MiddleWeb | Carolyn Beitzel Diary

CAROLYN BEITZEL
Diary #1

Let's Go Fishing!

Tuesday was our "annual pep rally", as I like to call it. All 900+ teachers in the district meet in the high school auditorium to listen to our superintendent give a motivational speech. We are supposed to leave pumped up for the year ahead. This year was a little different. Instead of a long speech we viewed a short video, "FISH."

The guys at the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Washington (you know the place, they throw fish) have been promoting their business philosophy to the corporate world. The superintendent decided it was a message for teachers as well.

This small workplace lives each day by four Essential Creative Principles. Throughout the video, each worker exemplified one or more of these E.C.P's. First, "Be There". If you are not in the moment, connecting with the person in your space, then you have lost an opportunity. To do this, you must look the person in the eye when you speak to them and acknowledge their existence on this planet. How many times do we talk to people throughout our day and never really look at their face? If the eyes are truly the windows to the soul then most of us are blind to our fellow man.

Second, "Play." Work must be fun or it is not a happy place for anyone. Smile, be a little goofy, praise people. I am reminded of Miss Frizzle in the Magic Schoolbus book series. William Glasser in his book Control Theory in the Classroom tells us that if we want motivated students then we must ensure that what we are teaching them is not boring.

The third E.C.P is about involving people in your play, "Make Their Day." At Pike Place they invite visitors to catch the fish, or even to hold a large salmon. How many of us have actually held a fish over 100 pounds? You need to infect someone else with your enthusiasm.

Last is what I believe the most important, "Choose Your Attitude." You can come to work in a good mood or a bad mood. It is really your choice. You can be negative or positive. You can be a grouch or not. It is all up to you. Other people are certainly going to affect your attitude, but only you can decide how.

How does this relate to teaching? I think it is simple. When I present myself as a happy, positive person, doesn't that infect others with a little lightness in their worlds? When I decide to write a lesson that involves fun, creative, stimulating strategies aren't I imparting to my students that what I am teaching is not boring?

When I involve them in their own learning haven't I given them the tools to find success for themselves? When I have taken the time and effort to greet them by name isn't that making them important in my eyes?

I can answer a resounding yes to all. That's the message and it is that easy, really.

Putting E.C.P into practice

A couple of weeks ago another teacher on my team and I found out that our team leader was not returning to school this year. This fact left us in a tizzy. At the end of last year the three of us had approached the principal to propose that we become a team as we held many of the same teaching philosophies. To our surprise, he did it. I moved from science to social studies, the team leader taught science, the other teacher taught math and we were to get a new hire in the language arts slot. Our team leader's decision not to return left everything up in the air.

Rumors were flying fast and furious. Not one of the experienced teachers in 8th grade thought we would be able to stay together. The math teacher and I are sophomores and to put two new hires with us could never work, the thinking went, because we don't have the "experience."

We thought otherwise. This teacher and I were on the same team last year and have developed a strong bond. We found ourselves in the principal's office ready to plead our case. He beat us to it. Once again, to my surprise, he gave us his vote of confidence. We are co-team leaders this year on a team with a grand total of two and a half years experience between all four of us (gasp).

Is it going to be tough this year? Oh yeah. We are not so naive to think it could be otherwise. Are we supporting each other? Every minute. We are developing plans, rules, and procedures that we all are going to follow in our classroom, so our students have consistency.

We have decided to take the FISH Philosophy to heart and make it our pledge to our students. Are we excited for next week to roll around? Big time! Let the games beginŠ

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