The Solution

To finish last week’s wonderful world of work, I engaged in our state conference on education for administrators.  It’s always a fabulous few days of enlightenment and connectivity.  It’s the conference that I most look forward to.  Not only does our state organization (North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders) put on a great conference, but the conference gives us a chance to collaborate and communicate commonalities and differences that exist in our schools.  We talk about all sorts of positives and problems that exist in our local schools.  We try to be proactive and solution based as we think about the critical components of educating all children.

We truly do have the best interest of every student at the forefront of our minds.  It’s amazing to see over 400 people sitting in a room, knowing that each of us has the desire to not only improve student learning, but to make a profound difference in the youth of our nation. North Dakota you are truly blessed to have the individuals that you do representing your children.

Throughout the course of the conference we will talk about topics that include curriculum development, school safety and security, classroom management, blended learning, data analysis, formative and summative assessment, school improvement and much more.  Not to discredit the solutions and action plans that come from these topics, but I often walk away thinking we missed a critical component.  Whether it is enhancing school safety or increasing student achievement I feel one characteristic that certainly covers all others tends to be on everyone’s mind, but often taken for granted as a viable solution.

You see, I honestly believe that the best security and safety measure that a school can take is building relationships of trust and care with students.  We can put in metal detectors, arm school personnel with guns, and put buzzer systems on our doors, but I feel that these are all reactionary solutions.  What if we started from an entirely different angle?  What if we start by building positive relationships with our students…every student?  If we can show them that we care, if we can show them that they matter, if we can show them that their dreams can become reality and their nightmares a falsity then we will instill hope in them.  Hope gives us all a purpose.  Hope inspires.  What if we inspire our students on the forefront?  What if instead of being reactionary we put all of our efforts into being proactive?  How would this change things?

No doubt, we cannot minimize the importance of school safety.  If children feel safe and secure then they will be more apt to learn.  But I can’t help think a little inspiration could be a fix to the list of all the topics above.  If we recognize the uniqueness of each individual and celebrate that each and every day, I can guarantee that our students will do better in school.  We will see test scores rise.  You will see less violence in school.  Our data would indicate schools are achieving at high levels.

I’ve done zero formal research, but I can tell you that I perform better when I’m being praised.  I perform better when I know people care about me.  I perform better when I’m allowed to be creative.  Simply, I perform better when I’m inspired.  I feel a sense of worth.  I believe I can contribute.  I daydream about possibilities and I want others to feel the same way.

I do think that we take this for granted.  I believe as educators we believe that we are already doing this, and therefor tend to talk about “surface solutions” (I like to call them), rather than digging deeper into the social and emotional well-being of our students.

As we walk away from our conferences let’s make sure that first and foremost our job as educators is to inspire children.  Let this be task number one.  If we can do this effectively tasks number two, three, four, and so on will be much easier to accomplish.

Thank you North Dakota educators and NDCEL for doing what you do.  It is because of your encouragement, advice, and inspiration that I’m ready to enter another wonderful week of work and have many more fabulous days ahead of me. 

   

He Provides

“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23 NKJV

Last Wednesday night my two boys hugged their grandpa as we were leaving their cousins house.  It’s been a regular routine for them – they hug their papa and grandma when we leave their presence.  But, little did my kids know the hug they shared could have possibly been their last.  Their papa was about to have risky surgery the next day to remove his cancer.

Their papa is an incredible man.  Not only is he a great grandpa to my kids, but he’s the father-in-law that you could only dream of having.  He has lived a life of service, and will always put himself second to everyone else and their needs.  He’s a farmer.  Like all farmers – they work their tails off for the benefit of everyone else.  They put countless hours of work in so that households across the world will have food on their plates.  Really when I think of Jim Kjos (Papa) – the phrase that continues to pop into my mind is “he provides.”

Without a doubt he provides.  He provides support.  He provides love.  He provides an inspiration that is contagious, and let me tell you – he has inspired my two little boys beyond belief.

 

This past summer he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Doctors gave him two to five years to live and told him that his cancer was not operational.  He began to undergo chemo treatments and did so for many months.  It must be noted that these chemo treatments came during the peak farming period but they didn’t stop him.  He provided when his body told him not to.  He rolled out of bed when it would have been much easier to fall back asleep.  When his body was telling him to NOT give another inch, he gave a mile.

About a month ago he was given the option by a second doctor to undergo surgery to try and remove most of the cancer.  He was told that without the surgery he would have months to live.  The surgery was going to be risky; a 50% chance of survival.  Without a blink of an eye and caution being tossed at him from all around – he decided to undergo the surgery.  A surgery that would last 10-12 hours.

The prayer chain that had started back when he was first diagnosed began to grow much larger and stronger.  People that didn’t even know him prayed for him day after day after day.  The Shiloh community that I’m a part of lifted him up in prayer each and every day.  My family and I prayed for papa every night before we went to bed.

We prayed even harder the day of the surgery.  Anticipation and nervousness surrounded the family as we waited to hear the first report from the doctor.  Shortly after 9 am – we received the first report.  The doctor told the family that the cancer was not as bad as they had first thought.  Each report after for the next 10 hours was better and better.  Finally just before the surgery was complete the doctor visited the family and told us that he believed to have extracted all of the cancer.  Not only that, he believed that papa has a very good chance to beat this cancer all together.

The power of prayer is amazing.  God provides support.  He provides love, and he continues to provide us inspiration.  He tells us to cast all of our worries on him.  As the verse at the top of this blog post states “if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  Really when I think of God – the phrase that continues to pop into my mind is “he provides.”

“Cast your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NIV

God does care for you.  We all have stories that are similar to the one above.  Each day we deal with pressure and anxiety.  We have loved ones that are sick and we have loved ones that we have lost.  Throw your worries to the lord and trust in his will.

“I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will find and feel my presence even in your time of pressure and trouble.  I will be your glorious Hero and give you a feast!” Psalm 91:15 TPT

I appreciate that God continues to give me a feast.  I also appreciate that papa will also be able to continue his work and give everyone a feast.  Please continue the prayers for this amazing man.  He has many more great things to offer to this world and certainly has many more hugs to offer my children.  He is not out of the woods but he has certainly cut down many of the trees with his bare hands.  His recovery could take longer and his cancer may come back, but round 1 goes to papa.  

Papa and Grandma with all the grandkids.

Random Act

“Your child will follow your example, not your advice.”

-Unknown

I saw this quote and I immediately thought of a funny story.  Two Sundays ago, as I was sitting on the sidelines watching my seven year old play flag football, I began to notice that the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.  You see, Tayten is the type of kid that thinks he knows it all, but he fails to pay attention to what is being told to him.   He got a short two minute break and came over to me for a drink of PowerAde, and I said to him.  “When you are playing receiver, do not run so deep that the quarterback can’t throw you the ball.” 

The very next play he is in as wide receiver and you could almost guess what he does.  He runs 25 yards down field, doesn’t get a pass and gets frustrated.  I quickly reminded his mother (the tree) what she has created. J

Fast forward to this morning as we are both standing in front of the school greeting students and parents as they come in.  He has seen me open the door, say good morning, and greet people for a few months now.   We have two sets of doors that one must walk through in the morning.  I notice that he has now taken it upon himself to open the second set of doors, say good morning, and greet people as they walk in.

Two totally different circumstances, but both relevant to the quote above.  I laughed when I read the quote because it’s the absolute truth.  My child will follow my actions more than he will follow my words.

What a great reminder for us all.  I’ve said it before, but if we think better and do better, the world in which we live will ultimately be better.  In my position as Superintendent, people tend to ask me how it feels to be a boss.  The question frustrates me because I couldn’t be further from being a boss.  I’m a leader.  You are a leader.  We are all leaders.  Great leaders talk less and listen more.  They encourage and empower others.  Great leaders lead by example.

What example are you setting?  Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, business leader, or human for that matter, please reflect on your example.  I would like to start a simple challenge and hope that it can spread all over the world.  I’m a Social Media guy - so this will be the vehicle.  I absolutely love the power it has to connect individuals and deliver professional development opportunities at our finger tips.

Here is the challenge.

1. If you don’t have a Twitter or Facebook account get one.
2. Every day for the next 5 days do one random act of kindness.  It can be anything from complimenting somebody to opening a door, etc.  Just one random act.
3. Share what you did by writing the hash tag #SCRandomAct at the end of your post.
4. No need to share names, just share the act.
5. I’ve started it for you and my random act can be found by looking up the hashtag on Twitter.

Please don’t let this die.  Could you imagine a world in which each and every one of us makes it a point to carry out one random act of kindness each day for the next five days? Ten days? Lifetime?  When you help others you help yourself.  It’s fun and simple and we can start making a difference.  Are you with me?  Share this with others and inspire them to do the same.  One random act for the next five days – Go.