Category Archives: Students

School’s Out… What a Year!

20 Friday May 2022

Posted by in Education, Educational Leadership, Encouragement, Leader, Leadership, Students, Teachers

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Well, here we are, the end of the 2021-2022 school year… and what a year it has been. A year of “almost” back to normal as we know it. What the future holds, we will see…

school's out

But this I know… leadership matters. The older I get, the more I see the need for better quality leadership. I find that many leaders are just plain cynical… they are concerned only with their own interests. They are so distrustful of others that they micromanage their way through leadership and typically disregard others’ opinions that could help the greater good. So, that’s why I write. The best leadership is servant-leadership, doing what is best for others and doing right by them. That should be what we are in education or any leadership position for anyway.

Nonetheless…

Last year, I finished my blog writing for the end of school with the top five most-read blogs for the school year. So I thought I would do that again. I find it interesting to see what people want to read about. Like anything we read, it comes down to your interests.

Here are the five most-read blogs from this past school year. Just click on the link to read again or read for the first time…

  1. A Teacher’s Value – Below the Average?
  2. I’m entering the “Transfer Portal”
  3. A Tribute for Teacher Appreciation… Mina Darnell
  4. Having a “wha-ha” moment… Abner Doubleday, Baseball, and The Civil War
  5. The Value of Tears…

As for my favorite… I’m going with this: Being a #girldad and Women Sports Equality

Personally, I would like to thank the readers of The Book Chamber Blog. Thank you for reading my thoughts, rants, or whatever you might call them. Your comments and feedback are always welcome, and it allows me to consider new topics each week. I have already started drafting a few topics for the next school year.

And… A Thank You to teachers everywhere who are in it for the students. You are the reason why education will always have a chance to help society.

If you are wondering what the most read blog is since I have been writing… Here it is… “Ride The Fence” Leadership

As summer vacation nears, make time for yourself and your family. In the end, that is what is most important. And as always… if all else fails and you need something to do, read a book.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… Twitter @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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A 26-Day Teacher Challenge…

22 Friday Apr 2022

Posted by in Actions, Education, Educational Leadership, Effective, Encouragement, Engagement, Influence, Inspiration, Intentional, Kindness, Leader, Relationships, Servant, Students, Teachers, Value

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As I write this, we have 27 days of school left. By now most students (and some teachers) are in what I call “The Hook Slide.” They have already rounded third base and can see and smell home plate. State tests, AP tests, dual-credit tests, end-of-year finals… ugh!

These 27 days are as important for the teachers as for the students. Maximizing time and effort is at the forefront of classroom instruction; I agree. I would also say that maximizing your relationships with your students is just as important. Many students need a cheerleader near the end of school. There are many who are not involved in anything at or out of school, and they can somewhat get “lost in the crowd.” I believe these students need to be recognized and acknowledged, for it might be the only time they are. School just might be the only outlet some students have.

So, with only 26 days left (starting today, Friday), what will you do as an educator to help ALL students? It is easy to gravitate to the students we “like” and those who “do well.” But we must make an intentional effort toward the others as well. We might not never know what it will mean or do for a particular student. So, a 26-day challenge…

Identify a few students every day (they don’t even have to be the ones you teach) and say a positive comment to them. We cannot know which students are involved in stuff and those who are not, but if we focus on ALL, we will catch everyone. It’s not hard. I bet some will be shocked they were spoken to and acknowledged.

A small gesture to help someone feel better about themselves. A value worth your time. A smile on their faces, maybe? What we do and do not do matters. For 26 days, be a difference-maker and see what the difference will be for others.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… Twitter @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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

“Rut roh” – Don’t get in a teaching rut…

21 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by in Actions, Choice, Compassion, COVID-19, Decisions, Encouragement, Kindness, Leader, Leadership, Students, Teachers, Understanding

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One of the slogan statements of a recent popular TV show stated that “Winter is coming.” Nope, the dull of winter is here. That stretch after Christmas and before spring break. The long haul, per se. Some days are cold and dreary outside, even in Mississippi. Today’s high is suppose to be around 35 degrees with a real feel of 26. As we were out at parking lot duty this morning, the temperature was a brisk 27 degrees. We were taking it on the chin, literally. That cold hard slap of the wind in our face.

Talk about depressing? The happiness of Christmas feelings is gone for teachers and students. Throw COVID into the mix, and we have many schools that now look like skeletons. Contact tracing, make-up work, substitute shortage… As Billy Joel said, “I can’t take it anymore.”

But…

I believe this… teaching is as much about psychology today as it is about knowing how to teach your subject. You have been hired, so that is a given. Teachers like students, and students like teachers seem to get into a proverbial rut this time of year. The drag… spinning, wanting to go forward but unwilling to lock it into four-wheel drive.

getoutoftherut

Back to the psychology… I’m pretty sure many teachers’ lessons are planned and ready to go. Let’s hope so anyway. But, what about you as a teacher, are you ready to go? How are your students seeing you? What are you bringing to your classes? I’m all for facilitating a lesson. I’m all for teaching, but I refuse to be in a rut. As the teacher, you have to be the “ray of light” not only for your students but for other teachers as well. Trust me, some teachers need it more than students.

Now, more than ever, your teacher’s creativity needs to be seen. Use your Jedi mind tricks. Now is the time to let your students see you smile; it is after Christmas, after all… Sing a little song, dance a little dance, help your students, give a little bit more encouragement, maybe even understand that life gets in the way. Go buy some contagious enthusiasm. Not sure how much it costs, but effective it will be.

It’s a choice, and we all make the decision every day. The bad and the good of it is everyone takes notice. What will they see? Be the “spring,” pun intended, that gets others out of the rut. Spring is coming.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… Twitter @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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

To be a “Dunce” or not, that is the question…

12 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by in Actions, Education, History, Leadership, Reading, Students, Teachers, Understanding, Value

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Preface and a disclaimer… the idea for this blog came from reading a snippet in Robert J. Morgan’s book, On This Day – 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories about Saints, Martyrs & Heroes. Once again, reading can seriously damage your ignorance…

John Duns Scotus… born in Scotland, studied theology at Oxford (not Mississippi), birthdate unknown. Lived in the late 1200s to early 1300s. Scotus had a brilliant mind and challenged many things in medieval theology. However, like many great thinkers, he had more questions than answers… Becoming a master philosopher, linguist, theologian, and metaphysical thinker, he was also professor at the University of Paris.

Now… to the blog…
When you think of the word “dunce,” what comes to mind? Maybe a slow learner with a pointed cone hat, sitting in a corner from times old? Me too. Punishment for not knowing? Well, I’ll have to wear a “dunce” cone for it then. Keep reading…

Here’s what I did not know… John Duns Scotus; Scotus, identifying his Scottish heritage, Duns from his village name. Known as “The Subtle Doctor,” his students were tabbed as “Dunsmen.”

Back in the day, pointy hats were in style. Start thinking very old times and remembering wizards. It is said that the “cone hat” look inspired that image. Anyway… conical hats meant you were wise. “Dunsmen” started wearing them as a symbol of being wise and also a follower of “Scotism.”

Somewhere down the road, the “cone hat,” symbol of knowledge and wise, went a different direction. In the 1500s, the “Dunsmen” were thought to be “behind the times” and were labeled as slow, stupid because they would not accept “new views.” John Duns Scotus’s views troubled so many that the word “Dunce” was coined from the “Duns” in the middle name.

dunce-orlando

Can you now see where we are going?

“Dunsmen” became known as “dunces,” and their pointy hats became a symbol of ignorance… When public education in Europe and America came into being, per se, the “dunce cap” was used for discipline, punishment, etc. Now, thankfully, it has phased out.

So… as we have segued into education… do we still think of students being dunces? If so, why? The cap and the corner might be no longer used, but how often do we “label” a student? Yes, some students might not be as quick to get an answer, or maybe they are processing something differently. This doesn’t make them a dunce. Believe it or not, there are things that I have not caught on to as quick as others.

Education should help bring out the best in students. While best can be relatively defined, too often, teachers will quickly place their focus on those who can instead of those who cannot. Maybe they just need a little longer or a little more help. Why would a teacher not?

Time has a way of changing things… as you can see, this is exactly what happened… today what we view as a symbol of failing, once showed intellect and respect. I think I’ll go get a pointed hat…

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

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