Always and Never

One of the best things about teaching school is the many “beginnings” and “endings.”  Opportunities arise to refine, adjust, and amend courses of action. The start of a school year brings reflections on past experiences and the engagement of goal setting for the new year. This is the time when we consider what is possible and renew our determination to make a difference in the lives of the students we teach.

This summer the Holdsworth staff had the cohort engage in a simple, yet profound, activity called I will always and I will never. What made the activity so profound was the inherent strength of the words always and never. Neither of the words leave any room for interpretation. By definition, these two words demand commitment and reject compromise. As I began to draft my list, I realized that my statements had the power to create a sense of security and comfort in my classroom. I was making a promise about the actions I would take as a leader and the environment each student could expect as they entered my room.As educators we strive to create a safe environment that promotes learning, questioning, risk-taking and problem solving. We work to build relationships so that we can understand strengths, weaknesses, and identify obstacles that could impede progress. But most importantly, we aim to inspire.

There is no greater joy than when former students reach out to thank you for the positive impact you have made on their lives. Never do they comment on the extraordinary lesson I taught on the Pythagorean Theorem or the mind-blowing unit I developed over Trigonometry. Instead, they always comment on my refusal to give up on them and my insistence that they put forth their best effort on all work.  In other words, they confirm my always and never actions.

Now that we are a month into the new school year, I encourage you to contemplate the following:

• What are the actions you will ALWAYS do?
• What are the actions you will NEVER do?
• And, what would the impact be if your campus engaged in this activity collectively?

 Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. –– Abraham Lincoln

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Klein ISD has an established 84-year history of excellence and innovation in education with unique pathways for EVERY student in our care to ensure learners are college, career, military, and life ready. With recognition for STEM, athletics, fine arts, and academics from highly-esteemed organizations, it is clear that Our Shared Vision of every student entering with a promise and exiting with a purpose is a reality for EVERY student who walks through our doors.

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Klein ISD is a school district in Klein, Texas, located in northwestern Harris County. The district spans approximately 88 square miles and serves more than 53,000 students in 33 elementary schools, 10 intermediate campuses, one high school program of choice, and 5 high schools.

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