Check Your Passion

In Steve Gilliland's book called, Enjoy the Ride, his secretary approached him after a great annual performance review because she noticed there was no passion or excitement in his voice after finding out that he got a raise and another bonus. With this, she asked him a thought provoking question that would alter the course of his life, "If every job in the world paid the same, would you still be doing what you are doing?" He checked himself and realized that he did not want to pursue sales any longer. He wanted to "be in front of an audience motivating them to maximize their full potential, inspiring them to focus on their talents, and teaching them new skills and competencies." (pg. 2)

At the Texas Association of Secondary School Principal (TASSP) Summer Workshop this June, I had an opportunity to hear Steve Gilliland speak. It was a great opening to the conference and I was inspired to check my passion. As I think about the question, I had to be real with myself. Do I enjoy my job? Do I love what I am doing? Do I love whom I am doing this with? I was able to answer everyone of the questions with a "Yes!" I love what I do. I love why I do it; and I love whom I do it with. I want to make a difference in student's lives. This is why I am here. 

I saw an ex-student today as I was pumping gas at Kroger. He saw me and got out of his truck to come talk to me and tell me about how his life was going. He joined the Navy and is about to go into the Gulf to fight for our country. Before he left, he told me to continue to watch out for my students. It made me feel so good 1) that he took the time to approach me; 2) he wanted to share his story with me. This was a good reminder to me of why I do what I do. 

Strategies for Integrating Technology into your Classroom 

Not every teacher knows how to integrate technology into their classroom or for that matter really want to integrate it at all. Some teachers are satisfied just teaching the way in which they were taught. This methodology will no longer yield active and engaged learners. For the digital generation, technology must be incorporated or these students will continue to fall further and further behind. Our students have been surrounded by technology ever since they were in their mother’s womb. Ultrasound technicians were taking pictures of their children in 4D . This type of technology was not around when I was born. These students feed on the virtual world of technology and that is the only way these students with succeed. Teachers must find ways to integrate technology into teaching.  


In the book, Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom, the author(s) have provided us with strategies to help engage and motivate our students. “The best strategy for curriculum integration is to put the technology into the hands of trained teachers, make it easily accessible, and let them decide how best to use it at the point of instruction in their classrooms.” (pg. 338) Good pedagogy is still our number one priority; however, if you can find a way to integrate technology into you classroom, you will have much better success. 

The key is to decide how best to use the technology that you have. This is a very important concept that takes preparation and planning for it to be highly effective. “For technology integration to be successful, careful planning is required at all levels, which involves district-level planning, school-level planning, and classroom-level planning.” 

Every Tuesday during the school year, our two campus technology specialist equip our teachers to meet the ever changing demand of technology. It is up to the teacher to embrace the tools they have been given and turn it around in their classroom. Eric Sheniger says that "we must empower our teachers to use technology, not mandate it."

When I think about my school, I often wonder how I would do as a student. Would I enjoy coming to school every day? Is there a teacher or adult on campus that I could talk to if I had a problem or question? What group would I fit in? What club or organization would I belong to? Will I like my teachers? Will this school provide me the education/help I need?

These questions are only a few of the things that a middle school student thinks about. These are the questions we must have answers too. "Students at this age really want to flex their academic muscles and to feel competent and effective in the classroom. At the same time, they feel an equally strong pull to develop social connections in their peer group. The secret of a great middle school classrooms is allowing them to fulfill both of these pressing developmental needs." (Fires in the Middle School Bathroom, Kathleen Cushman, Laura Rogers, pg. 27) 

Do my classrooms allow them to do both? 

The middle school years are by far the hardest years in a student's life. They are confused and need someone to walk them through this journey. In the book, Fires in the Middle School Bathroom, Kathleen Cushman and Laura Rogers talk about some of the continual back and forth that middle school students experience during this time.

• Middle school students want teachers/staff to see them as mature, but many of them still look like children
• They want to be treated as more independent, serious young people, and they still want to have recess
• They want to learn really interesting, "hard" things, but they want to learn them through games and activities
• They want to be treated fairly-"just like everyone else"-and they also want us to make exceptions for them when they make mistakes
• They want our recognition for what they do right, but they don't want anyone else to see us give it. 
• They want to experiment with the rules. 

Can you see how difficult this age group can be to navigate? All the back and forth. I think it might be the only time in someone's life when they really do not know why they do what they do.

It is a challenge, but every day, I am given an opportunity to impact a student's life. I am a strong believer in getting to know the students' on a personal level. I want to know their names. I want to see how I can help them. I have a strong desire to see students succeed and make a difference in a student's life. When people find out that I am a middle school principal, they are always surprised. They often make comments like "there is no way that I can do what you do." I tell them over and over again that I enjoy what I do and do not want to do anything else. I am thankful and blessed to be in a leadership position where I can make a large impact on a student's future. Thank you for this opportunity.