“There are two educations.  One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.” – John Adams

I’m often asked, “What does Ready for Tomorrow really mean?”

Ready for Tomorrow is simple . . . it ensures students are equipped with both the life and academic skills to be successful in the future.

Academic skills are quantifiable.  We have standards for our classrooms.  Our teachers and skilled professionals have developed a curriculum to deliver the instructional standards to our students in the classrooms.  Our students will have the academic skills required to be successful in college, the workforce, or the military.  Each student, regardless of their journey after graduation, will have an individual and personal knowledge base for success in the future.

Life skills are more difficult to measure.  Our students will have developed a strong sense of personal responsibility; they will own their work and act with discipline.  Our students will understand the importance of teamwork, of collaboration, and of respect for others.  Our students will have persistence and focus . . . they will embrace a growth mindset and productive discomfort.

Education is more than simply teaching the knowledge.  Education must be about the character, the relationships, and the responsibility.  These lives must be intertwined because Ready for Tomorrow is dependent on both life and academic preparation.

“Education is not preparation for life: education is life itself.” – John Dewey

We often hear educators speak of “life-long learning” as a new concept in our schools today.  We want to instill in our students a desire to grow as learners and to embrace a growth mindset.  We want today’s young people to have internal discipline and drive to keep learning long after graduation.  We have a belief that the world is changing rapidly and the skills we are imparting in our students today are only a foundation . . . that students today will need to continue to adapt and adjust to a changing world around them as adults.

John Dewey was an educational reformer whose ideas have influenced our educational system today.  John Dewey was born in 1859 and died in 1952.  In 1902 Dewey wrote in his book The Child and Curriculum that educational structures must “strike a balance between delivering knowledge while also taking into account the interests and experiences of the student.” (Dewey, 1902, p. 16).  Does this sound familiar?

Every generation has embraced the productive discomfort of change.  Each generation feels the struggle between the value of the past and the growth mindset required for future success.  For us, many of our values are in our unchangeable-core.  In our heart-of-hearts we know that today’s education is simply the foundation.

Yes, the amount raw information available today is mind boggling.   We are astounded at the speed at which fact, figures, and data are available in the palm of our hand holding an iPhone.  Information is shared like never before . . . the world certainly feels flat to many.  Nevertheless, many things in education haven’t – and shouldn’t change.

The teacher is still the most important aspect in any classroom.  We will never replace great teachers with technology.  Technology is merely a tool to provide education more efficiently and effectively.

Students still need a strong, solid foundation on which to build, think critically, and problem-solve.  We must find that balance between knowledge, interests, and experiences.

Education has never been preparation for life . . . it is the foundation for life itself.  The education we are providing students is the base for future success.  Life is learning . . . and that will never change.

“Technology sometimes encourages people to confuse busyness with effectiveness.” – Douglas Reeves 

I am amazed, angered, and frightened by the number of people I see texting while driving. These people not only risk their own health and safety; these people are risking the health and safety of those around them.

I am guilty of falling into the busyness trap too. I fight the temptation – and often fail in my efforts – to check my technology rather than being present in the moment. I over-value the information at my fingertips at the expense of the people in the room. I pride myself in the timely response rather than the thoughtful, mindful communications.

Let’s all be mindful of the need for relationships. In order to be effective we must take the time to engage, collaborate, and build trust. Our job isn’t to be busy . . . our work demands us to be effective. 

“To have good prospects in life – to be most likely to succeed – young adults now need to be creative and innovative problem-solvers.” – Tony Wagner 

Our school system has been based on an agrarian calendar; the earliest American schools were based around farming and societal needs. For generations American schools prepared students to live, work, and succeed in an industrial economy. Students were trained to be compliant, to follow directions, and to act with the highest respect for authority figures.

Our work is much more difficult today. As Tony Wagner points out, our students need to be creative problem solvers. I couldn’t agree more; we must continue to inspire life-long learners. What we have been failing to say is that we must also be imparting the essential knowledge required for success. For the Hilliard City School District to live our mission to prepare every student to be Ready for Tomorrow, we must provide both academic and life skills.

Creative students and innovative problem solvers must still have a strong foundation on which to build. Solving problems – creativity – isn’t possible without a fundamental understanding of the problem itself. Success in the future – Ready for Tomorrow – has never been more of a challenge. Providing students with both life and academic skills has never required more from us as educators. We won’t back down . . . public schools have built the foundation of this country for over 200 years. Public schools are the future of this country . . . we will meet the challenge.

“When fear knocks, faith answers” – Robin Roberts 

Webster defines faith as a, “strong belief or trust in something or someone.” For many, including me, faith has a strong religious connotation. Faith is a system of religious beliefs; beliefs that are not based on proof.

Regardless of your definition, overcoming fear often requires strong faith. From our youngest memories of our parents comforting us after a nightmare . . . we had faith that our parents would protect us . . . to adult fears about health, raising children, and global security . . . our faith provides comfort.

We must press pause when we are afraid; there are some fears that are real. There are some fears that are warning signs or flags about our behavior. Once we take a moment to assess the situation we must turn to our faith. We must turn to our faith, that in the right mind, living our purpose, we are continuing to grow.  

What is your purpose? Do you have faith in the life you are living? I have a strong belief – faith – in our work together in service to children. I have trust – faith – in our team, our partnerships, and our community.  

“The world doesn’t care what you know. What the world cares about is what you do with what you know.” – Tony Wagner 

For students there is a huge difference between testing and assessment. As educators we must continually fight the urge to be testers of young people. We must dedicate ourselves to assessing the progress of the students we serve.  

Testing is a measurement of pure knowledge. Assessments evaluate application of the knowledge. Assessments require more than a universally applied instrument; it requires the skill and talent of the educators working with the student. Assessments lead to growth…assessments promote learning. Tests are final; they are stagnant.  

Leave the academic world of education . . . it isn’t about a test score. In a flat, evolving world with a global workforce it can’t be about simply knowing . . . it has to be about results. This isn’t simple – this is complex. Our young people not only need to know the information . . . they must know how to use it.

“Dream Big, Focus Small” – Robin Roberts 

Dreams . . . the thoughts we have when our eyes are closed and we picture the future. Dreams are our aspirations. Dreams encompass our goals, our hopes, and our ambitions. Dreams are fuel for work and dedication.  

We all have dreams, but not everyone makes their dreams come true. Making dreams come true . . . living our dreams . . . isn’t as simple as closing our eyes. Making our dreams come true requires focus, attention to detail, and extreme dedication. Making dreams come true comes from focus on the small things.

Dreams are our vision . . . our focus is the plan. We must plan to be successful in the future, we must take responsibility for our dreams, and we continue to embrace a growth mindset in our lives. As we live with purpose, as we live our lives, our dreams grow too. Never stop dreaming . . . never lose that focus on the small things.

As a school leader I am often in a position to respond during situations involving high emotion and stress. The Hilliard City Schools serve over 16,000 young people; we serve over 16,000 children, their parents, and their families. While our goal is for each student, every day to have a positive learning experience, we know that the events of daily life bring challenges and obstacles that we must overcome.

It is our duty as educational leaders to rise above the emotions, to be skillful in our response, and to provide reasonable solutions. It is imperative that our character, our foundation, remains discipline and that we stay above the line, during times of high emotion. I have strong faith in my purpose; I have great passion for our work. This foundation – the desire to serve others and provide for students – gives me strength during challenging events.
When others become verbally abusive, use bullying tactics, take to social media, and act on impulse, as school leaders we must remain above the line. We must act with the best interest of students; we must in some cases consider a myriad of factors in our response. We deal with parents at the height of emotion. We deal with family situations we may not fully understand, we deal with alcoholism, and we deal with mental health issues. It is our job, as the public servant, to synthesize the entire picture at act in the best interest of students.
When you are confronted by a parent, be discipline. Press pause for just a moment and work to understand why the events are unfolding right in front of you. Then, as you strive to get your mind around the situations, act with character, skill, and consistency. What is the best possible outcome at that moment? It is up to us – in any situation – to remain above the line. We make tough decisions; we sometimes must choose what is necessary over what is pleasant. We know, deep down we know, having the tough conversation now is better that avoiding what is needed.

Steven Covey spoke about abundance mentality; the philosophy that a person believes there are enough resources and successes to share with others.  
This is an essential cornerstone of our educational foundation. Learning isn’t limited; we don’t compete for educational knowledge.  
This is true for students . . . one student’s success must not be predicated on another students failure. Each student is an individual; each student has individual skills, attributes, and gifts. We must fight the urge to create lists or comparisons. As parents and as educators, we want each child to reach his or her highest potential.
This is true for teachers and principals . . . we aren’t competing for success but rather collaborating for support. Each student’s success is a victory at the classroom, building, and district level. We work together, share resources and expertise, and build upon collective learning. We believe in the Power of the Team.
Finally, this is true for our public education establishment. For too long we’ve let others define us; we’ve abdicated the fight for what is best in our education system. We are our own ecosystem; we are interdependent as the unifying system that builds our nation’s future. We, as public educators, will shape the next generations of American leaders. We must live, embrace, and model our abundance mentality in our pursuit of excellence together.

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” -Jim Rohn

We all have goals.  As individuals, as families, and as organizations we have goals.  Some goals are written as part of larger plans and some goals are simply understood.  There are times our goals are formal and there are times our goals are unwritten and informal.

Reaching our goals . . . actually doing the work, overcoming the obstacles, building on failures, and achieving success is built on a discipline.  If a goal can be reached without discipline, it isn’t a worthy goal.  If a goal can be reached without effort, it is merely a checkmark on a list.

Take the time to review your goals today.  Be purposeful and intentional as you go about your day.  What is required of you to reach your goal?  Commit to be disciplined and dedicated to achieve this goal.  Your discipline actions are the bridge to achievement.