You Matter CSISD
This past Tuesday our district pulled off the one of the greatest professional development days I have ever experienced in my time as an employee in College Station ISD. It was called #YouMatterCSISD. Similar to an EdCamp, You Matter CSISD, gave every participant the opportunity to share their expertise, model best practices, facilitate conversations, and etc. Also, like EdCamp each participant could choose what they wanted to learn. Everyone in charge of their own learning. There is something special about watching hundreds of teachers walk around a high school sharing their learning as if what they learned was the hottest topic of the school year. I heard many educators share how they were excited to implement what they learned from their sessions so their success would rise. Others stated how they wish PD was always like this. We truly felt as if we mattered. Giving a teacher choice, customization, and an platform to be creative is like giving a little boy his first bicycle. The feelings are priceless.
I had the pleasure of co-presenting with my good buddy and colleague, Josh Bowling. We did a spin off of SNL's Hanz and Franz, and we had a great time. I love making people laugh, it beings joy to my soul. For those wondering, I was Hanz (Dana Carvey). Our session was called "Pumping Up Your Behavior Biceps with Hanz and Franz". We focused on re-framing our thinking about behavior. Taking what Dr. Randy Sprick shares through his Safe and Civil Schools products, we challenged our participants to think of teaching behavior similar to teach an academic skill. Teach what you want your students to look like and sound like. We also shared easy-to-implement tier 1 and tier 2 behavior interventions for teachers, specialist, and administration, and some cheap positive reinforcement ideas. Through humor and our ridiculous accents, our guest were hooked and engaged. During our preparation, I would recall ideas from Dave Burgess' book, Teach Like A Pirate. We wanted to create an experience so entertaining our guest forgot they were in a workshop, and instead, imagining they were watching Arnold Schwarzenegger's cousins, Hanz and Franz, on an SNL episode.
The feedback was positive, some more explicit than others, which as a presenter is appreciated, but what was most meaningful to me had yet to come.
That evening, Aaron Hogan and I officially launched #CSISDchat. Our topic was on relationships, and I must say it was rich and real. Our guest were not holding anything back. Great transparency! Courtney Wellmann
answered our sixth question which is below.
Q6: "If you could communicate one message to your students and know they would hear it, what would it be?
A6: That they have value & something positive to contribute to the world and doing so can change them & others in powerful ways #CSISDchat
Now, when I read her response, I have to confess, I had goosebumps. I visualized hearing that statement as if I was her student. I sat there with my jaw dropped looking stunned. I could not recall a single time when one of my teachers or coaches confessed this to me. I felt invincible. There was nothing that was going to stop me because I can contribute to the world. I can change the the world. I felt empowered to do whatever my dreams would take me. I truly felt like I mattered.
My hope is we kickoff this school year by building invaluable relationships with our students, but more than that, I hope we empower our students to feel like they matter.
Join me on this journey. It will not be easy. I quote my high school football coach, "If it was easy, everybody would do it." Teaching is one of the hardest professions and I believe is one of the most admirable, too.
Educators, I challenge each of us to listen to Courtney's response, it applies to all of us.
You have value. You have something positive to contribute to the world. You can change others and yourself in powerful ways.
When times get tough, try to remember you make an impact. Sometimes we are only tilling up the dirt for seeds to be planted and other times we are seeing the fruits of our labor. I wish you all a great start back to school. Thanks for being awesome!
I had the pleasure of co-presenting with my good buddy and colleague, Josh Bowling. We did a spin off of SNL's Hanz and Franz, and we had a great time. I love making people laugh, it beings joy to my soul. For those wondering, I was Hanz (Dana Carvey). Our session was called "Pumping Up Your Behavior Biceps with Hanz and Franz". We focused on re-framing our thinking about behavior. Taking what Dr. Randy Sprick shares through his Safe and Civil Schools products, we challenged our participants to think of teaching behavior similar to teach an academic skill. Teach what you want your students to look like and sound like. We also shared easy-to-implement tier 1 and tier 2 behavior interventions for teachers, specialist, and administration, and some cheap positive reinforcement ideas. Through humor and our ridiculous accents, our guest were hooked and engaged. During our preparation, I would recall ideas from Dave Burgess' book, Teach Like A Pirate. We wanted to create an experience so entertaining our guest forgot they were in a workshop, and instead, imagining they were watching Arnold Schwarzenegger's cousins, Hanz and Franz, on an SNL episode.
The feedback was positive, some more explicit than others, which as a presenter is appreciated, but what was most meaningful to me had yet to come.
That evening, Aaron Hogan and I officially launched #CSISDchat. Our topic was on relationships, and I must say it was rich and real. Our guest were not holding anything back. Great transparency! Courtney Wellmann
answered our sixth question which is below.
Q6: "If you could communicate one message to your students and know they would hear it, what would it be?
A6: That they have value & something positive to contribute to the world and doing so can change them & others in powerful ways #CSISDchat
Now, when I read her response, I have to confess, I had goosebumps. I visualized hearing that statement as if I was her student. I sat there with my jaw dropped looking stunned. I could not recall a single time when one of my teachers or coaches confessed this to me. I felt invincible. There was nothing that was going to stop me because I can contribute to the world. I can change the the world. I felt empowered to do whatever my dreams would take me. I truly felt like I mattered.
My hope is we kickoff this school year by building invaluable relationships with our students, but more than that, I hope we empower our students to feel like they matter.
Join me on this journey. It will not be easy. I quote my high school football coach, "If it was easy, everybody would do it." Teaching is one of the hardest professions and I believe is one of the most admirable, too.
Educators, I challenge each of us to listen to Courtney's response, it applies to all of us.
You have value. You have something positive to contribute to the world. You can change others and yourself in powerful ways.
When times get tough, try to remember you make an impact. Sometimes we are only tilling up the dirt for seeds to be planted and other times we are seeing the fruits of our labor. I wish you all a great start back to school. Thanks for being awesome!