Get Action!

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Recently, the universe has been sending reminders that nothing happens without taking action. That's come to me from Theodore Roosevelt (via The Art of Manliness) saying to

"Get action; do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create; act; take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action.”

Taking action is an oft repeated theme in the Dare to Lead podcast with Dr. Brené Brown and no better stated than in the episode "Brené on Armored versus Daring Ledership, Part 1 of 2" in which she says

"to research leadership is easier than to practice it."

That is true of just about everything, especially in education. We can research, and learn, and think, and plan, but in order to get anything out of that process, we must do. The best educational theory and buzzwords and concepts don't mean anything until they are put into action. Only then can we know what "works" and what doesn't. That is true for teachers and it is true for students, too.

I think of all that I plan to accomplish establishing a culture within the theatre classes and after-school program. I can set expectations, I can talk about reflection, but until it is done, it really doesn't mean anything. That can be lost easily and I think we would all do well to remember it, especially after the two school years we've just had.

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Simplifying for the New Year 2021

Welcoming the new year with this Emerson quote on my mind. All things considered, 2020 brought opportunity and improvement for me and my family largely because we continued to refine and follow through on the principles that we hold important. Insights from gurus like Dr. Brene Brown, Jay Shetty, Chase Jarvis, and Mel Robbins have helped me in this pursuit.

I'm beginning 2021 with an audit of my activities and commitments. How well have they, and will they, address my principles, visions, and mission? To quote another favorite author: "Simplify, simplify, simplify!" (Here's a great article from Psychology Today that simplifies Thoreau's philosophy further). Taking the time now to decide where to spend my time in the future should free up even more time to use toward those things that matter most. 

When the school year is over, I plan to do the same audit on my curriculum and after-school programming to get at the heart of the my purpose in those endeavors, as well. The hybrid learning model in which I have been working has made it necessary to streamline so much already. It will be interesting to look back and see what worked and what did not and how I can potentially bring the same simplification process to a more "normal" school year in the fall (assuming we are finally free of our social distancing measures by that time!).

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