United or Divided? (A Re-post)

26 Friday Jun 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in Agenda, Attitude, Change, Character, Conversations, Courage, Crisis, Culture, Expectations, Freedom, Future, Honest, Humility, Inspiration, Integrity, Intentions, Leader, Leadership, Listening, Love, Purpose, Reflection, Relationships, Sincerity, Trust, Understanding, Unity, Value

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For what it is worth, I am not a fan of “reposting” my blogs. However, I am reposting the blog “United or Divided” today. This blog was originally written on January 26, 2018. I believe that leadership stands and transcends time and many other things and ideas as well.

When I wrote the blog the first time, it was written with the idea that we are in a crossroads of education. Now, as a Nation, we are as well.

Only one sentence I will add for the blog is this… “We, as people, must find our likeness in Christ for healing to begin and to sustain.”

I hope you enjoy the re-post.

Below you will find the lyrics to the new song by Christian artist, Mandisa, “Bleed The Same.” The other day I heard it for the first time on KLOVE riding down the road. Like many things, it made me start thinking…

We say this, and we say that, only to get and keep the same results. We say we want more or better, but we do not put the effort in to change. Many times we might even be influenced by others who do not want to change. I/we want to…. I/we wish… I/we… The “want list” just goes on and on.

When it comes to the lives we live, they are the sum collections of thoughts created from experience or instilled as a way of life. However, the funny thing is, we are all in this together. At some point, we must acknowledge that everything in one way or another, affects everything else. The ripple effect might have diminished very small by the time it got to us but rippled it did.

Our world of humanity has its foundations based on morality. Sooner, rather than later, we should all know the difference between right and wrong. Yet we continue to make the same choices that enable our lives to stay the same, while at the same time always wanting more or better. The system can only be blamed so much. The issue becomes that we want the spotlight on others and their faults. We never want to turn the spotlight on ourselves. The last thing we want is for our inadequacies to be shown in the light.

I figure the best way to handle all of this, is to start with me. What am I doing to make it better? The “it” is anything that divides. It is united we stand. Can we (you, I, whoever) choose to work for a greater good? How many times does each of us have that one opportunity to do just that? Actually we have many opportunities. We just wait on someone else.

As you read the lyrics below, I would dare say that each of us would agree with everything it says. So many solid truths. Whatever change you want, let it start with you. Most of all, let others see it. Go out and prove it. Your essence of leadership does one of the two… it unites or divides.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

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If you want to listen to the song, click here:

We all bleed the same
We’re more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We’re divided

Woke up today
Another headline
Another innocent life is taken
In the name of hatred
So hard to take (hey!)
And if we think that it’s all good
Then we’re mistaken
‘Cause my heart is breaking

Are you left?
Are you right?
Pointing fingers, taking sides
When are we gonna realize?

We all bleed the same
We’re more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We’re divided
If we’re gonna fight
Let’s fight for each other
If we’re gonna shout
Let love be the cry
We all bleed the same
So tell me why, tell me why
We’re divided

Tell me, who are we
To judge someone
By the kind of clothes they’re wearing
Or the color of their skin?

Are you black? (black)
Are you white? (white)
Aren’t we all the same inside? (the same inside)
Father, open our eyes to see!

We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
We’re more beautiful when we come together
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We’re divided
If we’re gonna fight
Let’s fight for each other (fight for each other!)
If we’re gonna shout
Let love be the cry (be the cry!)
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We’re divided

Only love can drive out all the darkness
What are we fighting for?
We were made to carry one another
We were made for more, said
Only love can drive out all the darkness
What are we fighting for? yeah
We were made to carry one another
We were made for more!

We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
We’re more beautiful when we come together (let’s stand united!)
We all bleed the same (we all bleed the same)
So tell me why, tell me why
We’re divided
If we’re gonna fight
Let’s fight for each other (fight for each other!)
If we’re gonna shout
Let love be the cry (be the cry!)
We all bleed the same(we all bleed the same) (bleed the same)
Let’s stand united (let’s stand united)
Let’s stand united!

So Father God, I pray
That our families will come together right now
And seek Your face
You will forgive our sins
And You will heal our incredible land
In the name of the only Savior, Jesus Christ
Amen

An Educational Pandemic…?

15 Friday May 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in coronavirus, covid19, Culture, Education, Educational Leadership, Intentions, Leader, Leadership, Purpose, Teachers, Whole

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A little long today, but it is the last one for the year…

Well, here we are again at the end of another school year. And yes, it has gone by very fast considering what education has been through this spring semester with the Covid19 and the effects of the pandemic.

As always, many people have many opinions about many things they know nothing about… Just stand in line and take a number to be heard… However, one thing teachers know is education, and I believe that this is an excellent thought to end the 2019-2020 school year.

The Covid19 pandemic has caused a significant shift in many areas of our lives; education being one of them. As a person who is passionate about educational leadership, I feel that we have this one chance to help change education, as a whole, for the better. If we do not, then our future generations will continue on the same path education is now.

Not too long ago, I was having a conversation with my daughter. Now, understand we are a family of educators. My wife is also in education as a school counselor. We were discussing the idea of our “distance learning” and how it is either helping or hurting students. As we talked, I stated that I believe if done correctly on both ends, teacher and student, it would be beneficial. I also told her, that in all practical matters, “education” has this one chance, as I said above, to get “how we educate” right for the future. I gave her the following example, which I saw in a YouTube video…

A long time ago a phone looked like this…

Now, it looks like this..

A long time ago, an automobile looked like this…

Now, it looks like this… (I hope you see where this is going)

A long time ago, a school classroom looked like this…

And now…?
What has changed?

The above picture can probably be the standard of most classrooms across America. Desks are lined up neatly, 25 to 30 in a classroom, teacher desk up front, etc. If this continues to be our model, then we might as just well label a school as a factory setting. I am sure many teachers would want to change the look of their classroom, but either they are told they cannot due to “classroom management” concerns or the school does not have the financial resources to change. Which leads me to this…

Educators are the experts in their field of study, yet we are told how and what we are to teach. Now, I am not saying we do not need direction and structure… However, I am saying that if we are going to educate the whole child and help them to become productive citizens of society, we must stop viewing them as a “test score” sitting in a desk… Like then, Like now…

I like reading articles that pertain to schools that are changing the paradigm shift to how they instruct. With that being said, I recently read an article where it stated that when school does start back (whenever that may be) that teachers should focus on students’ social and emotional learning due to the Covid19.

My mental response to that is this: If we were educating the whole child, to begin with, then we would not have to worry about their social and emotional learning because it should be an innate teaching characteristic, to start with. It seems that we would be trying to do what was undone, to begin with, somewhere down the road in the past when the education system sold its soul to the idea that we need a “score” to be labeled a success.

School should be a place that edifies a student. Where teachers lead by example and can provide positive emulation. I like to call that the “3 E’s of teaching, which provides “ease.” (I hope you got that)… When we do that, we are actually building the social and emotional aspects of students. Too many times, just as in life, we look to see what makes us look good (test scores) instead of focusing on the whole so we can all look good.

We have a chance to revamp, reconstruct, reorganize, re… “whatever” education, and now is the time. It will take a group of people who are willing to listen to teachers first and set aside predetermined thoughts as to what they think is best for a school. Every school is different, but if we continue to gauge every school’s success the same way, we will create another pandemic, one that there might not be a cure for…

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

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You Have One Job… Thoughts from the Movie “1917”

17 Friday Jan 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Agenda, Courage, Decisions, Heroes, Importance, Intentions, Leader, Leadership, Obedience, Perseverance, Purpose, Sacrifice, Trust

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This past weekend we went to see the new movie 1917. I am not a movie critic by nature, but 1917 is well worth your time to see. The leadership which takes place and seen in the film is powerful, and that is what I want to discuss today.

Quick synopsis… “During World War I, two British soldiers — Lance Cpl. Schofield and Lance Cpl. Blake — receive seemingly impossible orders. In a race against time, they must cross over into enemy territory to deliver a message that could potentially save 1,600 of their fellow comrades — including Blake’s own brother.” – retrieved from “1917 movie synopsis” Google search.

Take-a-ways… Without telling parts of the movie (in case you have not seen it, if you have, hopefully, these will resonate).

Schofield and Blake had one job…

1. When a person is determined to get a job done, they will go beyond sacrifice and defy obstacles to ensure that the job is completed.

2. A person with a vested interest will go further than someone who is not. Sometimes, it just means more.

3. Quality leadership is about seeing the end result, and it is defined with a purpose. Quality leaders do not get “caught up” with the distractions around them.

4. Sometimes you have to hold on to a partner to find your way and have faith when they tell you to jump even if you cannot see.

Obviously, there are more take-a-ways, but these four were significant while I watched the movie and pondered them afterward. Even if you have not seen the movie, these four thoughts can be and should be part of the excellent leadership characteristics that you need for yourself and want for others.

With anything, as in the movie, leadership is about trust in those who lead and those who carry out orders. Wherever you are in your leadership, be the leader who looks out for others. Leadership is not always life or death, but it always affects the lives of others.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

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New Year… New Thought… Obedience

10 Friday Jan 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in Attitude, Intentions, Leader, Leadership, Obedience, Purpose

≈ 1 Comment

As the new year is now upon us, everyone talks about the need to start something new. But that “newness” of whatever quickly goes stale and we revert to what we were once before. We are creatures of habit.

The question I have for each of us today as we start the new year is, “What would it take to start something new?” Not just with the stirring of the heart or having a new mindset, but starting something new that would create permanent change for the betterment for ourselves. What would need to happen to trigger such an event?

One thought I have toward this includes the word I have been thinking about for myself…

Obedience…

I believe this is something we have to pursue. With everything that goes on in society, we have to be obedient to the point of eliminating the silliness, the drama, and pretty much all the worldliness that causes us to be complacent and accepting of the wrongs in our lives. Obedience leads to commitment without compromise. It creates consistency for others, but most importantly, ourselves.

Having obedience places a new perspective toward allowing ourselves to eliminate the need for the usual quick fix of a new strategy. Many times we try to be clever and work around something to get to where we need to be instead of facing the problem knowing we are lacking nothing more than just being obedient. The problem is our willingness to compromise with everything else and allow the lie of not being able to change to fester within us. We stop fighting for the truth we know to be true in our lives.

Whatever it is that needs to be changed in your life and your “want” to change, it starts with obedience without wavering. Find what it is you want to change and create the obedience in your life that is needed. You might just develop the “2020 vision” to see it through. Go and do the right thing…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on…

Want to share this leadership thought with others? Click on one of the social media sharing buttons below and help spread the good…

The Book Chamber

~ J Clay Norton, Ed.D.

Category Archives: Intentions

United or Divided? (A Re-post)

An Educational Pandemic…?

You Have One Job… Thoughts from the Movie “1917”

New Year… New Thought… Obedience

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