Finding the Filament

Good morning!  I hope you've had a good week and are already for a much-deserved three day weekend.  I know we're only three weeks in, but they have been intense weeks.  Please make sure you take some time to relax, refresh, and recharge this weekend.  You deserve it!  I continue to have the opportunity to be in a lot of classrooms.  You're all doing great work!  Thanks for loving your kids and building those relationships with them.  Keep it up!

            Growing up, I loved Science!  My favorite classes in Middle School and High School were often my science classes.  I remember learning about Thomas Edison as he worked to invent the light bulb.  Many of you probably know this, but he had a hard time finding the right material for the filament of the bulb.  Edison was looking to find a material that would illuminate the bulb for at least 40 hours.  Basically, he had to use a guess and check process for finding the right material.  While doing this, Edison tried over 1,600 different materials including coconut fiber, fishing line, and even beard hair!   Finally, Edison tried carbonized cotton thread and he found a material that would satisfy his condition for success! 

            Once when asked about trying all those different materials and "failing."  Edison responded, "I have not failed 1,000 times.  I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb." 

            We can learn a lot from Edison from his perseverance, to his standards for excellence (40 hour standard), and his "growth mindset," but this idea of the filament got me to thinking.  Whenever there is success, there are many variables that come into play with that success.  In this example, the success was a light bulb that would burn for 40 hours.  The key variable in this situation was the right material for a filament. 

            So, what does this have to do with us at school?  Just like the filament was the critical variable for a successful light bulb, the classroom teacher is the critical variable for student success in the classroom! 

            Think about this for a minute, if the best teacher in a school gives a test and many of the students perform poorly, who does that teacher blame?  Usually, the teacher blames herself.  Now, if one of the worst teachers in a school gives an assessment and many of the students perform poorly, who does that teacher blame?  You guessed it!  She blames the students, their parents, her principal; the list could go on and on.

            Now, I know we don't have any of those teachers here, but that scenario illustrates an important point.  The best teachers understand that they are the variable that makes students successful or not successful.  Just like the carbonized fiber was the perfect filament for Edison's light bulb, you are the perfect variable to affect change in your class!

            We know from that effective teachers view themselves as responsible for the success of their classrooms.  Effective teachers, and collaborative teams for that matter, understand that data is just a reality check.  It's not good, it's not bad; it doesn't mean you're a good teacher (or team) or a bad teacher (or team), it just is!  More importantly, effective teachers (and teams) understand that they are in the perfect position to change their reality if they don't like what the data says! 

            So how about you?  How do you view the successes and challenges in your room.  Do you find yourself wanting to look elsewhere when assessments don't go well?  How about behavior in the classroom?  Remember, you have the most influence over that as well.

            Please know that I understand how hard this is.  So much is being asked of teachers today and the job is often somewhat thankless.  My point isn't to make you feel guilty if you've fallen into the habit of looking elsewhere for blame when things don't go well.  My point is to encourage you to recognize that you are the filament in your students' light bulb!  All the power needed to help them be successful can be found in you and your collaborative team.  You can do it! 

            So, as you and your team continue to look at goals for the year, remember that you are in the best position to positively effect your students for good!  Always know that effective teachers understand that they are the number one variable in a classroom. 

Dave