Category: Parents

There’s a Lesson to Be Learned

I’ve been away from my school for an entire week, but I haven’t seen my kids for 2 weeks. It has been twenty thousand one hundred sixty minutes since I last laid eyes on my school kids. It seems a bit strange that 1 week of an unplanned school closing has left me dismal. Yes, I am totally engulfed in the pandemic that is sweeping the nation, but I am also trapped in a web of concern for my kids. I am like a melancholic puppy who can’t find her fuzzy toy. I’ve even resulted to asking Alexa to play the favorite songs of my kindergartners. I am totally fixated on all the things my kids are missing. I am wondering how they are impacted by the closing, if their families are well. I am concerned about the fractured school year and how my kids will return to learning as “usual” when the pandemic has subsided. I am wondering what questions the kids may have. I know that there are many. I received an email from one of my kids, she typed, “I miss you, Dr. Walker-Hood.” The email made my day! My district, like others, has implemented a plan to stay in touch with our kids and to ensure that their minds are being stimulated. My team and I are communicating with families via a web-based program, telephone calls, and emails. It’s ironic, when school was in session, there was always someone longing to be home,  sometimes a kid and sometimes an adult. Now that we are restricted to stay at home, we are longing to be at school. The kids miss their teachers and the teachers miss their kids!

As always, there’s a lesson to be learned in everything that happens. It’s up to the individual to learn the lesson. Yes, this pandemic is unprecedented; it’s sweeping the nation like a wildfire but there is a lesson to be learned! The lesson, in its simplest form is to learn to appreciate people. Appreciate your family, friends, neighbors, those you work with, those you see at stores, and those whose names you don’t know. Stop thinking you are better than others. Stop thinking you know everything. Stop judging people.  Stop complaining.  We ALL are Masterpieces, unique individuals with special gifts and talents! This pandemic doesn’t discriminate. Let us show compassion, empathy, patience, and appreciation…TODAY, TOMORROW, and ALWAYS!

I hope that all is well with my kids and their families.  I hope my team and their families are well, safe, and secure.  Soon, I hope to see them ALL! I know this devastating pandemic is only a moment in time.  I hope we understand and digest its lesson. I miss my Masterpieces!

Look for the Silver Lining…

During one of the earlier classes of my master’s program, the superintendent teaching the course told us “eager to be administrators” that principals do EVERYTHING!  He commented,  “You jump in where you are needed, some days you may have to push a garbage can during lunch.”  His comment was true, as a principal, I am always jumping into SOMETHING!

For most of the school year, my dedicated teaching-assistant principal and I, have been crossing guards. We have inherited these positions due to unforeseen circumstances. I’ve done everything within my power to secure qualified individuals to fill these positions.  The longevity of committed crossing guards has been short termed. Since I had experienced a similar situation last year, I decided to be proactive by hiring 3 crossing guards.  All individuals completed crossing guard training.   All individuals began their tours of duty and ALL individuals decided the corners were not for them! I know a part-time job that offers 2 hours of pay, lots of rain, frigid temperatures, and blustery winds might run anyone away.  I am grateful that my dedicated teaching-assistant principal has battled the elements each day! To be honest, I have a low tolerance for cold but being the crossing guard offered the opportunity to buy a new puffer, with no guilt attached!  My teaching-assistant principal and I pick up our red octagon signs and head to our designated corners, 2 times per day. While stopping amid things to run to the corner adds an extra bump in my schedule, it also adds a little happiness to my day.

While standing on the corner, I’ve gotten to know more of my parents, grandparents, and kids. Their faces are familiar; I can make connections among siblings.  My parents greet me with a smile or nod as I meander to the center of the cross-section. Sometimes, I remind them about upcoming school events and important dates. If I am running a few minutes behind schedule,  there’s a mom that will tell drivers not to park in the crosswalks. I’ve seen her talking with drivers; I always tell her “thank you.” It surely takes a village to keep our kids safe. I have had parents wait until I have finished crossing the kids to ask questions. They have prefaced their questions with,” I know where to find you.” I’ve sensed that it made them feel better, knowing that I am accessible. I’ve received many waves from cars. I’ve had a grandma say, “I like to see a principal that will do anything.” I had a dad who greeted me by saying, “Good morning Dr. Walker-Hood. How are you?” I responded, “Good morning. How are you?” He replied, “Fantastic, since I saw you!” I couldn’t help but laugh. I also have my kids that cross at the corner. There’s a kindergartner that always says, “Dr. Walker-Hood, I like your shoes. I saw you in my room.” There’s the little one that I greet on the other side of the street so she can share what she did the previous night. There’s the second grader that I keep reminding that he can’t run full speed from his house and anticipate drivers to know he is coming; he must stop running before crossing the street.  My sixth-grade girls, smile and laugh when they cross, sometimes  they tell me that they understand the math lesson that we completed during Academic Block. As the kids cross, they say “Bye Dr. Walker-Hood, see you tomorrow. Thank you.” I say, “YOU TOO!” and they smile.

My 40-minutes on the corner are well spent! Yes, it’s cold and I am layered up, but I am also warmed by the sentiments of my kids and parents. They brighten my day! There’s a silver lining in every cloud, sometimes you just need to look!

The Zorro Circle

It is 5:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning; my hubby is downstairs exercising.  I am upstairs typing a blog. It sounds a little wacky! No, I don’t live in a dysfunctional household. We both fell asleep while the television was watching us; now neither of us can fall asleep. I went to bed with the intent of starting my day at a normal hour but that’s not happening today! Lying in bed has resulted in me mentally creating an elaborate schedule of “must do’s” for the day. My mind is spinning with ideas  and one of my favorite rules prevailed, “If you lie in bed for 30 minutes and can’t fall asleep, get up and DO SOMETHING!” I put a load of clothes in the washer and started a blog! A “Must Do” and a “Me Do!”

I’ve been deliberating over setting some goals for myself. After all, it’s the beginning of a new year! I narrowed my goal setting to the circles that consume my world: home, work, and ME! I know my plan will work well because it’s grounded in research. I am setting my personal goals based on information gleaned from my favorite orange book, The Happiness Advantage! Yes, I am still hooked on “happiness” and orange is one of my favorite colors!

In the book, the author wrote about the  Zorro Circle, named after the swashbuckling movie character “Zorro.”  The author elaborates on Zorro’s transformation from a binge-filled alcoholic to a masterful swordsman. He accredits Zorro’s conversion to his  astute mentor and to Zorro’s ability to successfully navigate within manageable circles.  Zorro’s first task was to become confident and skillful within a narrowly defined circle.   After mastering the smallest circle, Zorro’s mentor widens the circle, thus prompting Zorro to perfect his craft even more.  As the tale continues, Zorro becomes well known for his skills as a swordsman and dedicates himself to helping those in need. While the act of helping those in need resonates to many; the symbolism of the circles may sometimes be overlooked. By initially limiting the size of Zorro’s circle and gradually expanding its size, Zorro’s mentor had ensured that Zorro would accomplish his goal!

When I set my goals for this marvelous new year, I’m keeping the  Zorro Circle in mind. My goals will be challenging but obtainable! I am going to keep my circles large enough so I must stretch and small enough so that I can advance to a larger circle!

As you set goals for the new year, whether they are goals for home, work, or self,  ensure that they are reasonable and obtainable!

Less stress, more happiness!

Orange Sprinkles!

Laugh with Your School Family

Today is the day after our Family Field Trip to see a college basketball game. On one of the coldest Saturdays that Chicago has experienced this year, many families and several teachers joined me for our very first Family Field Trip. The trip offered the opportunity to spend relaxing time with some of our kids and their parents. It also offered the opportunity for the kids to experience the lights and glam of a college basketball game. Most of us parked at the school and rode the big yellow school bus, an adventure by itself. Others joined us at our designation. This blog is written to say, “thank you” to the families and teachers that attended our Family Field Trip on that blistery Saturday afternoon.  It is also written to remind my fellow colleagues to take time to laugh with your “school family.” I found the afternoon with my “school family” to be very enjoyable!

On the bus, I had the opportunity to talk with several parents. They shared tidbits of their life, nothing personal, just enough to make us all laugh and to allow us to become better acquainted. As we ventured towards our designation, a parent passed her alma mater and the community where she was raised. She shared historical information about the community and spoke of her family’s businesses.  As we continued our journey, I was asked questions about the schools that I had attended and the degrees that I have obtained. We discovered that we had similar interests and laughed about the silly things that children do. In a later conversation, a parent shared details pertaining to her career choice.  She indicated that she was currently pursuing a master’s degree.  The most spirited mom of all, tickled our taste buds as she described the delicious meals she had prepared for her family; she proudly displayed pictures on her phone.  At the basketball game, we cheered for the home team, that wasn’t winning, and questioned their defensive tactics. We ate snacks, took goofy pictures, and encouraged the kids to mingle with the team mascot. You know, every mom wants the perfect picture.  I even did a little chair dancing. The kids thought I was cool. The afternoon was far from a “typical afternoon” at work; it was filled with laughter.

I share this story because as teachers and principals, we seldom have time to build relationships with our parents outside of the school arena. We infrequently take the time to do something that isn’t on a “To Do List.” We rarely laugh with our families. Building relationships with our families are important because our families trust us with their kids. In addition to trusting us with their kids, our families hold us in high regard, and we should reciprocate by holding our families in high regard.

I smile when I think about the great afternoon that we had!

Hooves UP to MY School Family!

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