Author Archives: Susan Labadi

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About Susan Labadi

Susan Labadi trains Brain Health, Mindfulness Stress Reduction, and Promotes the Halal Lifestyle

Disruptive Students Shock Syndrome

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Photo by ecastro flickr.com

Disturbed by nightmarish anxiety, it might have been a mild form of PTSD, I woke from a dream realizing that I was once again a fresh, idealistic teacher confronted by a mob of snotty, bratty, uncooperative students. It did not matter that it never really happened exactly that way, this was my perception. In the vision, I was forced to start the first class of the year in an octagonal-shaped room, which I mentally noted was probably the catalyst for the surly mood of those students. Anything so unconventional or novel in setting can destabilize standard protocols. Once again, I felt the rush of stressful adrenaline, as my fright or flight impulse responded to a mix of bombardments from students who could care less about school and me.  I just wanted to be “nice” and expected compliant, eager to learn pupils in Social Studies.

Many teachers are probably still feeling this distress, and may not have the solutions that I found to be most useful when confronted by aggressive, non-cooperative, and unmotivated students. Knowing that there are great resources, I thought that this would be a good time to share my tips.

My next realization upon rising, was to reflect on what I could have done better. I suppose reflection has become a habit after so many years and lessons, and I mentally corrected my response to the situation.

With the aplomb of Cruella de Vil, I politely and somewhat sinisterly responded to the student apparitions, “Well, we are going to have fun this year!” Spoken with such confidence to mean, “You can’t show me anything I don’t already know,” and I leave them wondering why I am not intimidated by them. I do not implore their attention, I expect it. I earn it, because our class is so awesome, so relevant, so engaging. It is as if I said to them convincingly, “You will see, you will see!”

And so I reveal to you in order of my preference, the three most outstanding, life preserving books chock full of strategies and wisdom for teachers who could use a boost of life force in classroom management.

Fred Jones—Tools For Teaching
Richard L. Curwin, Allen N. Mendler, Brian D. Mendler—Discipline With Dignity: New Challenges, New Solutions
Harry K. Wong, Rosemary T. Wong—The First Days of School

It’s a good time of year to try something new, shake it up, keep students guessing what new spark of novelty you bring to your class. It can take a multitude of forms, but the point is to do something new! Celebrate your class community. Make it reflect the best aspirations because everyone wants to belong and be a part of something significant and productive.

Difficult Days and Dua’a

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Winter in my backyard. Difficult Days and Dua’a 

Written Friday night, February 22, 2013–Purulent nasal discharge and an internet glitch blocking further productivity, I’m nursing a nasty head cold. Wanting to maintain prolific gains of the week after designing presentations and writing their associated research papers, I cycle working a little, napping a little, to appease the swell of ambition egging me on. With so much I wish to do, and the frustration of not having stamina to sustain effort for long, I’m mindful to be patient and seek some good in it.

Compounded by the travails of winter, and stressors of all kinds, my heart holds an element of gratitude that those closest to me remain whole, basically healthy, and have positive expectations. Yet, I know of two young girls who have debilitating autoimmune diseases that struck hard. One can’t help but feel sad that they and their families suffer; yet, what can help bring relief from such trials?

Referring to an article by Yasmin Mogahed, titled “Dealing With Hardship” in Islamic Horizons, I found a firm inspiration to share. She began by citing the story of Asiyah, the righteous wife of renowned Pharaoh who pursued Moses and succumbed by drowning in the Red Sea. One of the most brave and virtuous women, she is mentioned in the Qur’an, “God sets forth an example for those who believe—the wife of Pharaoh who said: ‘My Lord, build for me with Thee a house in heaven, and save me from the Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from an unjust people.’” (Qur’an 66:11)

Mogahed continues in her article to reveal that she had recently faced a difficult test, and she asked people for their sincere dua’a, their supplications to God for her. She wrote, “And the beauty of having righteous, angel-like souls as your company is something priceless.” Of special strength and significance to her was a text message she received that read, “May you be shown your home in Jannah (heaven) so that any hardship is made easy on you.”

As Asiyah was bound to the most horrific husband, and as Ibrahim (Abraham) was pitched into fire for contesting with his elders that their idols were false gods, it is written that Asiyah smiled when Pharaoh tortured her and the fire was made to feel cool for Ibrahim, who did not burn.

For those skeptics, it must be acknowledged that “With every difficulty, there is relief.” (Qur’an 94:5) I can also attest that when I have come to points whereby I did not have the fortitude to prevail, when all was seemingly hopeless, painful, and gloomy, that when I deeply sought relief, it came. For me, I do believe in the power of prayer; and even if we are not the ones in dire straits, perhaps we have an obligation to others. Maybe we are also meant to help each other, through sincere dua’a. It binds us, keeps our hearts soft, supports us in tough times knowing that people care; and if we choose to believe, that there is hope for recovery, remission, healing.

“Everything for a reason,” I say, not believing in coincidence, but rather in destiny. With that, my dua’a are ways to express what little power I have. Perhaps that is why I’m sick today, because I’ve been heavily making dua’a for a lot of people, as I empathize with their dilemmas. Maybe it is useful for me to feel energy depleted, chapped, and needing a recharge from the One who can provide everything without measure, and once again thrill in the surge and return of creative drive, vigor, and secure relief from strife.

Saturday afternoon, February 23, 2013–After lots of garlic, chicken broth, hot tea, and rest…I felt that surge back to about 80%…”With every difficulty….”

For it is He who sends the winds bearing glad tidings before the rain-showers of His mercy–until when they lift heavy clouds aloft, We drive them to a lifeless land. Then upon it, We send down water, Then We bring forth with it fruits of every kind. Thus do We bring forth the dead, so that you may become mindful of your won resurrection.–(Qur’an 7:57)

High Performance Education Systems: Expert Thinking and Complex Communication

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2013-02-04_14-50-00_457 Gift from Sr. Wan, Iqra Academy near SLC

A casualty of America’s reliance on high stakes testing has been the cutting of courses other than Math, Science, and Language Arts by budget minded bureaucrats. Yet, while the value of the tested material is recognized, to marginalize the wide array of other subjects somehow diminishes the level of civilization.

Historically, we have seen a pattern from ancient times that in peace there flourished art, literature, and architecture, while in war and times of anarchy it simply was impossible to cultivate. People merely struggled to survive. Are we slipping?

Education expert E. D. Hirsch wrote, “[education] attained by studying a rich curriculum in math, literature, science, history, geography, music and art and higher level skills in context…there is a scientific consensus that academic skill is highly dependent on specific relevant knowledge.”

Incorporating a wide variety of learning opens doors to deeper understanding, creativity, and problem solving capacity. This is exactly what the world needs in the future, and education professionals must provide it now. For while many menial jobs are exported to countries with cheaper labor—thereby raising a larger, global, middle class—and robots increasingly tackle  jobs previously performed by humans, we need to prepare our students using high performance education systems that feature a wide spectrum of valuable cognitive content. These can be summarized as the liberal and fine arts. We are about to take education of humans where computers cannot go. That is, we teach the “gray areas,” those that incorporate values, ethics, and judgment that necessitate heuristics.

For example, take the student whose friend asks for last night’s homework. Being a loyal friend, one would be inclined to share and help a buddy. Yet, would our students judge that acquiescence as ethical or not? Would they pursue a logical analysis to question if their compliance could be construed as sharing guilt? This is the specialized domain of a parochial education, as the public school system is struggling to maintain basic skills and rudimentary performance of the masses. I challenge argument!

Let’s recognize that we cannot afford for our Islamic schools to slide down and ignore the manners, values, and critical analysis of choices and responsibilities of individuals. We must not narrow and dumb down the scope of our curriculum offerings in exchange for elevated standardized test scores removed from relevant application. Insight toward the complexities of thought and excellence in articulation across a variety of modes is the ticket to a true high performing education system.

Elements that keep us employed and economically viable are our abilities to utilize Expert Thinking and Complex Communication. There are two categories of Executive Skills which are recognized as valuable components to success and brain development.

Promoting Expert Thinking incorporates pattern recognition, perceiving relationship, and problem solving. These are cognitive skills.

Complex Communication is performance based. Students can demonstrate ability to confer understanding beyond declarative learning. They incorporate listening, analyzing, evaluating, and conveying information via a multitude of modes. While it is still evident that many of our students need more development in their writing, it is also relevant that they must learn oral articulation skills, graphic representation, technology based skills, and artistic means to effectively broadcast the products of their analysis.

This is where Active Learning, as designed by the instructor answers:

  • Why and how the lesson fits previous learning?
  • How is this relevant and interesting to motivate students?
  • Is movement incorporated for the students during the lesson?
  • Do students verify competence in the learning goals?

As you see, the intelligent design of lessons is imperative to an optimal outcome, but I question if Islamic school teachers will rise to the call? I wonder if many instructors are still in “survival mode” struggling with class climate and management issues. Certainly, involving students in deeper levels of learning can keep misbehavior at bay, but it can only be done when there is a window of order, clarity, and trust in a collaborative classroom. The journey to higher levels of learning must be preceded by focus of minds and cooperation among the class community, and especially weekend schools would benefit from this realization. Much can be done to improve the school environment, but willingness from administration to diligently strategize a campaign with all stakeholders to prioritize school climate is necessary. This is also where seeking professional guidance is worthwhile so that your school can aspire to developing a high performance education system.

Last night, my eldest son gave me some critical analysis of my blog structure and website. When time permits, I want to redesign and make it more functional as a resource for Islamic school professionals and people who work with Muslims in their communities.

Please give content suggestions so I can incorporate them in a new design. Not that I am so tech savvy or have the means to pay a web developer, but I guess it’s finally time to learn more about the backside of web design. It may take awhile…

Last weekend was my first visit to Salt Lake City, as I flew in to do professional development at the Utah Islamic Center where full-time and weekend school teachers from Iqra Academy met along with members of the local Bosnian organization. Iqra Academy is the only accredited Islamic school listed in Utah, and they presently serve up till 5th grade. I truly enjoyed meeting everyone and found the mountains calling me beyond. Such an inspiring setting; I wish to have stayed longer for skiing. Thanks for your hospitality!

The only downside was that I caught glimpses of Superbowl at the first touchdowns by Baltimore, and San Francisco’s after the blackout when changing planes in Phoenix. It was however, an opportunity to read Forbes and ASCD’s Educational Leadership. Now, as freezing rain and bits of snow pelt us, it’s back to preparing for the Common Core presentation. Hope you have a chance to register for the ASCD preconference at the ISNA-CISNA Education Forum in Chicago!

Lesson Design for Deeper Learning

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2013-01-21_12-47-47_90 Mosque in Chico, CA

The striking difference between Lesson Plan versus Lesson Design is illustrated: As an undergraduate, my professor handily grasped his black binder of lecture notes (lesson plans) for each class, drearily reciting from it each day. After abysmally performing on his first test, I learned that he expected students to write notes of what he said verbatim, and then write back those exact words to him for answers on his exam. The absolute irony was that the course was titled “Learning Psychology,” and I don’t remember a thing!

Another professor from graduate studies tortured us the same way for a course in Learning Disabilities and Educational Law. Somewhat fortunately, I remembered from the previously described course to utilize 4×6 index cards for memorization, but what I recall most is that all the teachers in my cohort really hated the course (and him) because he relied on tricky multiple choice testing. Again, we probably chose to remember only the most relevant aspects, and would never want to pursue his content of our own initiative.

These instructors had lesson plans, but they did not reflect an inkling of understanding about their students’ needs, motivation, learning methods, or memory building tactics. In contrast, lesson design incorporates an understanding of all of these.

Educators should consider research-based aspects in their lesson design. Do be sure that students “know Why;” that is, do they understand the relevance and connect the learning to their previous knowledge? What can you do to design the lesson with their interests in mind? Can you incorporate some physical movement, rather than just sitting like stones in your class? Finally, ideally, can students actually DO something with the lesson content that demonstrates deeper understanding and acquisition of necessary skills to an acceptable degree of competency?

The “art” of instruction requires teachers to have mastery of their content, a repertoire of instructional methods that cultivate thinking and skills for students, and a degree of technology savvy in order to teach and track performance. As we quantify our students’ performances, so should teachers check on their own efficacy in matching teaching and lesson design to assessment results, with increasingly higher expectations cycled through modification and feedback.

Lesson Design
Simple Lesson Designs should feature
• Clear Learning Objectives
• Provides a Background Knowledge Base
• Teaches or Models
• Allows Guided Practice
• Checks for Understanding
• Independent Practice/ Assessment

Hopefully, the message is clear to recognize that any old patchwork of a lesson plan is grossly inferior to a well thought out lesson design. The preparation time is worth the investment because targeting procedures aligned with assessments yield vastly improved results in long term learning for our students.

As an update, ISNA has made the “Keeping Our Children Safe in School” webinar available. If you scroll back to my previous blog, you will see additional hyperlinks to it as well as a “motherlist” of crisis management resources.

This past Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend featured the ISNA Education Forum in Anaheim, CA, and it was a solid success! It was also very kind of Medina Academy of Anaheim to invite us, along with the other ISNA planning team members, to dinner after the conference. Thank you!

After that, Riad and I flew to San Francisco and drove north of Sacramento to Chico where we surveyed the area for a possible relocation. We really liked what we saw. It is home to Cal State-Chico, and seems very pleasant…even in January! Now we are seriously trying to find the way to make the logistics of hauling ourselves, our businesses, and four kids (some aren’t “kids” anymore) with us. InshaAllah, it is meant to be.

The Chicago based ISNA-CISNA Education Forum is slated, as always, for Easter weekend, March 29-31. ASCD will present a preconference on Common Core State Standards. See this link for program details. Several other projects (Ed Forum, creating customized PD presentations, drafting accreditation standards, accreditation visit, book collaboration, and cleaning my basement so I can move to Chico!) have me busy these days, but, the next post, we will delve into what it means to be “Educated” and High Performing Education Systems, inshaAllah!

Keeping Our Students Safe

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Nick Bastian Tempe, AZ-flickr

Keeping Our Students Safe

As an Education Consultant, I enjoy helping teachers, principals, and school boards make the learning experience better for students. I have four children of my own, and as former Assistant Principal of Islamic Foundation School, I greatly care about the climate, culture, and safety of our students.

Also, prior to my career in Education, I worked for about five years with ADT Security Systems as a field sales and service representative, designing and redesigning security systems for both commercial and residential applications.

It is from this background, and specific training that I received from law enforcement when I was developing my school’s emergency plans, that I have resources for principals, teachers, and parents to help our children stay safe.

This past weekend, ISNA recorded my webinar on “Keeping Our Students Safe at School,” and I thought its content worthy of sharing. You can download the presentation from my website www.geniusschoolonline.com under the Professional Development page tab, and ISNA put the recorded webinar presentation into this link.The first 1 1/2 minutes is silent and should have been edited out, but I do think the 38 minute presentation with PowerPoint is well worth listening to. Additionally, I am adding a link to a “mother list” of resources  posting as of 1-27-2013, thanks to the Illinois Principals Association.

—Most days of the year, we send our children to school and trust that adults there keep our children safe and secure. Yet, there can easily be incidents of natural threats like fires, storms, or outbreaks of contagious illnesses. Unfortunately, although very rare, there could also be threats of violence from others. They may be disgruntled parents, from other students, or even from strangers outside our school communities.

Through this presentation, I hope to register awareness of the scope of possibilities, and some definite plans that parents and school personnel can take action with to minimize the impact of such threats to our safety. The best defense is a good offense, but while we aim to prepare, let’s be clear that fear has no place in this discussion. We know that to be effective, we need to purge fear from our minds and focus on solid actions. Good planning keeps calm minds that perform under pressure.

That is why I would like to introduce the topic with the framework of how families at home can address safety, and then widen the scope to include schools.

Safety Starts At Home

Emergency plans may or may not be part of every family’s protocol, but schools can use the following resources to help families have these discussions too.

Preparation has 4 Parts

Prevention-is examining the scene to reduce or eliminate risk
Preparedness-is the planning, acquisition of materials, and practice of actions
Response-are the steps taken in a crisis
Recovery-is about restoring the status quo

We will only present the first three in this presentation.

To introduce our first resource, we go to www.ready.gov/kids. This site is kid friendly with content, links, and games that prime students in a matter of fact way to become aware of many types of natural disasters. For example, there are pages informing about tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes and a tab defining terrorism. On the left side of the page are a sequence of steps that open into other pages and activities.

The second step encourages families to Make A Plan by asking questions:
If something happened, who would you call or email to get back in touch or picked up?
If separated, at what place would you agree to meet?

There is even a printable pdf for contact information that children can keep in a wallet or notebook, and an emergency kit list that helps families know what they should have ready to leave home with in case of fire, evacuation due to flood, or to hunker down within their homes if there is an extended power outage.

By being prepared, our families can intelligently respond to threat and minimize risk. Kids seek comfort from the adults around them, and starting with home safety, guided by parents, helps pave the calm, yet rapid, response we would need if working with a larger school population in a more complex setting.

Let me explain why. It was the first week of school, ten minutes prior to dismissal–with a large number of parents actually coming on time to pick up their children–when our main office emergency weather radio send us news of a tornado in our area. Sure enough, I ran outside to see an ocean blue turning to black sky on the horizon, approaching rapidly. Since we had trailers in the front and back areas of the school, the main office started making phone calls into each classroom while we had personnel also direct about 700 students with students and parents, corralled from the parking lot, to take shelter in the school basement. The storm that came was frightful, and fortunately we all pulled through without further incident. Teachers and students had awareness of our procedures even though we had not officially had the tornado drill yet that school term.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of scheduling these school drills as early as possible in the school year; and although many schools have employee manuals and emergency plans, it should probably have special time set aside for review at the first teachers’ in-service preceding the school term.

As former Department of Education Secretary, Margaret Spellings, stated, “Knowing how to respond quickly and efficiently in a crisis is critical to ensuring the safety of our schools and students. The midst of a crisis is not the time to start figuring out who ought to do what. At that moment, everyone involved–from top to bottom–should know the drill and know each other.”

Whether your school has an Emergency Plan or not, the best advice I can give you is to invite local law enforcement and the fire department to do an audit of your school safety. Often times they and the local school districts already have resources, and all schools’ plans, kits, and personnel training should be reviewed annually.

Go to this website for details on School Emergency Plans http://tinyurl.com/azcyfte

Communication is Key

Since many crises have potential to require a concerted effort, the principal and designated 2nd in command should have contact information and acquaintance with key management in law enforcement, fire response, local school heads, superintendents, and possibly senior managers of large commercial buildings, religious institutions, or community centers that may become secondary sites in the event of evacuation from school.

As part of my training in crisis management by our school’s local police department–which gathered all schools’ leadership within our district for a few meetings–the scenario was presented whereby a train was derailed and an unconfirmed, potentially toxic gas was heading downwind toward our school. Keeping in mind that this was a fictitious situation, I had to admit that the thought had never occurred to me, since the train tracks were two miles away. It forced me to consider that I had to make a plan…just in case.

Prevention

Not to scare, but to become aware of potential hazards, is what Prevention is about. These are some of the things that schools can do to repel theft and violence.

  1. Well lit grounds
  2. Security cameras and monitors, obtrusively placed
  3. Security systems and sirens
  4. Police or community volunteer watch
  5. Secure doors, locks, window alarms
  6. Sign-in registry at a designated entrance for all visitors
  7. Student and faculty photo IDs
  8. Card access systems to security risk areas
  9. Limited access areas after regular school hours

Another important point is that the topic of prevention should include training everyone in the community to realize that if they even hear a rumor that someone may come to do harm to the school or someone in school, it needs to be reported to a responsible adult–no matter how unlikely–because many problems can be avoided just by putting “extra eyes” in an area. That is deterence!

This tactic is effective and can be implemented by vigilant parents in our school parking lots too. The presence of parents had deterred speeding, student fights, students who attempt to cut class, and even threats from strangers who may think twice about attempting anything related to our students and schools. Every member of a community should have the contact information, phone number and email, of the principal.

Preparedness

Your school should have annually scheduled visits by law enforcement, the fire department, and other agencies on a rotating basis, as you probably already do for the health department, state department of education, and accrediting organization. All these professionals support the safety of your school, and transparency dictates that their reports should be accessible to the public.

One very important document that should be copied and stored with first responders, and at another remote location as a backup, is a set of blue prints for the school building.

Another aspect of preparedness is to maintain a remote, safe storage of school records and computer file backup. These are steps typically done by corporations for disaster recovery, but some of our smaller, private schools may not be implementing this.

In light of the recent tragic event in Connecticut, I was reminded of how very important it is for the class’ attendance roster to always be handy if needed by any staff member. With self contained classes, there are special subject teachers who may be there when an alarm sounds, they too need to know from where to grab the folder with the student roster. With increasing use of online attendance, we may neglect to keep a hard copy of students’ names, and if we are in a corridor with the rest of the school, or in a field outside the building, we need to know that everyone is present and accounted for.

Natural disaster drills should be scheduled for the school year before the first day of school, and faculty should have a separate training session to know procedures and how they differ for bomb threats versus lockdowns, etc. Schools successfully have trained their students for the possibilities of fire and tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Fear has no place in this training. It is matter of fact and procedural. Bomb threat and lockdown training needs to be the same because a controlled and calm adult models for the students how to respond.

Response

Communication Plan

Schools should be equipped with technology that enables them to be informed, as well as the means to communicate even if dispersed. As the lead contact to interface with first responders, the principal needs to be focused on mentally processing updates to the situation. Therefore, a team approach is necessary with duties delegated. Often a solid member of the office staff will check in with each teacher or classroom, depending on the nature of the situation. Each teacher or class needs the roster to verify the presence of all students. Depending on circumstances, again, a staff member or teacher must look in all other locations unaccounted for, like restrooms and stairwells, and multi-use rooms. And a single person should handle media as the PIO, public information officer for the school.

Only after the welfare of all students and personnel is established, the decision to inform parents should be made. In some situations, first responders need access cleared for backup, so when they are present, the principal confers with them to decide when and how parents are notified. Trust their judgment and abide authority.

Your school may have a mass dialer system or a phone tree. Again, in the event that normal notification procedures prove inoperable, another backup, remote system of communication should be available. I used to keep paper copies of our students’ families contact information in my office, my briefcase, in my closet at home, and on a flash drive in my purse just in case it was needed at any time.

Also, regarding contingency plans, one day the top two lead contact people were out of our school attending a principals’ meeting with other school principals when the fire alarm sounded. Back up contact #3, who was informed previously that we were not going to be in the building, had to take charge. Fortunately, everything came out fine, but we were concerned when calling in for messages and no one answered the office phone line! Everyone was back in school safe within 15 minutes though.

What Can Parents Do?

Trusting that school leadership has done an annual audit, needs assessment, and has trained students and personnel on procedures from policies and published manuals, the role of parents is mainly one of support.

Do be sure to develop your home emergency and security plans as part of what smart families do. Then you could work with your principal, teachers, and PTO to help with supplies and community contacts. This is a useful list that parents can refer to in order to help.

Equipment

Nebulizer
AED machine
Anaphalaxis Kits
Crutches
Wheelchair
Backpacks for each class with: first aid kits, rain ponchos, and thermal space blankets

Resource Database

Doctors & nurses
Building/construction workers and supply
Drivers/carpools
Social workers
Volunteers

School Climate and Culture

Beyond providing material support, planning, and procedures, awareness of school climate and cultivating a caring community is an effective prevention measure. Some schools have used Advisories with reports that they have significantly helped connect an adult in a small circle of perhaps ten students that check in with each other each day. Other schools instituted “Big brother” or “Big sister” mentor programs that ease younger students into a supportive relationship so that students are not left to “fall between the cracks.” We are more aware than ever that every student needs someone that they can trust, and teachers know to keep a watch for students who need Counseling.

Schools employ tactics to bring awareness and to coach students and teachers in handling bullying, character and values, and assertiveness training. All of these measures can help lessen the potential for problems, and empower students with life skills to be carried into their adult and parenting years. If your school is not doing these, research programs and suggest them to your school’s leadership.

Lastly, you can access specific procedural guides that detail what protocols are for threats at this link Crisis Management Protocol Guide.

Life has been crazy busy lately with preparing for two ISNA Education Forums, an article for Islamic Horizons magazine, the webinar, our daughter’s upcoming engagement party, getting ready for our niece to arrive from overseas for the party, and I’m investigating collaborating on a potential health related book project…all while the kids are home from school on Winter Break. It’s been challenging keeping up with workouts at the gym, and the weather has kept us indoors more than we like. Relief is coming though as we still plan to scope California as a new locale to explore. With stresses running high, I like to retreat my mind into thinking myself a drop in Siddhartha‘s river, just going with the flow. Resistance and struggle bring fatigue, so just go with it!

That it is He who grants laughter and tears; that it is He who grants death and life; that He did create in pairs–male and female, from a seed when lodged; that He promised a Second Creation; that it is He who gives wealth and satisfaction; that He is the Lord of Sirius (Holy Qur’an, Al Najm [The Star], 53:43-49).

The Earth Is A Mosque

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The Earth Is A Mosque

Nature can elicit the calm comfort of a mosque, or other holy site of worship, but some may confuse their appreciation of nature for an object of worship, rather than nature’s Creator. Ancient people were noted for idolizing the sun, moon, stars, elements of water and fire, and even some modern day folks choose similarly without the logical conclusion that the Creator is responsible for the genesis of the universe and its contents.

We, having some of the attributes of that Divine Being, also have responsibility to honor our unique status among those created. We can differentiate ourselves from haughtily claiming ourselves to be the Divine because we cannot only revel in the wonders of nature, we can also fear and be overwhelmed by it. Recent reminders are the effects of hurricane Sandy, our frustrated feeling of helplessness when we are ill, or when we wish well for someone struggling but lack the power to help them. In all these situations though, it can assuage the soul to know that the Earth is a mosque, any place is amenable to worshiping and connecting to one’s Creator.

As nasty, cold weather has curtailed my golf, biking, and general activities in exchange for lifting weights, running indoors, and getting belly laughs when my husband and I attempt yoga, I miss “playing outside,” and have taken to reading a backlog of books about the environment and Green careers. There was even two seasons on DVD of “Living With Ed,” featuring Ed Begley, Jr., an actor who is a zealous environmental activist. The show featured several other celebrities, including Larry Hagman, Jay Leno, and Bill Nye the Science Guy, who share his passion for taking strides toward a “Greener” lifestyle. I wish my kids watched the programs, but they managed to disappear when their nerdy mom tried to ambush them into watching for some cool ideas.

Now I have a ton of websites collected in my notebook that I intend to check out from “Green Careers for Dummies.” With the Obama administration in the saddle for the next term, I hope to see more Green Job growth, and am considering what opportunities we may explore for high school aged children and ourselves for the next few decades. One must always be ready to adapt; that is how survivors manage.

How did all this Green reading start? Well, it’s a little embarrassing because it was over a month ago that I saw Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, author of “Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet” when he presented to students at Elmhurst College. I’ve been intending to blog about his message since that time, but felt that I was not informed enough to do justice to the wider scope of it. That is what prompted my inquiry and extended reading in subjects related. It is from him that I cite the concept that “The Earth is a Mosque.” He writes, threading references from the Qur’an, to help the reader fathom that we are intimately connected with nature; and he substantiates Islam’s compatibility with science through several references, among them are oceans meeting and not mixing (Holy Qur’an 25:53 and 55:19-20), and development of a fetus (Holy Qur’an 23:12-14). He describes Light (Noor), which has repeated references in many religions. Looking at subatomic particles, with the strongest magnification, they look like small flashes of light. On the opposite side of the spectrum, zooming from our moon to the limits of the universe, we see Light. Abdul-Matin expresses that light is an expression of the Oneness of Allah and His creation (Tawhid), “the universe is aglow with continuity.”

As humans, we are created from clay, water, and a divine spirit. The Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, helped us realize “The world is beautiful and verdant, and verily Allah, be He exalted, has made you his stewards in it, as He sees how you acquit yourselves,” from Sahih Muslim, book 10, hadith 10. This gift of life also has a trust (amana) associated with it for us to freely make decisions, decisions that we will be accountable for about this sacred creation and how we chose to interact with it. Abdul-Matin puts it beautifully, “Our mandate from God dictates that we must praise the Creator, take care of the planet, and take care of one another.”

Sharing deeper enlightenment at our Elmhurst College presentation, he brilliantly sized up colonialism’s subjugation of people who lacked political and economic power by those who did not view the Earth like a mosque. They exploited the people and resources for their own greedy gain, without regard to Justice (adl), and humans became defined as “units of production.” Taking natural resources and raw goods, they manufactured and marketed to create hunger for materialism. The contagion of this artificially induced addiction to “stuff” has had a detrimental effect on the planet. We buy, throw, and buy some more. Manufacturers deliberately design products now with intent that one day the consumer will need to replace items again. Meanwhile, we are not living in harmony with the Earth. This pattern simply cannot be sustained.

The way to find balance (mizan) is found through the rite of prayer. Through it, we find ourselves in synch with the rest of Creation and the Creator. The author writes of his recollections praying in many awesome natural settings. It brought back to my mind memories of praying the sunset (maghrib) prayer beside a lonely strip of highway about 20 years ago in Saudi Arabia, praying close to the Grand Canyon, by a mountain in Colorado, and in Glacier National Park in Montana. All of these were so peaceful, deep, and fulfilling, like an ideal mosque.

Then, in a wonderful connection, he binds prayer as the means to heal our hearts. Our hearts mirror how we treat ourselves and the planet. We need Allah to mend our injuries and open our hearts to live in accordance to a just and balanced relationship within Creation. The culmination of this is to take action to advance a Green Deen Movement. Deen refers to a way of living with reference to the holistic teachings of Islam.

Four points summarize the contents of the book which target Waste, Energy, Water, and Food.
• Sharing stories to inspire and illustrate
• Getting educated about environmental issues and solutions
• Connecting with people of other faiths as we live together and work to serve
• Taking responsibility to make the world better, and not succumb to fear of failure

One such story was related about Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, who was speaking in 2008 at the Anacostia Green Jobs Now rally around Washington, DC. He said, “We need to get our energy from Heaven–wind, solar, and waves, instead of from Hell—the stuff in the ground like coal, oil, and gas.”

Other interesting initiatives were how Chicago-based IMAN has connected training energy auditors to help people in poor neighborhoods get energy saving improvements that can help them spend less money on utility bills, and the Ecuadorian Amazon Pachamama people who linked up with American environmentalists to effectively spare their homeland from oil companies threatening to encroach and change their habitat. They have improved their economy and initiated ecotourism successfully.

Abdul-Matin introduced readers to sources of Halal, humanely raised foods from ethical purveyors Whole Earth Meats, who also brought fresh organic produce to a farmer’s market they initiated in the urban desert of Chicago’s inner-city, and Green Zabiha, from which consumers can purchase Halal, grass-fed, and organic products online. These companies were started by entrepreneurs who sought a better way to feed their families in line with their values. It seems to have been a struggle, but they found like-minded people who will pay more and make do with less to live in congruence with their conscience.

Many of our students are wasteful with water, but the ADAMS Center in Virginia has checked the meter to calculate how they can achieve the goal of reducing water consumption by 10 percent. Reminding people that their ablutions (wudu) need not be like a shower, a Malaysian company has invented machines to ration water for it. Waste-free Ramadan dinners (iftars) have been initiated in several mosques whereby people bring their own plates and eating utensils from home instead of using disposables. Food scraps are then composted. Many examples of novel ideas coming from humble people with genuine concern for the Earth are illustrated.

I truly recommend reading this book, and would consider its benefit for students who can reference many Islamic vocabulary terms defined in its glossary, numerous websites cited, as well as it is indexed. The examples cited offer guidance to all who hope to realize the power of even a single person that can make significant strides to better lives for many.

Prompting my curiosity further on the subject, I delved into another interesting read, “The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean’s are One” by Sylvia A. Earle. It was not as dense as the previous books mentioned, but it did raise consciousness as Earle has had many diverse experiences over a lifetime with the National Geographic Society. She has traveled distant places of the globe, above and below into the deep, and has even started two companies to help resource efforts to learn more and explore the wonderous oceans. What resonates from her writing is, “The big question is what can we do to take care of the blue world that takes care of us?” (p. 14). She documents man’s wasteful presence in the most remote areas, and shares stories of mishaps that give us concern. She serves to warn as did Rachel Carson in Silent Spring, that our lives are intricately balanced with the ocean, and we are vulnerable if we continue to pollute.

From the macro to the micro, I’d read “The Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, Parasites, and Partners That Shape Who We Are Today, by Rob Dunn. This was different from everything else in that the writer analyzed many angles of how we have changed our internal as well as external habitats over time, and ironically our changes have perhaps been more detrimental than we realize with ultimately unbalancing our existence. One of the most bizarre, yet seemingly cathartic remedies for Celiac disease may be to actually inoculate patients with hookworms, parasites, to relieve their symptoms. It was a strange symbiotic proposition that was suggested after realization that Celiac disease only happens in cultures that have used antibiotics and have a modern world (i.e. clean) existence. On another note, the eradication of native mammal species to the western United States over the past one hundred years or so has tipped the balance of predator-prey in nature, and even the history of shaving body areas has been tracked as thwarting the spread of disease historically, particularly due to the avoidance of lice and venereal crabs. One never knows what tidbits reading can gain for trivia freaks!

However, the best part of Dunn’s book was toward its conclusion, “We do not always dream or decide consciously, many days we are rather like the ants pushed this way and that by our urges and conditions. Collectively though, we have the ability to learn and extend beyond our individual limits. We have the ability to develop a plan and on the basis of that plan to enact change that affects not just our own lives, or even those of our own species, but instead all of our lives and all species. We have the ability to pick up the drawing pad on which the future will be laid out and sketch the streets, the houses, and the people, our descendants, moving back and forth, and to decide whether they walk or drive, but also how they interact with each other and the rest of life (p. 236).

News came today that the Israelis have started another incursion into Gaza, and I’ve seen on Twitter posts of four children under the age of five who have been killed within the first hours. On one hand, I take Dunn’s message of empowerment to heart, and Abdul-Matin’s vision to personally connect my raised consciousness into action, but what impact can even a group of environmentally conscious individuals have to thwart the carbon footprint of a nation inciting incendiary violence? What justice can we hope for? President Obama: Please stop this insanity.

I long for Shangri-La.

Tiger Parenting

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Sharing tips from parents of successful students with other parents and their students, who aspired to greater academic achievement, was a favorite highlight at parent-teacher conferences. A physician with several children in our school simply stated that he reminded his kids, “The difference between an A student and a B student is that the A student simply put in more time.” Also, one most accomplished student had the habit of scheduling/predicting how her evening study time would be spent, and she would try to work more quickly-while maintaining focus-than her plan. Yet, another student always utilized every possible second between classes to whittle away some of her homework, or she would gain a few pages in the current novel she was reading. Her other secret to success was that she would quit and go to sleep at 10:00 p.m.; and if her work was not complete, she rose early before dawn to finish it before school. Success leaves clues! One common denominator among all students I recall though was that their parents always came to conferences; this shed light on some parenting tactics for me too. Obviously, their students’ achievement was important, and their taking time to be present, analyze, and work with teachers was testimony to that.

Education Week published, “Study: Parents Influential in Academic Success,” Michele Molnar, author of the blog, quoted co-author of the study, Toby Parcel, professor of sociology at North Carolina State University, “The effort that parents are putting in at home in terms of checking homework, reinforcing the importance of school, and stressing the importance of academic achievement is ultimately very important to their children’s academic achievement.” Two of my recent reads, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua and Top of the Class: How Asian Parents Raise High Achievers–And How You Can Too, written by two Korean-American sisters of immigrant parents, underline attributes of Asian parents and give up some of the secrets to the statistically high achievements of Asian students. Coincidentally, Roy F. Baumeister, co-author of the willpower book I’d recently blogged about, mentioned that in terms of IQ the Asian students tended to score slightly below Caucasians, but the sisters’ book, published in the middle of this decade, referenced an overwhelming 43% population of Asians attending our own local Northwestern University! There’s definitely a higher rate of acceptance to Ivy League institutions, education, and income levels of Asian students relative their representation in the general population. I delved into these books to try to find out why. If interested, the former is a better read (active voice, more dramatic, and intense), but both books contribute pragmatic counsel for parents who want to take an active role in channeling their students’ progress in academics and other personal growth skills.

It’s not that I’ve been a negligent parent, but when I related some of the books’ anecdotes with my husband, he said, “Why didn’t you use this with our other kids? You’re too late!” All I could do was shrug and state that Tiger Mother was only published in 2011. Alhamdullilah, all of my offspring are still in secondary or post-secondary institutions; but while the elder two are sailing well on their own, my high school senior and freshman could use the savvy strategies I’d acquired through reading.

Somehow I find myself becoming like one of the matronly mothers of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, minding my children’s business, coyly giving orders while fully expecting compliance and fealty. Yet, since being late in starting this initiative, I am getting resistance and head butting attitudes from merely insisting on an additional three pages of pre-Algebra meant to decipher where learning gaps occurred. Never to concede, I have drafted, in typical Asian strategy, my children’s other siblings and even their friends for reinforcement. Collectively, we expect achievement with our efforts and a little pressure. It is just a matter of time and persistence in working until progress breaks through neural log jams. Our sacrifice and dedication is a family issue, and our sons’ performances will be our own, as we strive to find strengths and talents, fortify weak areas that potentially could cut short the trek toward a career.

To sum up nuggets of wisdom the books gave me are the following:

  • Don’t be a wimp! Insist on excellent effort in performance, whether in academics, chores, sports, habits, and conduct.
  • Expect to invest monumental time in practice, patience, and persistence.
  • Lead by example; for what you value, you must also strive to learn and discriminate degrees of quality to fine tune performance.
  • Spare no expense when the value is justified. Spend time and money when the long term return on investment is expected. Eliminate or minimize unproductive time wasters.
  • Offer short term rewards for significant achievements by communicating them when motivating the student to work more, and celebrate successes.

My perspectives have been altered a bit, as the authors have managed to contrast typical Western parenting with Asian parenting, and through this filter I found my senses and directives sharpened. Remanded to take the final step to put the dish in the dishwasher drying rack, even my husband has had the whip cracked and quickened to self-monitor that his dinner plate goes in the right place after he washes it. Formerly laissez-faire, now I am drilling a bit more precision into my family’s habits, and I have heightened my own discipline in expectation for better outcomes. True to the ayah, “Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change themselves,” (13:11, al-Rad The Thunder). We want to match with more fidelity our potential in hope that we can improve by using our given gifts and capacities.

Mindful of our upcoming elections, America needs to foster greater excellence and overall performance in education for all Americans  to avoid more hardship. It is wise to prepare our populace for the higher demanding and rewarding luxe jobs versus the lousy jobs that offer little satisfaction and income. May every soul realize that they have work to do that can better our world.

As the weather around here has blocked progress in my golf (maybe I can play 9 early before thunderstorms tomorrow), I have returned to the gym to lift weights. Evenings typically net some brisk walking, and my annual physical seems to be passed with flying colors. Weight is down fifteen pounds from a year ago; thyroid meds have stabilized so that I do not require naps—as long as I sleep eight hours at night—and my bone density seems to be holding up well.

The next challenges are to try to compete with Riad in a free online Spanish course, and we are immersing ourselves in reading about Energy and opportunities in the Green Movement. As our youngest two are still undecided in their careers, it may be that these industries are to the future what Plastics meant to the 1960’s. We want to research and guide them to fulfilling careers, if we perceive a match for their aptitudes and interests. Our senior is president of his school’s environmental club, and he has long shown interest; even when I sponsored our high school ecology club, he sat in on meetings while in 3rd grade; subhanAllah.

Eid al-Adha is this Friday, and I feel the blessedness of these days of Hajj. May all sincere and wholesome dua’a be answered, and purity be your reward. Peace! Eid Mubarak!

Willpower!

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Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney

With our society placing heavy value on intelligence and self-control, this book contributes insight to some aspects of willpower. Did you know that self-control consumes energy, and heavy application of it can deplete our reserves? Have you noticed that having to make a lot of decisions can also exhaust you? Teachers and administrators take note!

I saw a guest appearance of the author/researcher, Roy Baumeister, at Elmhurst College last week, and he presented a quote that President Obama made which specified that he only wears blue or grey suits because it is less complicated. As president, he has so many other important decisions to make. His quip made sense in light of Baumeister’s work. Life is so complicated and with many distractions and temptations, Baumeister found that people could keep their energy reserves if they just systematized life to the point where they have to make fewer decisions.

It strikes me as pragmatic to use this knowledge in so many realms. For example, limit the choices for breakfasts and lunches so you don’t get too rattled and are better able to focus on more important matters. Keep options few for family, students, and staff so they too are able to make choices with ease.

Baumeister described that Willpower is like a muscle which can become fatigued, but it can also be strengthened through practice. Willpower has been associated with better living and longevity. After all, those who do not partake in vices are also able to avoid the consequences of them. Think, for example, of overeating, using drugs, alcohol, not controlling one’s temper, and gambling, etcetera.

What value is self-control? Well, consider if all those diet, self-improvement, promises, and New Year’s resolutions all came true! It seems some people have more innate ability to control themselves versus others, but the practice of self-control can generate stronger willpower too.

Remember the classic psychology experiment by Mischel whereby children were tempted by a marshmallow? Youngsters were put in a room with a marshmallow and told that the adult would be back soon. They had the option to eat the marshmallow while the adult was absent, or they could delay and receive two if it was still there upon the adult’s return. Some children chose to wait and others ate the marshmallow; but the most amazing thing is that when tracked many years later, the children who exhibited more self-control still had the same tendency and were generally more successful in a range of attributes. It is rare to find such a reliable indicator that has predictability value.

Baumeister and other psychology associates used a different methodology and studied a couple hundred adult subjects in Germany, and concluded that there was definitely a lot of resisting of urges. Some may say this was bad science, but it did prompt some modicum of reference in his book of the historic development of mankind and generation of a theory about Energy and Will. Differentiation of American and European social psychology versus that of Germans as a consequence of the World Wars was considered, and I had my own pondering about what might be possible if researchers studied a variety of ethnicities or cultures? A social scientist may note the polar reactions of some residents of New Orleans during hurricane Katrina compared to the conduct observed of some Japanese people in the nuclear event of Fukushima. Why such varied reactions of social groups? Baumeister’s work will certainly sire new horizons of inquiry.

Baumeister cites that as a society we are slipping in our ownership of Willpower, and he states that social scientists are quick to relegate blame for individual problems as beyond the individual’s control. It is easier to blame people’s problems on poverty, the education system, and government rather than personal responsibility, such is the current trend.

Is it any wonder then why people feel they have no control or power over anything? How detrimental is this to our society? What impact will this perspective have on the upcoming election? How do we inculcate a “can do” or personal empowerment mentality in ourselves, our dependents, and in America? These are my musings, and I’d greatly appreciate feedback and a continuation of this thread of thought.

Back to Self-Control: According to previous work done by Baumeister and his associates, the ability to self-regulate was correlated with a wide range of favorable traits and outcomes that could be generalized as “success.” Conversely, those who were ranked as having poor self-control had a greater likelihood to have trouble with the law, alcohol, drugs, financial and marital problems. The benefits of self-control have been made clear.

At this point, I’m not done reading the book, but want to share before this blog becomes a book itself! As the weather has derailed my putting practice a few days, I’m sad to think that golf season may be over for me until I attend the ISNA West Coast Education Forum, January 18-19, where I hope to escape to do some desert golf after the conference! At least it is not snowing here…yet.

Also, I sense my own willpower is a bit frail, Nadia and I have started doing the popular Insanity workout, but we are only into the 3rd day. Without the habit being strong yet, changing seasons, and feeling the pain of missing old patterns, I hope my own willpower is fortified by continued reading.

Building Champions

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Shooting For the Moon?

Would you like a roadmap to achievement? How useful could such a guide be for administrators, teachers, parents, students, everybody?

Becoming a True Champion: Achieving Athletic Excellence from the Inside Out, by Kirk Mango with Daveda Lamont, outlines in three parts useful insights as Kirk relates his story and strategies he used to develop himself from an average, unspectacular student and gymnastic team member into an Illinois State high school champion who earned a full scholarship to college in a rapid turn-around year.

Mango, I’d learned, was once a student at our local high school, and his story is truly exceptional. However, he writes as a current high school teacher and gymnastics coach to let us know that everyone can be exceptional. It seriously comes down to the choices we make, and desire, commitment, discipline, and sacrifices to earn achievement.

As an instructor, he mirrors many of our concerns for the lack of character and integrity we see in athletics and celebrities today. He has seen erosion in students adhering to a code of honor, behavior, and ethics, and he makes the case that the best motivation should be intrinsic.

I found wisdom in his book and a useful recipe for planning that I intend to introduce to my own children and apply in my life. The following are the highlights of what worked for him:

• Determine strengths to master and weaknesses to work on
• Identify fundamentals; skills and strategies; then conditioning exercises
• Plan practices initially focusing on quantity, and segue to refine with consistent performance of quality

Although Mango’s roadmap specifies illustrative references to gymnastics, tennis, volleyball, and basketball, his recommendations could also be modified to any academic pursuit. What is the secret?

Defining a goal, making an unshakable commitment to consistently execute a plan, and assume ownership over choices that only you control. This way, competition is only really to perfect one’s own performance, win or lose.

I found Mango’s story relevant because he exemplified what we aspire ourselves and those we have responsibility for to be like. A champion is not necessarily one who owns the wins and trophies, it is one who has tried and excelled through living true to a cause and a dream. Isn’t that what we want to inspire and cultivate in ourselves and those around us?

So to put into practice what Mango has suggested, I have decided to tag on putting practice to my daily Qur’an reading. With my last round of golf giving a glimmer of hope with 2 pars and a birdie, I recognize my greatest weakness needing attention is putting.

Also, I’ve shared a bit of Mango’s story with some family members, and I’ve encouraged my youngest to put in some extra time on Saturdays to refine fundamentals in Algebra. It seems that by my analysis there could be an opportunity for reinforcement. InshaAllah, results on the next assessment will reward the effort to keep up motivation.

There are no short cuts to solid effort, and that Mango makes quite clear. What transpires from such effort though, is a realization that each of us has Power. Our choices determine to a great degree our outcomes, and that realization is a gift many have yet to discover.

As the Ryder Cup is being played only about 5 miles away at the Medinah Country Club, we could see the blimp over it in the distance while Riad and I golfed at Maple Meadows. The picture you see is him teeing off the 18th, as the sun had just set and we were actually playing facing a rising moon to the east. Nightly, I’m reviewing the media coverage and using the pros to model my visualization of the ease which they play their spectacular shots. Let’s see what Mango’s model does for my game!

Transitions and Making Choices

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It isn’t easy facing new challenges and the unknown; in fact, sometimes we drag our feet when we are uncertain of best options for the future. As we approach autumn, Riad and I quickly realized that we had best get the house on the market, even if we still see the details that need repair. We are ready, except for painting our bedroom and sorting out 16 years of clutter in the basement, but the grand question is still unanswered. What should we do if we find a buyer?

Last night, while walking in 50 degree weather, we reminisced about our warm and sunny California trips from earlier in the year. Then we were pulled back into the reality that all four of our children still live with us currently, and our eldest, a nursing student, had his first day of clinicals at the new ultra luxurious Elmhurst Hospital. It would be a dream to work there after graduation, but we want our kids to move with us too. In reality, there are many fine benefits to where we live generally, but the climate and its impingement on our desire to maintain fitness through outdoor activities pall our enthusiasm for staying when it is below 40 degrees. The thought of staying based here, while seeking an investment property in a warmer winter locale that we can visit for a few weeks in January seems attractive.

So transitions are sticky to negotiate, especially when others are involved. The best means of rescue though is when someone else, a trusted ally, can give advice and lessen the anxiety. Likewise, when our youngest son rose in rank to enter high school as a freshman, it was with some amusement that I overheard his older sibling, who is a senior at the same school, coach his younger brother, “Dude, you can’t wear plaid shirts.” “You can’t be seen talking to ______!” “You have to do your Algebra the way the teacher demonstrates it, not just do it in your head.” “This is important for later!” “Dude, if you miss the bus, you can run to the next stop ‘cause they have a lot of kids to load, so you can usually still make it.” “Hey, you can’t pick my friends to be your friends, and you can’t go to the football game until you have friends!” I understood perfectly then when my freshman gloated to his senior brother, “I can go to the football game because I have friends now.”

I recall that when we would transition students from 5th to 6th grade at our pre-K 3 through 12th grade school, we deliberately scheduled an orientation for the students. In the last few weeks of 5th grade, students were privy to shadow 6th grade in order to see what life was like outside the self-contained classroom. Then in the first week of 6th grade, the students were advised that organization was important, and that emotional distress not uncommon. We gave them handouts that specified exactly what they should be expected to do, and teachers usually dovetailed our efforts by holding them to compliance whenever they could. Naturally, all the details were presented in a visually pleasing presentation, and we encouraged students to feel free to talk to any adult if they felt overwhelmed. During Open House, many teachers would also advise parents about expectations and potential pitfalls experienced by many transitional students at 6th and freshman levels.

At the heart of many students’ lack of performance seems to be a deficit in organization and planning, and there is much that individual teachers can do to facilitate the adoption of these in their classes. A review of necessary binders, note taking skills, homework format, and frequent assessment to verify daily effort go a long way to getting students on track. Also, as heightened levels of skill and quality of student products are expected, teachers use rubrics in conjunction with anonymous samples of student work in order for new students to more fully understand what quality work is expected. With timely feedback, students are able to edge their work and performance toward those expectations and feel the satisfaction from their efforts.

This reminds me of the improvement I saw in my golf game this past week. Vexed by my poor performance in putting, I split my score card to differentiate the number of drives versus putts. Knowing that I was having difficulty in “seeing the line” of the putt, I took several putters to the practice putting green and quickly realized that my Daisy putter, from when I first learned to play golf as an 18 year old, was my best fit. It is significantly shorter than other putters collected in my garage too, so sometimes something old is what fits best. Overall, I saw a definite improvement in both drives and putts on a nice little 9 hole executive course, and felt confident that the adage “practice makes perfect” hold true, both for me and my freshman who is hearing that applied to his Algebra, Arabic, and writing. Success feels great! Be sure to make time to take care of your own wellness too!

More insights to transitions for Middle School to High School can be found from William D. Waidelich, Ed.D., Executive Director of the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) at this link.