have spoken with other teachers, many are trying to fit lessons in on top of regular lessons just to get their students where they need to be to progress to what they need to know. The idea of incremental development of lessons has never been more important, but the time factor has many teachers pressing.

More importantly, what we cannot do is compare our teaching and pacing of our subjects to years past. If you do, it will devalue what you have done and accomplished this year. It may not seem as much, but considering everything, it is much. Many teachers have turned into accepting minor roles of psychologists while they teach, asking themselves what they can do to reach one more student and trying to figure out the best way forward. As I told someone the other day, teaching this year during the COVID pandemic is worthy of a resume bullet.

This time last year, we found out that we would not be coming back to school for the 4th nine weeks. Now here we are at that same point one year later. The good news… we still have an opportunity as educators to make good on what we do. It does not matter if students are still on Zoom or in the classroom. What matters is that we stay committed to the values of what education should do… to help better society by educating students for the future.

The 4th nine weeks stretch… Go ahead and stretch… but know, like baseball, there are a few more innings to play, and they matter. If you get complacent, odds are your students will also. And please do not get into what I call the “hook-slide.” While we are rounding third-base, per se, beat the throw at home plate. Don’t try to “hook-slide” in; you might just get tagged out.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

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Twitter @thebookchamber

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Zooming Out… For a Week…

12 Friday Mar 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, COVID-19, Education, Spring Break, Teachers

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Can you believe it? Next week is Spring Break for some of us. A few schools had their’s last week, and some will take it the week after next. Some colleges and universities are not having one due to COVID-19. Nonetheless, Spring Break, we are ready!

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The need for Spring Break is real. Probably more this school year than years past. We did get that one week out of school for the “ice-apocalypse” a couple of weeks ago, but we could not go anywhere and still provided Zoom lessons each day.

Needless to say, this year’s Spring Break brings the enjoyment of NO ZOOM for a solid week. As educators, many of you know what I am talking about. It is even more relief for those who have both in-person and Zoom-person classes.

So, what does no Zoom look like for a week? Here are a few of the best Zoom responses…

Can you hear me now? You are on mute.
Mr./Mrs. Teacher, I can’t hear you.
Hang on, y’all, my screen share is not working.
Are you there? Why did you leave the screen?
What are you wearing?
You can’t eat breakfast in bed during class.
Get off your phone.
Quit watching TV and focus.
Did you get my email that my Zoom is not working?
Student posting social media pics for an official absence while shopping.
Are you at work?
Why are you driving down the road?
Wake up.
I’m taking your quiz while driving and I am going through an area with bad reception. Can I close out, and you  reopen the quiz for me?

And my favorite thus far…
No, ma’am, you cannot sit in for your child on the Zoom.
And the list can go on and on…

By now, teachers are probably at their “wit’s end,” trying to keep everything and everyone on the same page. Teaching has taken on a new definition of late (almost a year now, to be exact). Being an educator can be exhausting in a regular year. How tired are you this school year? The “extra” whatever is weighing heavy on all educators. A few extra hours each day are needed in hopes the next day is good to go.

And somewhere in there, we are supposed to be a family member.

Yes, no Zoom for a week. No lesson plans, no worrying about who is on the Zoom and who is not. No worrying about whose technology is working. No nothing…

I hope each of you has a great one. We will pick back up with the blogs AFTER Spring Break. I’m Zooming out now…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on…

Twitter @thebookchamber

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Time to Detox Your Mind…

05 Friday Feb 2021

Posted by in Actions, Choice, coronavirus, COVID-19, Crisis, Detox, Future, Kindness, Leader, Leadership, Memories, Purpose, Thankful, Useful

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The other night, Heather asked me to order her some more “detox” herbal tea. We will detox our bodies to get the “bad” stuff out (and go major hungry at the same time) and cleanse for so many days. Why? So we can believe the labels that we will feel better and be healthier. After I placed the order, I started thinking about the detox idea and our bodies (I didn’t think long), which lead me to think about detox and our minds.

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But what about our minds? Do we ever detox them? Do you know what all we have stored up there? Yes, much of it is needed as a reservoir to glean from for the future. There are also many happy memory moments. But do you also know what we hang on to? (This is where I tell you, I am really good at this part. Not something I should probably be airing out anyway).

Nonetheless, it happens for all of us. More damaging than that is putting all the negatives that are happening in society in our minds. Now I believe we have to be well-versed on current topics to know what is happening, but if the negatives are all we dwell on, what chance do we have to emit positive leadership?

Think about this for just a moment… We are almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, our country is divided, some voices are shouted while others are muzzled, businesses are closed, school is Zoomed, events with little or no spectators, etc… Normal as we know it is not happening for the foreseeable future. TALK ABOUT NEGATIVE!

I guess I am just rambling… that’s what blogs are for anyway, right? Somehow, we have to detox and reset our thinking. If not for ourselves, then especially for others.

So, I figure here are a few things we can do to detox our minds… and yes, it will take a few days…

Hang out with “real” people.
Stay current on what’s happening in the world, but don’t read the threads…
Find something positive to read. By the way, if you are going to believe everything you read, start with the Bible. 
Be thankful about something.
As much as it causes distress when your favorite sports team does not win, it is not the end of the world.
Just be kind (see last week’s blog for this).

Nothing you have read today is a new or original thought. That’s the funny thing about writing a blog on leadership. Almost everything has already been said over time. The only “newness” comes from a different perspective or a twist on how something is presented. However, the problem lies in the fact that there is still “not good” leadership from many. Leadership conventions and seminars are still selling tickets. Books, papers, blogs are still being written. Surveys are still being conducted, and stats are studied to tell us what good leadership should look like.

So… why don’t we know, or why have we not figured it out yet? Your guess is as good as mine, but I will always believe it hinges on the idea of selfishness and what we put into our minds. We could all use a little detoxing; our minds and, I guess, our bodies too.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year?

11 Friday Dec 2020

Posted by in Choice, Christmas, COVID-19, Intentions, Jesus, Mask, Opportunity, Reflection, Thankful

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Well, now that you have read the title, the song may be stuck in your head. Sorry about that.

Is it? The most wonderful time of the year? But it’s 2020, you ask… what’s wonderful about it?

How about this line in the opening verse…
And everyone telling you be of good cheer. Bah Humbug, for sure! I don’t want to be happy. I just watched the news, for goodness sake.

Second verse…
When friends come to call. No one is coming to see you, we all have to stay home.
It’s the hap-happiest season of all. Where’s the Tylenol? (credit to Clark Griswald)

Third verse…
There’ll be parties for hosting. Limit the number!

Fourth verse…
There’ll be much mistltoeing. Hard to do with the mask on.
And hearts will be glowing. More like aching.
When loved ones are near. Remember to stay 6′ away.

Well, I’ll say that there is much truth to what I have written above, and it is where we are right now. But, “as for me and my house…” Yes, it is still the most wonderful time of the year. I love Christmas time. It may not be what and how we want it, and yes, I am tired of it all, to say the least. However, it is up to me and my mindset to “be of good cheer.” Why would we not? It sure beats having a pity party (truly should limit that number of people anyway, and everyone who joins is probably wearing a “mask”).

So, be of good cheer…

  • Tell someone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
  • Send a Christmas card or note to someone (I guess a text will work).
  • “Say hello to friends you know and everyone you meet.“
  • Sing Christmas songs.
  • Watch movies as a family.
  • Play good ole fashion board games.
  • Have a party with your family. They should be the ones you love and want to spend time with the most anyway.
  • Kiss your spouse even if there is not any mistletoe around.
  • Read the Christmas Story from the Bible (Luke 2: 1-21; Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Matthew 1: 18-23)

Most of all, yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year… Why? For it is the season we celebrate the birth of Christ. Any opportunity we have to tell the praiseworthiness of Jesus and the Christmas Story, we should take advantage of. You might not realize who is listening. That will give you good cheer!

MEERY CHRISTMAS everyone…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2020 J Clay Norton

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