I am really enjoying answering the prompts at Jamie and Shannon Ridler’s Kickin It Old Skool Blogathon. It's never to late to join us.
Today’s prompt was to share our first time doing something. This first did not immediately come to mind but it was a powerful first for many reasons. I was an elementary school teacher for many years and I loved what I did. One year our school decided to become a conversion charter school which meant that you were still part of the school system but wrote a charter which exempted you from some of the state rules and regulations and allowed you to control more of what the school did. In order to do this, a very complex charter had to be developed and approved by the staff, the parents, the local Board of Education and the State Board of Education. I loved the idea and volunteered to lead the charge. We decided to become a Fine Arts Charter School and to arrange our schedule so that every Friday afternoon was devoted to the arts. After several years of research, we had concluded that this was something our students would benefit from and they did. After the research was done and the faculty and staff voted to move forward, the fun began. Our local school superintendent was very excited about our charter but the local board was not very happy with the idea. I had to present the plan first to the parents and then to the local board. Although this was years ago, I can remember the night the plan was presented to our parents. The room was packed with every corner filled with people who were anxious to hear what I had to say. At that time speaking front of a classroom of eight year olds was easy for me. Speaking in front of a large group of adults could be intimidating. But I had one thing on my side. Passion! I totally believed in what we were doing and I knew the kids could benefit from the charter. So I began to speak and the room was quiet. What I didn’t know was that there was a group of people present that were not in favor of what we were proposing who had come to disrupt not learn. So before I could finish a sentence a question or comment was hurled my way that was meant to disrupt the meeting. I learned an important lesson that night. I could control a room of people who did not always think as I did. I did it by being polite, sharing my passion for what we were trying to accomplish, and having the facts. Our charter did pass the vote that night and on we went to the local board. As they visited our classrooms, listened closely to our plans, and realized how much our kids would benefit from the opportunities they would have, they too came on board and approved our charter. The final step was the approval of the State Board of Education. We were the second school in the state to be approved as a conversion charter school. When the board approved our charter the room was filled with cheers. When I got back to school that day, everyone was excited which is exactly how a school should feel. Our charter lasted five years and in that time we accomplished many great things. Then as things do in life, things changed. But I am forever grateful for the things I learned in the years leading up to the charter being approved and the years we had to implement it. And I will never forget the night I stood in front of a not always friendly crowd and helped them to see that there was nothing to be afraid of. That new strategies can work especially when we work together!
Today’s prompt was to share our first time doing something. This first did not immediately come to mind but it was a powerful first for many reasons. I was an elementary school teacher for many years and I loved what I did. One year our school decided to become a conversion charter school which meant that you were still part of the school system but wrote a charter which exempted you from some of the state rules and regulations and allowed you to control more of what the school did. In order to do this, a very complex charter had to be developed and approved by the staff, the parents, the local Board of Education and the State Board of Education. I loved the idea and volunteered to lead the charge. We decided to become a Fine Arts Charter School and to arrange our schedule so that every Friday afternoon was devoted to the arts. After several years of research, we had concluded that this was something our students would benefit from and they did. After the research was done and the faculty and staff voted to move forward, the fun began. Our local school superintendent was very excited about our charter but the local board was not very happy with the idea. I had to present the plan first to the parents and then to the local board. Although this was years ago, I can remember the night the plan was presented to our parents. The room was packed with every corner filled with people who were anxious to hear what I had to say. At that time speaking front of a classroom of eight year olds was easy for me. Speaking in front of a large group of adults could be intimidating. But I had one thing on my side. Passion! I totally believed in what we were doing and I knew the kids could benefit from the charter. So I began to speak and the room was quiet. What I didn’t know was that there was a group of people present that were not in favor of what we were proposing who had come to disrupt not learn. So before I could finish a sentence a question or comment was hurled my way that was meant to disrupt the meeting. I learned an important lesson that night. I could control a room of people who did not always think as I did. I did it by being polite, sharing my passion for what we were trying to accomplish, and having the facts. Our charter did pass the vote that night and on we went to the local board. As they visited our classrooms, listened closely to our plans, and realized how much our kids would benefit from the opportunities they would have, they too came on board and approved our charter. The final step was the approval of the State Board of Education. We were the second school in the state to be approved as a conversion charter school. When the board approved our charter the room was filled with cheers. When I got back to school that day, everyone was excited which is exactly how a school should feel. Our charter lasted five years and in that time we accomplished many great things. Then as things do in life, things changed. But I am forever grateful for the things I learned in the years leading up to the charter being approved and the years we had to implement it. And I will never forget the night I stood in front of a not always friendly crowd and helped them to see that there was nothing to be afraid of. That new strategies can work especially when we work together!
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