Excerpt from "Trends" Paper

Hello everyone, or no one...

Here is a paragraph from my Trends paper we have due Thursday night...

"As a teacher and coach at Cleburne High School I was asked by my players to lead them in prayer prior to athletic competition. I took this opportunity every time I was asked. I was approached by my superintendent after one particular prayer time about leading my players in this way. He let me know, in no uncertain terms, that he could not protect me if anyone had a problem with me praying with my players. I had never really thought before that day about the impact that a coach can have on his team. The idea had never crossed my mind that by praying with my players I might offend someone. That is when I made my choice to seek employment in a setting where my convictions and beliefs would not be offensive, or illegal for that matter, to the people that I work with and educate."

I have heard people with more experience than I comment on the fact that your views and stance change so much over time. I am seeing that happen in my life as well. Although I am a Christ-follower, I'd rather not push that on other people. I was pushy at one point, and I don't remember that tactic ever drawing anyone to a relationship with Christ. I do however believe that change comes through relationship. I have changed in that I try first to be a good friend, to let people know that I care for them, and if there comes a time that God gives me a chance to share with them the joy that is in my life...that is when I feel ok in sharing Christ's love and how He changed and changes my life.

Oh, I also submitted a title and description for the TASSP conference this summer. One of my goals for the next year is to speak at a major conference - TASSP would satisfy this desire. My topic is "Digital Citizenship". I shared about half of this talk with my staff a couple of months ago and realized that I am really passionate about it...so I thought, "Why not?"

I will let you know if I get it!

posting again!

It has been a while since I've thrown an idea out and since I am feeling froggy from my reading this evening, I thought I would contribute to the vast amount of useless jibberish that is housed online - so here it goes:

One thing that makes SCS such a dynamic place that is capable of change is that our organization is not a subgroup of a larger entity (p.56, Implementing Change). As a public school you are under the governance of the state and ultimately the federal government. This factor is huge in that they will feel burdened or even controlled and limited in what they can accomplish. Change is often something that is handed down from someone that you feel does not know your system. The changes are often given to all schools in a one-size-fits-all fashion, which is seldom true. At SCS we have autonomy to notice needed change, plan for implementation, create buy-in, implement, evaluate, and monitor our own change – which is totally created within. This introspective means of noticing potential areas of change creates instant buy-in with the administration and teachers.

What do you think? Accurate? Way off?