Driving across the Flint Hills of Kansas along I-70 or any other such stretch in Kansas, one sees the scorched earth nearby and the rising white smoke in the distance.  What in the world?  Why are they burning?  But in those places where the burning occurred a couple of weeks ago, the blackened pastures are being overtaken by new, bright green grass.  In Kansas, and I'm sure in other Midwestern states, this is a very normal part of the growing cycle.  Through a controlled burn, we purge the thatch and dead grass from the past season and allow it to be reborn with new growth.  Is this annual rite of spring something we can use in our own lives, both personally, in school, our business, or organization?  

One of the big attractions of spring is the greening of the grass, trees and shrubs, and the blooming of those first spring flowers that brave the elements to show us their bright colors of hope.  The landscape transforms from the dull grays and browns of winter to the energetic colors of spring and summer.  But do we realize that those colors are more vibrant if we prune, remove the thatch and dead leaves that accumulate from the residual effects of autumn, and get rid of the things that delay growth?  Those very things that protected the plants from the harsh winter temperatures are also the things that keep the growth from coming to the surface in the spring.

In our own lives, we often do those spring cleaning things around the house - remove clothes we no longer wear; clean the windows of the film accumulated from the furnace that kept us warm; and uncover all the items that we prepared for winter for use in the spring and summer.  Maybe we look at the bad habits we have and remove one or more of them.  Perhaps we get off the couch, get outside, and get active; or vow to remove the soda from our lives and replace it with life-giving water.   

At school or work, spring is a time to review our policies and practices that provide the expectations or parameters of our work.  Are they effective?  What could we revise or consolidate?   What new strategy will we implement and in exchange, what will we stop doing so we don't overload ourselves for this new idea?  What "controlled burn" will we undertake in order to emerge transformed with new growth that results in real progress?

We all stand aghast as forest fires rage each year - an uncontrolled burn if you will - but marvel at the new life that emerges from those horrific events.  Park Rangers tell us that lightning strikes that begin many of these fires are nature's way of renewing the forest to sustain it for the future.  Do we look long term like this when we make changes - bringing in the new "thing" to replace the old?  When I buy a new outfit or a pair of shoes, I think about all the places where I could wear the item or what else it goes with in my closet.  I am looking beyond the fact that I like this outfit or pair of shoes.  But my closet is not big enough for every item of clothing I ever bought, so I must take something out when I get something new.  We must be like the Park Rangers or the burners of the prairie and see how this will impact the future and ultimately the big picture.  

Out of control burns are dangerous and may burn things we didn't intend to be destroyed, so burning or purging must be done with care.  We don't randomly reach in the closet and pull out just any piece of clothing to send to Goodwill.  In fact we think about how that will impact future outfits (or at least I do!).  When raking the dead leaves from the perennial flower beds we take care not to dig up the new sprouts peeking through the ground.  We must purge with intent so that our work fulfills our purpose or goals for the future.  To that end we must have a vision for what we want things to look like.  That vision then results in the need for controlled burns from time to time so that new growth can emerge.  

As I look at the Kansas Legislature this year and some of the members who continually want to pass legislation that essentially is an assault on public education, I'm thinking a controlled burn (purge) might be beneficial there too come election time.  But I digress.  That probably should be another blog.  But the idea of a controlled burn in all aspects of our lives has its merits. What can we remove in order to renew?  Let the practices of the prairie inspire your thinking as you look to remove some of the dead grass in your life that may be keeping you from the green that you seek.

I never understood geometry very well when I was in high school and found proving theorems to be tedious and totally NOT useful to me at all.  I studied and made it work, but it wasn't until much later that I finally I discovered that geometric principles would be very useful to me in the real world. Now I look back and wish that my high school Geometry teacher had helped me see how I might use this information with things I actually enjoyed.  Instead it wasn't until I taught Physical Education and began coaching, that I realized the importance of angles and shapes in my world as I needed to know how to pursue a faster opponent, diagram offensive plays, determine defensive strategies, and understand how they affected nearly every event in track and field.   In other words, geometry suddenly became relevant to me as an adult because I learned how to use it in the real world (transfer). Of course geometric principles are not confined to PE or sports, but actually happen in so many things we do like driving, hanging pictures on the wall or designing work space in the kitchen.

Something that is relevant has a connection to the subject matter; is pertinent; and applicable. It also must be something that interests and challenges us.  Relevance makes rigor bearable and learning meaningful.  If something is relevant, I get it.  My interest is piqued; I am interested, and therefore I care enough to learn it well or find out more.  Those "aha" moments we have are sometimes as a result of inspiration, but many times occur because a connection has been made and the material we once thought was difficult, suddenly makes sense, becomes relevant, and leads us to understanding... even Geometry!

We need to know and be able to do "stuff," but more importantly we have to know how and when to use all that "stuff" we know and can do.  Otherwise, it all becomes useless trivia, or memorized information that eventually slips into the abyss of our minds.  It is often said by many, including me, "if you don't use it you'll lose it."  I find that to be true about the things I've learned and filed away in my brain as well as the physical skills that I once possessed.  I wonder how much I failed to learn along the way because I didn't find that meaningful connection that allowed me to USE that information, and therefore save it for future use?  

This begs the question, "How do I make what I need to learn relevant so that I will be more apt to learn it well and use it again?"  I cannot rely solely on others to make that happen for me.  I have to be able to find connections for myself and be responsible for my own learning.   As educators and parents, we have to teach our kids how to make those connections and not just blow off a particular topic or subject as "boring" or "too hard" or because we perceive it as irrelevant!

Think about the people who don't care about a particular issue until it affects them personally.  Now that issue has become relevant because they care about how it impacts their life or the lives of their family or friends.  Relevance requires some emotional attachment to the learning, issue or situation.  We have to feel its importance and find a way to connect it to our own way of thinking and doing.  The kind and quality of the relationship you have with the person who is teaching you or the people you are working with affects the degree of relevance, and thus, the need to understand or to act.

Relevance requires an answer to the "why and when" questions we have.  Why do we have to learn this?  Why is this important?  When will I use this information or skill?  Consider how recognizing this need would improve the kind of directions we give and ultimately the quality of the results?  This concept relates to the business model of "Why, How, and What," by Simon Sinek that I discussed in a previous blog.  If we address the "why" before telling people what to do and how to do it, then we immediately increase the relevance because we have answered one of the big questions that helps us prioritize our need to know.  This applies to teachers, parents, bosses, and just dealing with the general public.   

History is an example of a subject that some people love and others loathe.  "Why do I have to know this" is a frequent lament of students.  There are many reasons to know and understand what happened in the past so that you can plan for the future.  But knowing that intellectually is much different than personally feeling the connection to "the need to know."  CBS recently went "On the Road" to North Carolina and found a 5th grade teacher that inspired his students to learn history by re- enacting a battle from the Civil War as a class project. The research required to produce the culminating activity (re-enactment) helped this significant piece of history become relevant to students who live in today's high tech world.  (To watch this short video, click here.)  I would encourage you to listen to and watch the details that have been learned.  Feel the emotion and empathy these children have experienced.  Rigor and relationships played a large role in making this learning experience relevant, and therefore, meaningful.

We all learn differently, have different interests, strengths and weaknesses.  So as educators, it is up to each of us to help students learn how to find relevance in what they study.  Parents face the same challenges.  Taking the time to get to know someone (relationships) improves the chances we will understand those individual preferences so we can help students find meaning in the challenges (rigor) of their learning experiences.  I know for myself, that relevance is a motivator that gets me going and keeps me interested.  This is especially important if the task is not something I really enjoy. 

Relevance also requires us to stay fresh and be willing to change and grow.  What are you doing to be relevant?  To teach in a relevant way? To encourage relevance in your own kids or students?  What is relevant today may be irrelevant tomorrow.  Once upon a time I kept a diary.  Now I blog or journal on my computer.  Once I was proud to have typed 50 words per minute on a manual typewriter.  Now you find them in museums and antique stores.  Finding relevance requires effort.  Staying relevant requires reflection and revision.

Finding relevance is an intentional behavior and is most often present when there is sufficient challenge to interest me, and the necessary relationships to support me.  Only then will this new learning be beneficial to me in another situation down the road and not just saved for a trivia contest.  Even Geometry can become meaningful.

The Bill Snyder way.  Like it or not, it works.  His way turned around the worst program in college football and resurrected it after he retired and came back to coach again.  And his way has stood the test of time.  It works.  Like Madeline Hunter's lesson plan design or AA's 12 Step Program... it is time tested and there is data to validate the claims.

I've spent the last several weeks reading and viewing everything I can about Bill Snyder and the success K-State football is enjoying right now. Right off the bat I should admit that I bleed purple.  K-State purple.  I have a letter jacket and a class ring because I played softball for K-State back in the day.  I have loved my Wildcats for many, many years.  Are there greater fans who give more money and are more vocal?  Definitely.  But there isn't anyone who loves the "K-State way" more than I do.  OK.  Let's put that to rest and focus on what we can learn from the Bill Snyder way of doing things.

People are in awe of K-State's current success and recent resurgence, and many have jumped on this bandwagon.  In a world full of fast technology and new ways of doing familiar things, Coach Snyder has found a way to be successful doing what he knows best even with today's kids who have never known what it's like to not have a cell phone or to play music on albums or  tapes.  No one says he hasn't changed his schemes to better utilize his talent or learned to use some of the new technology to scout and recruit, but he still relies on values, skills, and work ethic that are now part of the new Common Core.  We are seeing a resurgence of those work values that Bill Snyder has never abandoned.   He has a plan; he has a successful way of doing it; and he sticks to it.  He models his expectations and he demands accountability by being respectful and true to his beliefs. 

Bill Snyder is no different than other great coaches who have excelled in their field like Pat Summit of Tennessee and the legendary John Wooden of UCLA.  Their expectations, work ethic, and commitment were paralleled by few but admired by all. The only exception to that may be that he's done it with less than 5 star talent, but rather with recruits who have a 5 star work ethic.   

What can we, in education, learn from Coach Snyder?  He is, after all, a teacher first; a a leader of students; and an educator to all of us.

I read an article in my ASCD brief the other day that talked about the way we have gone about implementing Common Core.  The author pointed out that CCSS was essentially given to teachers and schools as the "what" before we gave them the "why" and the "how."  Wouldn't it have been easier to implement if we didn't get the cart before the horse?  I'll bet Bill Snyder doesn't do that.

Coach Snyder has 16 Goals for Success.  What are they, you ask?  To quote from the K-State website:  

The 16 goals form the foundation for success, and create the work ethic and discipline that goes with them. With players and coaches from all backgrounds, having a single set of core values unifies them under one vision. If each adheres to the goals as individuals, then team success will follow.

Snyder believes the 16 goals are not only critical to success on the field, but also in everyday life. Once someone has dedicated themselves to doing things the right way, their chance of success in any field is dramatically increased.

Without the 16 Goals for Success, there is no "why" or "how."  These add meaning to the content of football and give everyone a common place from which to teach and learn.

So what about schools?  How could we use this?  We have many frameworks that would allow us to properly train teachers to implement whatever curricula or strategy we want them to.  But too often, we just say "here it is and make it happen" without setting them up to succeed.  We also have good intentions when we teach students desired content.  But they too need to know "why" and "how" so that the content becomes meaningful and transferable to the real world.  After all, isn't that why we have kids go to school, so they can take what they have learned and use it in their adult lives?  What would happen if we posted and lived by the 16 Goals for Success?  

Let's address a few of these goals:
Commitment:  I think we can all agree, that this is a necessary element for anything to succeed whether it's in a school or in a relationship.  What does it take to be committed?  What happens if this goal is overlooked?

Unselfishness:  We have to be a team to be successful.  No jealousy.  Be willing to share knowledge and ideas and skills.  Not needing the credit, just happy to help.

Unity.  Coming together through thick and thin; helping one another; shouldering the responsibility together; never pointing fingers. Common language and common goals.

Great Effort:  Working hard to improve, to learn, to succeed is a lifetime skill we can all use in every facet of our lives.  No great relationship exists without great effort.  No success is sustained without continued effort.  And it starts with "I".  

Enthusiasm:  Get excited!  Enthusiasm spreads quickly!  Just as the negative attitude is contagious, so is the enthusiasm that one has for a project, the topic, or even the day!  That's one reason K-State exceeds expectations - we are all enthusiastic about our brand - and it shows!  So in school, it is time well spent to get all stakeholders to get on the enthusiasm bandwagon!  Be proud!  Be exited!  Let it show!

Improvement:  This is the last goal I will emphasize because it is the quest to improve that keeps us growing, learning, and moving forward.  As Coach Snyder says nearly every day and in every interview, "We're just trying to get a little bit better everyday."  That sounds like a realistic goal and something each of us can control, whether we're in a game on the field or in the game of life.

So tomorrow, K-State takes on another ranked team. The Big XII title  and a chance at the national title, are on the line.  Talk about high stakes testing!  But their focus will be on improvement, understanding that the winning will take care of itself.  And on Monday, schools everywhere will start their week learning new things, hopefully with the quest in mind that everyone can get better everyday.  Those that have a plan in place to address all aspects of teaching and learning, to provide support for both teachers and students to be successful, and who focus on improvement will succeed.  There are moments and days where we will stumble, but built into our plan is the expectation to get up and try again.  

The Bill Snyder Way.... Racing to the top one step at a time.  It's time we took not just a page from Bill's book on how to produce success, but just implement the whole book!

"Won't Back Down" is a movie based on actual events where a fed up parent and a burned out teacher team up to save a very broken inner city elementary school.  It is inspirational (whether you're an educator or not) and a great reminder of the power of commitment and perseverance. 

I haven't been able to find the actual events that the movie claims it is based on, but I'm sure most of us could cite many examples in our own lives where we ourselves have stood up to the obstacles that littered our path, and the challenges that seemed insurmountable to do what needed to be done.  This movie does show how easy it could be to give up when everyone around you says it can't be done or the bureaucratic red tape makes change as likely as the return of the dinosaurs.  But it also shows how one person can indeed make a difference if they persevere.  "Won't Back Down" is an action movie.  Not the kind of action where cars are crashed and violence erupts, but the kind of action where one person believes and gets a small group of people to band together to work to achieve a common goal... in this case turn around a long-time, failing school...to take hopeless and turn it in to hopeful.

It has been my experience that there are a lot of people out there that I have worked with, gone to church with, watched parent, and observed in the news that have a lot to say - or even complain about - but have a real hard time putting actions to their words.  There's the blame game or the idea that someone else needs to do it.   It's easy to talk about something that needs to be done or needs to be fixed, but it's a whole other ball game to do something constructive to make it happen...in other words, you have to "Walk the Talk."  That mantra puts actions behind the words and takes you from "wanna be" to "git 'er done."

"Be the change you want to see in the world."  Ghandi's famous line moves us to act, first as an individual, if we want to see things accomplished.  Sure there are even greater things that can be accomplished if we get others to join us, but it starts with the person who is willing to take the first step. It's so easy to say "I can't" or to dismiss the ideas of others - "we've done that before" - or to give up when rejected.  We also find ways not to move forward when we think everything has to be perfect before we can start.  We certainly need to do our homework and have a plan, but we can't let the planning get in the way of action.  

When I think about that movie, I also think about being passionate enough about an idea or goal that nothing can deter you from succeeding!  When was the last time you felt that strongly about something or someone?  What would you fight for?  Who would you fight for?  How many times would you get up after being knocked down?  

I walked out of that theater ready to take on the world.  While I don't think any school I'm associated with needs to be taken over, I do think every school I'm associated with has changes that need to be made to make them better.  We can teach better.  We can lead better.  We can communicate better.  We can serve better.  We often talk a good line, but don't follow through.  We have budget cuts that severely limit our ability to provide the best possible learning experience, and legislators and governors who don't truly understand the business of education, and administrators who seem to have forgotten what it is like to teach, but no one can take away our ability to care for each and every student and to give our best effort from the first bell to the last bell everyday.  Sure it's easier when you work for someone who provides you with great support, resources, and keeps morale high.  It's also easier when all the kids are eager to learn and do everything you tell them to do.  But there's no one to blame to not be your best and do your best.  We have to be what we expect our kids to be.  If things aren't going the way we want them, then it is up to each one of us to be the change we want to see... and let it be known with our words AND our actions, that we will walk the talk and we "Won't Back Down!"

So the next time you say to yourself, "someone ought to do something about that," maybe you should consider that someone might ought to be you.