Monday, February 20, 2012
Lessons from Work Hard. Be Nice.
Hey Kid Team! I know everyone has finished the book, Work Hard. Be Nice. We are going to begin working on the other book, "Teach Like A Champion". I believe this first book, started us off on the right foot, told us a great story, and this team is ready to read about how to make that Culture of Achievement happen at NMS! For me, the inspiring leaders, Mike Feinberg and David Levin - followed their instincts and did what was right for kids. They didn't know it couldn't be done - therefore they visualized what they wanted and made it happen. I know that I am going to do more of that in the future. Honestly, I know that the students at NMS are just as capable as any other student. I have to rally the troups and I need everyone's help in creating the excitement, the enthusiasm, most importantly, the belief that it can and will happen. I hope that each of you will be the spokesperson for administration - so that when you hear something that is not in line with our vision and what we want for the NMS students, we can speak up in a calm, respectful manner, and be the models of what we want at NMS! I haven't ever worked with such a strong team, so let's do what Feinberg and Levin did! We got this!!
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For those of you that haven't gotten your copies yet you will feel as if you have had an epiphany when you start reading the book. Everything that we have ever questioned in our career in the classroom can be answered through reading thins book- or at least started to be answered. This is the best of all the books so far. It will become your bible just as it is becoming mine.
ReplyDeleteWe can change culture at NMS and it is happening. Our kids deserve the very best we all have to offer just as Feinberg and Levin believed. Our kids can do anything they set their minds to...we just have to be the ones to help them set their minds in the right direction. I have seen so much change this school year and it is exciting to be a part of it. Blogging and being involved in this book study has been a great experience for me. I look forward to the next one!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading Feinberg and Levin's story of building KIPP. It was a great way to think about building culture and teaching students the way that we want them to behave.... proactive rather than reactive. It made me excited about what we can do here at NMS. I agree with Kathy that Teach Like a Champion has been such a wonderful book... parts make me look critically at my own teaching and think about those things that I could have done better as a teacher. It also supported things that I always knew as a teacher but couldn't quite put into words. I think as we as a school read through this book, it will help with enthusiasm and excitement about how blessed we are to have a job where we have the opportunity to see so many young people and be a part in their wonderful journey toward becoming successful people!!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to have read Feinberg and Levin doing all they could for kids and the families. And never gave up.
ReplyDeleteThe opportunity to read this book and become part of a future that will be a reality of greater culture and teaching our kids about a better way of becoming the best that they can be has been exciting!!! I look forward to being better with all the techniques we are learning. I have not picked up Teach Like a Champion, but I have heard it is awesome. I am on it.
We are well on our way to turning the corner and achieving our goal!!! This book gave us ideas and inspiration and now we have the tools (Teach Like a Champion) to make it happen!!!
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from this book. Besides how to blog and sign in before I typed my mini thesis, I learned how KIPP got it's start and how the dreams and hard work of these two trailblazers paid off. Since this is what we tell our kids, to dream big and work hard, I was interested in how these two men made their vision become a reality. It made me miss my classroom. In looking forward, it excites me that we can become this kind of school. I believe we have an amazing group of professionals who care more about these kids than just about anyone. To have a chance to turn our school into one of these schools that set the example is just reward for everyone's hard work. Feinberg and Levin were not perfect, they were passionate. They were not geniouses, they were focused. They were not superhuman, they were committed. We have many, many teachers here who are passionate, focused and committed. We can do this.
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