Saturday, October 23, 2010

The Unexpected Proud Parent Moment


Thanks for clicking your way to this post. I'm glad you are here and I have great story I hope you will like.

While I coaching students at my school, there is no denying the required after school practice time it consumes. The past few weeks have been filled with skunk tag, human RPS, bouncing bones as a way to conceal actually running.

With 40 ish participants it becomes difficult for a coach to run at a pace that benefits all gr 3 - 6 students. Cue ACTIVE LEADERS.

"We need some running leaders" 90 % of hands go up (I'm sure the other 10% were just focused on the rabbit in the field behind me). It amazes me that even with 6 weeks of using the Leader in Me vocab students have already bought in.

.....

Yesterday was race day. 3 school. 4 grades. 1600 meters. Student cheerleaders, parents, granola bars and juice. On your marks..get set...go!

Cue proud "parent" moment. I have never been as excited or full of pride as when I saw the faces of each student crossing the finish line. Yes, we have two students pace in the top 3. Yes, we had student finish in the bottom 10. BUT THEY ALL FINISHED! The all did it! Words don't do justice the gushing delight that erupted in my heart! Yeah Team!

.... and then because we had the most participants and the brightest team spirit (in addition to how well we placed), WE WON THE TOP SCHOOL TROPHY. Well, you would have thought we we awarded the grey cup: photos, kisses, fake drinking out the trophy. And they deserve every minute of the glory.

Thanks for reading.
Can you relate to the "proud parent" feeling?
Have your children or students made your heart melt?

The possible partner?

Hey friend,

So I have a great idea: Let's blog about our year! This will (and has already been) a pivotal moment in our lives. By sharing it together, we can synergize and grow the buzz.

Did you notice the title? ACTIVE LEADERS?

That is going to be our thing. I'll deal with ACTIVE, you (and A) can run the LEADERS, together creating active leaders.

I like to think of this as the "idea" binder sitting in your classroom that realistically neither of us will remember to add to. (..I haven't yet... have you?). Instead, we can log in, jot down, or write an entry.

I feel good thinks in our future:
1. Blog
2. School presentations
3. Conference presentations
4. Book - why not imagine this blog as the rough draft for our "active leader" book on transforming a school culture?
5. The world - but we are egoless remember. It is not about us!

What do you think?

...And so it begins

Welcome, I am glad you are here. You could have been anywhere on the internet right now but you are not. You are here. And you chose to be here. Thank you and welcome.

This blog, this entry, this word is the start of something very big. We will look back on this blog in months and years to remind ourselves how it started: with good friends, hard work and an honorable goal: Turn students into active leaders

My goal for you:
JOIN us our journey to transform a school culture.
ADD your ideas, insights and questions
RELATE to your own life
SHARE with friends, colleagues, spouses, all
THANK yourself for being part of something great

My goal for us
REFECT on your experiences
RECORD them without ego
TAKE lesson away, not failures
SHARE with friends, colleagues, spouses, all
THANK ourselves for being part of something great


"Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn"

Thanks for being part of something great today
-AK