Originally when I started this post, I wanted to talk about instructional strategies.  However, I think this week has been very interesting and a shift has occurred from my original plan.  I recognize this shift is needed though.  

Recently, I have done many posts about relationship building.  Last week, my fourth grade team and I went out to Top Golf and had a great time.  Forming relationships with people is important.  Notice I said people, not just adults or just children.  People matter! Dr. Seuss said it best, "A person's a person, no matter how small."  When I talk about building relationships that also goes for students too.   

I have had a few people come up to me this week and say while I can be really hard on the students, they respect me and they do as I tell them.  I was asked, "How do I get the students to respond well to me like they do you?"  Honestly, I think it is because of the relationships I have forged.  While I can be (and am) really stern, I can also have fun with them.  More than that, it is getting a chance to sit down and talk with them. When I say sit down and talk with them, SHUT UP AND LET THE STUDENT TALK! You just need to LISTEN. Respond every so often so they know you are paying attention.  It is a matter of stepping outside your comfort zone.  It is a matter of recognizing that you will not like every single person that comes your way; HOWEVER, YOU BETTER BE THE BEST ACTOR and show that you still care about their ultimate goal...LEARNING!  

I say this because at the end of the day, students do not remember everything you taught them, but they do remember how you make them feel.  My students know that from day one, "I am not your friend, I am your teacher.  My job is to teach and your job is to learn. I am here though if you need to talk to me about anything."  Students can also tell when you are passionate about them learning and you can tap into their learning styles.  That is key.  It is also difficult to do with nearly 30 kids in a classroom; however, when you signed up for this job, YOU DID NOT SIGN UP FOR EASY!  

Here in Georgia, many, if not all, districts use a teacher evaluation tool called Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (also known as TKES).  As one part of our evaluation system, we are rated on ten standards.  Two that stand out to me include Positive Learning Environment and Professional Knowledge.  These two things are imperative in order for students to truly learn. People want to know you care about them, especially when you work with them.  Yesterday, I was working with new teachers and I could not help think about this idea even more.  We ended with the TED Talk by Rita Pierson entitled Every Kid Needs a Champion.  I have seen that video numerous times in the past; however, it is something that I needed to hear again.  It reminded me of how strong relationships are important, especially with students so they can learn.  I am going to end with, Every Kid Needs a Champion!  How are you going to be a champion for your student?  I know for me, it starts with a relationship! Build that relationship, then work on instruction for you can't have the later without the first.  More importantly, relationship building does not just stop after the first week of school or month of school.  It occurs all year long!

I really love my new job!  I miss seeing my students from last year; however, I do still get to work with them.  I get to function in more of my calling, which is helping people.  Being in the role I serve has allowed me to really see various aspects of the school in a different perspective than being a general classroom.  However, one aspect of my duties is to serve as the grade level chair of a particular grade level.  

This is my first time supporting teachers in a school and also leading a grade level.  I remember before the school year began, I took my team out to dinner because I wanted us to just have a chance to learn one another considering one of the people were new to the profession and everyone was new to the team.  I thought I had built a relationship with my team; however, another person joined the team towards the end of preplanning.  Some things happened towards the end of this week, which caused me to get frustrated, P.Oed, and down right angry and the majority of that was with that person if I can be honest.  

Thank God for the weekend.  For some reason, I was not sleepy Friday night and stayed up past 6 AM Saturday morning.  During that time I had a chance to reflect and think about myself as a leader and as a person.  Like I would do with my own students when they did something wrong or had offended me in anyway, I had to take a step back.  I had to examine myself and the entire situation. What could I have done differently? One thing I had to recognize was something I never did; truly establish a relationship with this person.  That is an error I made and I recognize that.  I have done little things so far this year to help with morale; however, not anything major to build that relationship.  My conscious began to feel guilty for I did something I never wanted...not to form authentic relationship to help build a great culture.  I had to call the teammate after church today and apologize for my error.  In the same respect, the person also told me they were sorry for offending me and that I shouldn't have to apologize; that I am doing my job.  

I am thankful for people like my friends Deanna, Kay, and Herbert. I described my situation to them and they listened.  They even helped me think through ways to continue developing a relationship with this person and my team in general.  I am going to end on this note.  If we don't build the culture in our classrooms, instruction cannot happen at its maximum potential.  If we do not build culture as a grade level or school, morale will suffer, which will cause the quality of education to fall.  In the end, we have to learn to build people up! 

Tomorrow begins the start of the new school year in my school district.  Kids will be getting off the bus and teachers will be waiting on them in the morning in their well-crafted classrooms that are just ever so inviting.  And as I sit here preparing for tomorrow, I sit here thinking about a few things.  

First, I can't help but think about how different it feels not to be getting ready to work in my classroom and build culture, climate, and expectations with my students.  Now tomorrow I know I will be busy; however, it is a different type of busy.  I am ready for the change, but I also think about how things are changing.  I had a conversation with two people, who happen to be in part of the same organization, and they have made me really think about what my next steps should be as I continue to progress in this field and what programs I should consider as I go where God has for me.  

As I also sit and think, my mind wonders to the greatness of this summer.  I was able to relax throughout the month of June and plan for this year. I was even able to watch the new season of Orange is the New Black and watch all ten seasons of Friends considering I had never seen it before.  Great show I might add.  But I think the three weeks I spent traveling to new places was even more memorable.  Spending one week in Philadelphia and attending ISTE 2015 (on a 15 hour bus ride I might add) was incredible and being able to connect and reconnect with people as well as learn from others was great! Then going to Puerto Rico the next week was an adventure (check out the blog post I did about communication back in July).  Finally the following week, heading to Washington D.C. for one of the best professional development experiences I ever had, even on a dry campus.  That week by far with Discovery Education was the best week I had professionally. It was divine purpose for me to have been there.  The focus on instructional strategies is what I needed; but, also it helped me to make connections and helped me reconfirm some things I had been talking to God about.  Shout out to Max and the Discovery Ed crew as well as Angeline, Patricia, and Jo! They made this experience unforgettable (especially with Christian 1 and Christian 2, inside joke lol).  

Ok, I have rambled enough.  I need to get to bed soon because the early morning will be here soon.  Thank you everyone who contributed to me learning and experiencing greatness.  Thank you also for taking the time to read.  I can say, reflecting on a few things, I've truly had the time of my life and what is even more important to note, this is only the start! 

Last week, while at Discovery Educator Network's Summer Institute, one presenter began to speak about the Semicolon Project.  For those who do not know, essentially, The Semicolon Project is a non profit who helps individuals recognize that life is like a sentence and the sentence has not come to an end; ergo the need for the semicolon instead of a period.  I listened to how the organization was developed to help those who are contemplating suicide. I could see for the person presenting he was passionate about the great things the organization has done.  

Fast forward to this weekend.  I was reading several blogs and I came upon one person's I read quite often.  They began to open up about their own experiences in their teenage years and brought up Project Semicolon.  It was at this moment, this truly reminded me that everyone has a story.  First, I was really shocked, yet happy that this person was able to tell their story and that others would be able to see it for themselves.  I cannot speak for others, but I do believe God always has things happen for a reason and purpose; even though we might not always understand right away.  

It was at that particular moment I realize part of why God sent this message my way again.  You never know what people go through.  For someone, Project Semicolon is their saving grace! I appreciate both stories being told.  I am going to be transparent for a moment.  Again everyone has a story and I am no different.  While I have not thought about suicide, I had a family member that did.  Although he died before I was before I was born, my grandfather committed the act.  Based on various things my family has told me about him, I recognize their was something going on with him and he never got the help he needed.  I have also saw some of the effects that it can have on those who were closest to the victim.  I do believe that you cannot make a person get help, for you cannot make a person do anything.  However, we have the power to influence! That is our greatest tool!  I just shared this story with you to help spread the word.  People want to feel that they matter and that people care about them.  If you know someone who is going through a battle or even if you do not think you know someone who is, please share their website http://projectsemicolon.com.  Someone's life can be saved! 

This is going into my fourth year of teaching.  Over the past three years, I have had so many enjoyable moments where the students bring so much laughter to my life.  There have been countless moments I have been so proud of them. Despite obstacles, they prove to accomplish the goals I need them to and some personal ones we establish throughout the year.  Teaching has that spiritual power! 

However, their is a down side to teaching.  It is that moment when you get some disheartening news about a student.  Their tragedies become yours.  Their misfortunes are yours.  All the while, you hurt because your student hurts.  You never know always what students are going through all the time; however, when you do, their sadness, happiness, excitement, etc. becomes yours.  Even when sad moments arise though, students can show themselves as being resilient and that is the BEST MOMENT AS AN EDUCATOR! 

Right now, I am in one of the most incredible places in the world.  After traveling to Puerto Rico last week, I am now in Washington, DC at American University for Discovery Education's DEN Summer Institute.  There are more than 100 people here, including instructional technology coaches, principals, media specialists, and most importantly, teachers.  When I say the wealth of knowledge that is in this place is magnificent, Believe Me!  The information, collaboration, and connections are like none other.  I will admit, it was a bit much when I came in; however, I soon learned why everyone was so excited...the experiences from the past DENSIs.  I am really appreciative of the summer institute.  The people here look out for one another. THEY CARE ABOUT YOU! They have proven that! I even have been two people while here (LOL: inside joke). 

There was something I did notice though when I got to the opening session on the first evening for DENSI. I was somewhat reluctant to speak about it, much less, blog about that thing I noticed.  I did not want to be perceived as a troublemaker or cause anyone to feel uncomfortable; however, one thing I realized is I have to be true to who I am and what I believe.  The thing I noticed is that I am the only Black male here and 1 of two minority males.  I am not mad with Discovery Education, but my mind just wondered, "Where are we?"  As an elementary educator, I do understand that minority men are few and far between in the field.  However, in comparison, I began to think about middle school and high school male educators as well as those who work in the field of education who are minority males. I asked even more questions to myself...Did more apply and not get accepted, is it due to the summer vacation that many of them did not apply, and how many even knew to apply?  

I am going to keep this blog post short, but I think about ISTE 2015 and how there was the #POCatISTE.  I think about the connections I made and I thought about how I kept hearing people say the amount of POC at edTech events are normally small, even for women (I want to say total I have counted about 12 POC at this particular event). Again, this is not to say I don't appreciate this experience! I am having a blast! If the theme is about being a connected educator though, my question becomes how can we connect so more educators can become involved, especially those of color, especially when so many teach children who are typically not as privileged?   

Those of you know who know me know I had the opportunity to travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico this past week.  I must say it was great to relax and sit out by the beach.  Each day was a new adventure.  From visiting Old San Juan to going through a tropical rainforest for the first time, it was an experience.  However, the greatest experience I had was Tuesday night.  

Tuesday night, my girlfriend and I went on a Bioluminescent Bay tour (I high would highly recommend this tour if you happen to go to the Caribbean).  This particular trip took place in complete darkness in between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in a kayak around nine o’clock at night.  You and your partner have to row about a mile and a half through the sea through a large mangrove area into the actually lagoon. Again there is no light to guide you and your partner.   It takes a lot of upper body strength.  More importantly it takes a lot of patience and most of all, communication.  If you want to see a test in how well you can communicate with someone else or vice versa, take this trip.  The person in the back can’t see what is in front and the person in the front can’t see in the back thus you have to clearly tell one another what is constantly happening.  You also have to be in sync in how you row and know directions.  While we ended up being towed by one of the tour guides on the majority of the tour, it proved to be a great experience.  We were able to the water illuminate.  

My girlfriend told me this was an experience I needed to blog about. Go figure, what am I doing now?!  LOL! However, on the way back the shore we were able to communicate with one another about where our failures were and how we could improve in a challenge like that.  I will say this though.  My girlfriend and I have been together for 7 years as of July 13 and have been friends for 11 year (since we were freshmen in high school).  Not saying our relationship is perfect by any means, but we know each other for the most part. We know how to communicate with one another.  What I took away from this adventure is how important communication truly is in personal relationships, but also working relationships.  Again, if you want to see how well you communicate with someone, go on a trip like this where trust and clear communication must be had.  

Again thank you to my school district for the opportunity to attend ISTE 2015 in Philadelphia.  As stated in the last blog post, it was truly an unforgettable experience. Authentic relationships formed and blossomed and learning in a meaningful way occurred for many people.  These were just some of the positive highlights from this year's conference.  However, there was one moment I grew incredibly infuriated.

I went to the vendor hall to check out two companies products since my district will be using them this year.  I honestly just wanted to see what the products had to offer.  Things went fine; but there was one moment when everything went wrong.  I do understand everyone has to make a living.  However, do not hassle me especially when you can see that I am getting tense.  I walked by one particular company and the sales rep for my region saw me.  She immediately looked at my name badge and saw my role.  She instantly began to assume that I worked on the district level instead of school.  Eventually she understood.  I did not just walk away because I was for one representing the place in which I work and did not want to seem rude.  When she looked at my name badge though and then spoke, it made me realize how she did not see me as a decent, upright human being...I was just someone whom she thought had a "high title". That did not resinate well with me.  

After speaking to the sales rep for a moment, she then began to ask me questions such as if my school was going one to one.  First, my district has made big news in the major local newspaper about their personalized learning initiative. If you were a true sales rep and lived in this area, you would know about what was going on to reach your customer base.  Eventually she started to ask questions about the initiative that I could not answer.  She then wanted to give me information about one of their new products and wanted my school to pilot the program.  The product they were soliciting was, as they put it, not a Learning Management System, but a LMS.  I did let them do their pitch without asking any real questions to begin with; but once they were done I did ask my hard questions.  Funny enough, they could not give any responses back based on things I asked (e.g. Why does your product have Google Classroom built in when I can do all of this stuff in Google Classroom already, What is the purpose of having two LMSs,  etc).  

There are three things I took away from this experience.  First the sale rep. only viewed me based on my position.  My title could have said teacher and she would have looked the other direction.  Little does this lady know is how a role does not necessarily define influence.  Secondly, if you are going to create and sale a product, know your clientele, competitors, and the limitations as well as strength of the product.  Lastly, I am an educator!  This is my passion. Any educator who truly has a passion for teaching and learning knows when someone else also cares about the same (although it is a feeling that is hard to describe, one knows when it is there).  This company does not understand that and sadly to say, they are going to fail trying to each the K-12 market.  

Man, this has been an incredible week!  Some people may say driving from Atlanta to Philadelphia on a bus with 54 other people would be something they would not do considering the trip was about 15 hours.  Some would say that ISTE Conferences can be overwhelming.  Some could even say that this experience would be scary or even nerve racking. However, I think at least for most of us (although I cannot speak for everyone) and especially myself, this trip was an amazing adventure.  

I am not going to say I am perfect at building relationships with people or that I am a guru with it.  I do think; however, I am very understanding of how they need to be formed when working with others especially based on my own experiences.  Many of the Fulton County Schools' Vanguardians (check out #fcsvanguard on Twitter) came from a variety of schools from all over our extremely large, both geographically and population wise, district.  Many of us did not know each other.  Over the past couple of days, it is amazing to see how many people have began to grow and learn about each other, rather we teach in Fairburn or in Johns Creek.  That goes back to a point I made yesterday and today in two global connected educators sessions...Being a global connected educator does not mean being a teacher in the United States and connecting with a teacher in China; it means being connected to someone else in this world.  The world is even your own backyard.  Think about what I said a moment ago.  Teachers in my district did not know who one another were or anything about a particular school or even about the students they serve.  Making the connections they made this week, I have seen collaboration start to take place on buses, in hotel lobbies, in walking down a sidewalk, and relationships form.  And I know soon, they are going to flourish.  

Continuing on with this journey called ISTE 2015.  This year I can say I learned from my experience last year with attending my first ISTE Conference.  I can say today I did not get overwhelmed.  Did I spend every moment of each day seeking out the most "brilliant" sessions...No.  Yes I attended many sessions (and some can do a better job with the description of their sessions), but being straightforward, I will tell anyone the best place to be is not necessarily at a paid workshop (which still I don't understand why is it that certain ones are not included in registration costs) or sessions and definitely in not the shark tank known as the vendor hall, but the Blogger's Cafe. Last year and this year, I gained more knowledge from various people in the Blogger's Cafe (even though mine this year were much more meaningful than last) than sessions.  From teachers, assistant principals, principals, directors, and even superintendents; there wasn't a place of hierarchy.  I did not feel that because I am 50 and you are 25, I am better than you.  Everyone was able to learn more about each other and learn based on experiences.  I haven't shared this really with anyone; however, I kept hearing about how awesome Minecraft was in the classroom, yet I was very fearful of implementing it and truthfully learning it myself (which I am going to have to go outside my comfort zone and it is still going to be somewhat nerve racking).  Sitting in that space and having a five to ten minute conversation on that has truly been inspiring and I got a better understanding of how to work that particular tool.  

I could go on and another post will be coming soon; but for now I am going to close.  I know everyone does not have the same faith I have.  Some people do not even believe in God and I truly respect that (especially when you can respect my beliefs). I do believe God sets up things for divine purpose and everything happens for a reason.  I must say I need to thank God and my school district.  They have covered my cost of coming to the conference, food, and more importantly, paying to help develop others and myself to become better in our professions and also as people.  I once heard in a song the words, "I need you, you need me... you are important to me, I need you to survive."  This is how I would best describe my experience of ISTE 2015.  Please know more is coming soon about more aspects of the conference experience. 

Thank God for summer vacation!  No lesson plans, waking up extremely early, or having to wait hours to use the bathroom! I have able to get some stuff done that was needed as well as relax.  Plus, I have been able to finish season 3 of Orange is the New Black and make watch Friends for the first time from start to finish.  But make no mistake, a large part of my time has been spent reflecting.  

As I think about the upcoming year and having a new role than just general classroom teacher, I began to think about how I would approach this new role. One of the biggest my biggest responsibilities include working with teachers.  Lord knows I am grateful for the leadership opportunities He has supplied me with and I know I can do all things through Christ; however, I have been really thinking about how do I work with teachers even more.   Many times, as I am on social media, I see colleagues posting information about how culture matters in the educational environment.  

Thinking about it, that really does matter.  Without establishing and fostering relationships, a whole lot really cannot be accomplished.  I began to see it like in the classroom and working with students.