What Excellence Looks Like...and What it Doesn't

As I write what was supposed to be May's blog, many life lessons are coming to mind. First, I'll share I missed my deadline! For many reasons, this past month has flown by and these past few days, I kept saying to my husband Bret, "Don't let me forget to write my blog." 

Always Look for the Lessons

Life Lesson #1: asking others to help us remember things is not the best idea. They are rarely invested in whatever we're needing to remember and rather than saying "No, you need to come up with a better solution than to count on me for this", they often politely agree and hope you'll remember it despite their forgetting to remind you...or they'll remind you once--like the minute after you've asked them--and feel the favor you've asked of them has been fulfilled! 

Life Lesson #2: stick with what works. While I was lamenting forgetting to at least start a blog yesterday--to ensure it showed up under the month of May--I reminded my husband that when he asked me earlier in the week to help him remember something, I promptly called home and left a reminder message on our answering machine. When we got home, there was the reminder and he did it right away. Why didn't either one of us think to leave a message-to-self in this particular case? Aaack--the frustrations of being human!

Life Lesson #3: learn to let it go--especially if it's only important to you. I do realize, in the scheme of things, this is VERY minor. I don't get paid for this blog. I have no idea who reads it. I hope it's amusing, informative, or somehow helpful to whoever takes the time to look it over. It's really an exercise in keeping my writing and editing brain intact while I'm between jobs looking for where I'm meant to be next. However, I do include my blog link among other online project links in a lot of my correspondence regarding employment, so this inconsistency in my blogging is sure to be discovered--bummer! Waa-waa--poor me...okay, now I'm done!

Life Lesson #4: beat the deadline if possible. When I was a kid, I remember my mother saying she was always afraid to put anything off because she might get sick and not get it done. This is how she taught me procrastination can be harmful. I've read that procrastination comes from the fear of not doing something perfectly. I've had that disease, but have learned over the years it works better to do the best I can in the time allotted and then the deadline ends the project. When it's something like this blog, I must admit, I don't allow a lot of time between starting it and when it needs to be finished...usually a day--especially at this time, when I'm needing to be diligent about the way I'm spending my time. However--noting how missing this deadline has affected me--perhaps I need to rethink my current mode of operation!

The Irony is Not Lost

The funniest part is, I had planned to write my blog on what excellence looks like...it doesn't look like this, but sometimes I like to think I hit it--so when I don't, I try to learn whatever lessons God's trying to teach me through my failure.

In the Presence of Excellence
What prompted this particular subject is my husband Bret and I just attended a congratulations party for one of his staff members--Jay Beyer--a top-notch third grade teacher who recently was named one of the 2014 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award winners. This is a prestigious honor which includes a $10,000 check among other things, so no small feat--congratulations Jay (Pictured L to R: Omaha Public School Superintendent Mark Evans, Jay Beyer, Investor Warren Buffett).

Bret and I are very tickled to have such recognition come to a teacher at Wilson Focus School, where Bret is principal, and Jay has many qualities of excellence he shares with students every day. When I asked Bret what excellence looks like in relation to Jay Beyer's teaching techniques, he shared a few strong habits:

1) He holds all students accountable no matter what their background might be. 

2) He has strong procedures and routines.

3) He works hard at always being a positive role model and encourages active participation using songs, quotes, affirmations, etc. 

4) He plans affective lessons to achieve curriculum goals and uses collaborative techniques for student engagement. 

5) He uses data to help ensure they all succeed.

Excellence Often Begets Excellence

Bret added that many of the teachers at Wilson Focus School share such qualities of excellence, and he is very proud of what this first focus school in the state of Nebraska has accomplished in its six years of existence...which brings me to another question: what does excellence look like in relation to Wilson Focus School? Here are just a few accomplishments to note:

1) It has longer school days and a year-round calendar to avoid the loss of instruction which can occur with the more typical extended summer breaks.

2) It has a strong after school Enrichment Program which offers students supplemental education with various academic, career-related and/or high interest courses from which to choose.

3) It has a S.T.E.A.M. emphasis, enlisting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math curriculum to enhance the Leadership, Technology and Communication focus of the school.

4) It is the only elementary school in the Omaha Public School (OPS) system with full AdvancEd accreditation, a level of excellence for school improvement in which Wilson received the top "exemplary" status in all seven areas of measurement.

5) It offers a 1:1 ratio of students to technology, and they are able to use digital tools to find solutions to challenges in a real world way.

6) It has been nationally recognized as an Apple Outstanding Program school.

7) It uses numerous positive behavior supports throughout the school decor, curriculum and relationship-building strategies to create a successful learning environment.

8) One Nation, Indivisible--a research group from Harvard University--has recognized Wilson Focus School as a national model for promoting socio-economic diversity in a positive way.

Lessons Learned

What does excellence look like? In these cases, it seems that studying best practices, using them consistently, and working to serve others in a way to benefit all parties involved helps create excellence. 

What doesn't excellence look like? I'd say it doesn't look like missed deadlines, displaced responsibility and procrastination, so I have obviously not "hit it" this month! That said, I hope missing a self-imposed deadline for a personal project is the worst thing I can blame myself for this year! If you're still reading at this point, I'd love to hear a story of yours where you either hit or missed excellence. We can all learn from both!

Today's Quote:

"Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better."

Pat Riley