As a teacher, you make hundreds (if not thousands) of decisions every day that affects how the day is going to go.

But have you ever thought that your day is sometimes determined before the students even walk into the room?

Having 15, 20, 25 students in a room can be challenging enough ... because of the different dynamics that each bring to the classroom... so you know right away sometimes when one of those children (or more) walks in and there's something that's just not right.

It could be anything. Fighting with a sibling, being bullied on the bus, fighting parents, illness of a loved one... the list goes on and on.

What if it's you, though? What if something's going on in your life?

Recently, we lost our dog ... Sojourn Alexandria. She was such a great dog for over 14 years. This golden retriever was one of the best pets that we could have had for the birth of our 4 kids. She let them ride her. She let them poke at her. She let them pretty much do whatever... and we all loved her.

So, two months ago, when she was near the end, it was very tough for me to go into school each day knowing what was going to happen. However, I put a smile on, and was there for the kids each day, knowing what was about to happen... and it was really tough each day that last week of her life.

After we put her down, I simply talked to the students about what was going on in my life. I felt that it was important to let them know that I'm human, too.

They were great... they even made me a card and all signed it.

The title: "Sorry for your lost."

How can you not smile at that?

You just never know what's going on, so always try to keep a smile on, through the good times and the "not so good" times. 

I know it's tough, but they're watching...

March always seems to be the month that things start to break down.

Students start to argue a little bit more, they forget to hand in their homework with more frequency, and it just seems to be a little "maddening" if you will.

Well, there's a cure.

If you notice that most of your class is not following the directions, or not behaving quite how you'd like them to in the hallway, or if they are arguing during free time… then try this:

Practice whatever it is that they're having a hard time with… during free time.

That's right, just give them a warning first that you'll be doing this, and if it doesn't get better, then have the entire class walk quietly in the hallway during THEIR free time (for just a few minutes of course… not the whole free time).

They'll get the hint pretty quickly that you mean business… and if they have a hard time walking in the hallway again… just do it twice the next time.

Let me tell you, I've been doing this for years, and it works like a charm, and the madness disappears… just like your basketball bracket probably will, too.

Don't tell me I didn't warn you...

We have a spelling game that we love to play in our classroom called… "Lucky / Unlucky." Here's how it goes:

In a circle formation… I say a spelling word. The first person then says the word, and the next person starts spelling the word and so on … until the word is completed. 

Then, the next person is supposed to say the word again, and then the next person after that uses it (correctly) in a sentence, and THEN the next 2 people say "Lucky… UN-lucky". 

If it gets to that point, then the last person sits down, and just happens to be "unlucky." (and the person before them is thinking "Phew…. got lucky on that one."

However, if there are ANY errors along the way (or if someone interrupts)… then THAT person is out, and has to sit down for that game… and we start the word all over again.

You might be wondering why I'm bringing this up…

Well, isn't that how life is like sometimes?

You're just going along, doing things the correct way, and then all of a sudden you make a mistake. Uh oh. Need to apologize, and learn from THAT mistake.

Or let's say you're CRUISING along… finding your sweet spot… and then something just happens out of the blue that you least expected, that causes you to think… "Oh man, that's just unlucky." And then you're all depressed about it.

Or….. let's say you're just "crushing it" with whatever you're doing… and you happen to win that award, or get recognized…  or just have someone come up to you without being prompted... and says "Hey, nice job at doing that. I appreciate what you do."

All of those things that I just mentioned … actually happened to me over the last week, and I think that's why my kids love the game "Lucky / Unlucky" sooooo much.

Because it's real life.

So, what do you think? Are you Lucky? Or Unlucky?

Or both?

As the NFL Free Agency period is set to begin (and teams are already leaking that they've signed some BIG names to multi-million dollar contracts), it got me to thinking:

             Can you imagine if there was a "Teacher Free Agency?????"

Now granted, there would have to be some ground rules, and we'd have to actually have an agent, and we'd have to be able to show our teaching skills, and... well, you get the point that this is only a dream, but just stay with me while I dream for a bit....

Superintendents from across the land would come into schools and ask principals which teachers were performing at the highest level of distinction... principals would be able to negotiate salaries with those teachers that hit their "free agency period" and I think it would be pretty cool.... just like in the professional sports world!!!

Unrealistic.... but cool nonetheless.

Cool, but it's not what we're all about as teachers. 

We're not in it for "me."

So, what do we "make" you might ask?

Well...

We make students happy.
We make students perform.
We make students laugh.
We make students play together.
We make students learn.
We make students accept one another.
We make students care about each other's feelings.
We make students respectful.
We make students believe in themselves.

You've probably heard it before... 

We make a difference.

So ... if they ask me if I would want to be a "Teacher Free Agent"... 

I'd have to say, "No, thank you.
                                I'm a teacher ... and proud of it. 
                                                 So, what do you make?"

Disappointment comes in all shapes and sizes.

Sometimes it comes right at you, and sometimes when you least expect it.

As an educator, you need to deal with it now and then, because sometimes you just don't get the results you are looking for right at that time. It seems like you try and try, and nothing goes just the way you were looking for.

My advice is to just wait for it. Good things will come if you're persistent.

If you continuously role model incredible amounts of character and integrity when (notice I did not say "if") things go wrong to your students, then they will know how to handle it when things go wrong for them... whether it be in the classroom or not.

Recently, I, myself, had a major disappointment in my life, and believe me ... it stung. 

However, I just kept going back in my mind to all of the good things that I have in my life... the hard work that I put in to get to that point. Interestingly, I wouldn't have been in that position to be disappointed unless I worked extremely hard to get to that point.

Your students are watching how you handle not only the good times, but also the times that things don't just go quite how you expected them to.

How are you going to handle the next disappointment? Are you going to wallow in your sorrows, or are you going to get back up, and show them what you're made of?

Remember, they're watching.

Have you ever wondered WHY you do WHAT you do?

I ponder that question all of the time. 

In my life, I wear many hats... from being a father, a husband, a teacher, a painter, a lawnmower, a referee, a president, a coach, and the list goes on and on.

But it makes me WHO I am.

I've learned a LOT from other people, and one of the best pieces of advice that a prominent Division 1 basketball official friend of mine gave me last summer was this:

"Hear.... listen.....apply."

It makes so much sense, but can be so confusing if you're not in your niche.

All of those "hats" that I wear cause me to heed that advice of "Hear, listen, and apply."

When you can do that on a consistent basis... you'll find that you're in your "sweet spot"... your "zone" ... or whatever you want to call it.

Not that everything runs perfectly, but it's pretty neat when it does run "smoothly."

Sometimes the busier I am, the more I can find out WHO I am, and WHAT my niche is.

Who are YOU, and what's YOUR niche? Can you hear me now?