IT'S ALL DOWNHILL AFTER KINDERGARTEN!

Walk into any Kindergarten classroom in America and you will see some unbelievable examples of creativity, positive communication, discovery, and freedom!  But something very drastic changes as these students proceed through each consecutive grade level.  By the time they reach high school creativity will be replaced with conformity, positive communication becomes dangerously negative, discovery becomes a distraction, and freedom is forgotten!

As educators it should be our main objective to remain "child-like" in our approach to teaching!  A child's mind is optimistic, enthusiastic, and open to numerous possibilities (Presentation Zen).  Mike McCarthy a principal at King High School and an educator for more than 30 years said it perfectly,

• "When my son was little, I was going through a lot of turmoil at King HS, and I did not feel like doing much of anything when I got home. One day, I just decided that whatever he wanted to do, I would do -- play ball, eat ice cream, and so on. I realized the power of yes. It changed our relationship. The only progress you will ever make involves risk: Ideas that teachers have may seem a little unsafe and crazy. Try to think, "How can I make this request into a yes?" (http://www.edutopia.org/maine-project-learning-ideas-school-leadership)

It doesn't matter if you are an adminstrator or a classroom teacher, all educators can be challenged by Mr. McCarthy's words:  How can I make this request into a YES!

Be child-like!