New Year and resolutions

It’s the New Year, and here is a little bit of dictionary research for you:

Resolution - a firm decision to do something

Resolute - admirably purposeful, determined and unwavering

Resolve - decide firmly on a course of action

Results - consequence, effect or outcome

With some pondering, how do you feel these four words apply to our work to be better educators each day?  To foster great growth in our students’ academic achievement as well as their growth as a contributing member of humanity?

We each enter the field of education because we have convictions about serving, for the good of children.  And if we make a resolution and our mindset is resolute, and we have strong resolve to do the work . . . . we will get results.  How do we know if we are committed to the right work and will get the results we desire??

Yes, that’s an unnerving thought.  We might miss the mark and we all have probably experienced the feeling of working toward a goal and missing the target.  Did I have my head on straight at the outset?  Might I have missed the actual target to be addressed?  

Root Cause Analysis - ->  Taking a deep look at the barriers to our goals can be uncomfortable.  It requires that we ask WHY at least 5 times . . . it takes that many questions to get past the surface to the dark murky layer that we don’t really like to see.  But that is how we will really see the changes we need to address.

We are well into our second 100 day plans in each school and will soon be evaluating our progress - and considering our growth.  Oh, I know it’s only January, but you know how fast time flies.  We will be arriving at June and new SAIL plans sooner than you think.  So consider . . . what is at the root of our problems?  Not the surface roots that we avoid with the lawnmower, but the deep roots that are more work to get a good look at?  

Root cause work is coming in the near future . . . start considering your 5 WHY questions.