Читать книгу If You Don't Feed the Students, They Starve - Neila A. Connors - Страница 10

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to your personal “dining” opportunity. It is my pleasure to share my views and thinking with you. The purpose of this book is to validate that like a fine “five-star restaurant” and extraordinary dining experience, a fine educational experience can produce a state of reverence and satisfaction and be quite tasty and fulfilling, nutritious and delicious; which is why teachers who F.E.E.D (Fuel, Engage, Empower Daily) their students ensure that students do not S.T.A.R.V.E. (Stop Trying And Reject Valuable Education) My former book If You Don't Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students! focused primarily on “feeding” principals, assistant/vice principals, administrative teams, and teachers.

This book will take you on an excursion “from soup to nuts,” covering what I believe is imperative to F.E.E.D. students the best education possible at ALL grade levels from all backgrounds and diverse conditions. The concentration will be on improving attitudes and achievement by developing and sustaining positive relationships through open communication, active participation, commitment, and recognition. The goal will be to assist schools and educators in moving from ordinary to extraordinary.

Going from ordinary to extraordinary means we really need to look at our educational system constructively. Truthfully, everyone wants schools to be better, but the reality is that no one wants them to be different. My friend and mentor, Dr. John Lounsbury, would always share that if Rip van Winkle were to wake up today after 100 years of sleeping, he would not know how to drive a car, use a cell phone, turn on a TV, or get money from an ATM, but he would feel comfortable in our schools because many have not changed much – kids in desks, in rows, teacher in the front (yes, with new technology but doing the same thing) and the “sage on the stage” with little time for interaction, reaction, discussion, questions, or reflection.

Extraordinary is when top-chef teachers use distinctive and various teaching strategies to include all learning styles through interdisciplinary instruction. Extraordinary people make a commitment, go above and beyond, get things done, inspire, create, and serve. Purchase the book The Fred Factor: Every Person's Guide to Making the Ordinary Extraordinary by Mark Sanborn for all staff members and discuss it during a staff meeting.

My Style

My style is definitely for all of my fellow right-brainers. However, I have forced my left-brain to function for the folks who truly run the world. If you are not sure what side of your brain is dominant, here is a simple assessment: Left-brainers have FILES, right-brainers have PILES, and no-brainers have PILES of FILES. Consequently, in this “cookbook/guide to success” there is something for everyone: all grade levels, all teachers, and all administrators to F.E.E.D. students.

Dispersed throughout, you will find many notes, suggestions, observations, and dreams I have chronicled throughout my career. Whenever I attend a meeting, conference, or staff development session I take notes in my journal. Additionally, many thoughts and ideas come to mind at different times that I journal. I always try to give credit where credit is due if possible and apologize in advance if an idea appears to be without acknowledgment. You will also find a lot of quotes. Attempts have been made to attach the correct person to the quote, but over time, some quotes become attributed to the wrong source. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Not everything you read on the Internet is true.” Finally, for all of you “acronym-a-holics” like me, you will LOVE this book. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy. We aim to please. As you dine, we hope you will find an array of appetizers, meals, desserts, and recipes to suit your needs.

What Do You Expect from a Five-Star Restaurant, and How Does That Translate to a Five-Star School?

When you make plans to go to a five-star restaurant, you have certain expectations. Your foremost desire is that the focus be on you, the CUSTOMER.

If you have had a great dining experience, you should be able to answer yes to the following questions:

1 Did I feel genuinely welcomed?

2 Was the facility clean and comfortable with a friendly and safe atmosphere?

3 Was the experience fabulous/extraordinary?

4 Was there someone who made it extra special?

5 Will I share this experience with others?

6 Did I leave satiated and F.E.D.?

7 Am I looking forward to returning?

The same questions can be asked of students when assessing the success of a five-star school. We will address each question thoroughly in future chapters.

My recent encounter with a five-star restaurant was in the Denver Tech Center in Colorado at a restaurant named Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse. The evening was in celebration of a dear friend's birthday. Her husband, son, and daughter-in law joined us. Obviously, the company was the foundation for a fabulous evening, but we also had HIGH expectations for the restaurant, which were met and beyond.

With that aside, as I reflect on the specific components or ingredients that made this event so extraordinary and noteworthy, I easily concluded that Del Frisco's Steakhouse provided us with a significant and noteworthy experience.

If you can experience all or at least most of the components from a FIVE STAR RESTAURANT, you will feel the money and time spent was worth it. Similarly, we want our students to feel F.E.D. (F-ulfilled, E-nergized, and De-stressed) upon departing from school every day. Our priority is to strive to meet that purpose.

The following chapters/experiences will identify each component and penetrate more deeply into the elements listed, providing the ingredients to make it happen. Understandably, an entire book can be written on each topic, but here you will be given the nuggets to entice and stimulate your pallet. Accordingly, I will attempt to provide a “buffet” of recommendations for you to select from to F.E.E.D. the students in your school, remembering that students are the customers and deserve thoughtful treatment on a daily basis. Our ultimate goal is to Fuel, Engage, and Empower Daily (F.E.E.D) so everyone leaves Fullfilled, Energized, and Destressed (F.E.D) and so students do not S.T.A.R.V.E. – Stop Trying And Reject Valuable Education.

Sit back, relax, and relish your experience. Bon appétit!