Congratulations to the organizers of the Delaware Transition Conference, which I attended today. Nearly half of the 800 participants were middle and high school students who stepped into leadership roles. They introduced speakers, presented on panels, and performed songs from Boundless, an amazing musical written by the talented George Tilson. There were also more than 50 parents supporting the participation of their children.

“We don’t receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.”

— Marcel Proust

OK – true disclosure – it’s only my 49th year, but 50 looked catchier in the title. OK?

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches,

but to reveal to him his own.”

— Benjamin Disraeli

I’ve been pondering how Disraeli’s wisdom applies to the teaching profession. Most teachers work their whole careers to become masters of the first half of the quotation, but only a few even consider the second half. Most of us adults can name only one or two teachers who truly impacted our life – who were able to reveal to us our own riches.

“Keep a civil tongue!” I can hear my grandmother’s stern but gentle voice when my sisters and I would get into periodic sibling squabbles. Or maybe some of you were raised with the phrase my parents used, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” When our feelings were hurt -or- we felt unjustly criticized -or- we thought life was unfair, we would express ourselves in ways that weren’t always kind.

Since 1995, I’ve been deeply immersed the dilemma of family partnerships, especially for secondary youth with disabilities.

That topic has been my focus in more than 60 presentations/ workshops across the country, 8 book chapters, 4 journal articles, and graduate courses taught at two universities.

Last week, I was listening to someone describe her day when I was startled alert through her use of the word “delight.” She said she looks for delight in her day. It got me thinking…

I attended the Delaware Vision Coalition Conference at University of Delaware last week. The conference title inspired me: Strengthening Collaboration. The speakers and panelists invited us to look deeply at collaboration from multiple perspectives and in a variety of dimensions. While there were many highlights and lots of stimulating discussion, I left with four takeaways that haunt me. I’m curious if they will affect you the same way.

I DARE YOU TO GO FIRST!

Are you a role model for learning?

We know that students are always watching the adults in their lives. From an early age, they mirror the attitudes and habits of their parents. That’s how they learn to walk and talk. That’s why they speak with an accent and why they bring unquestioned attitudes and beliefs with them to school. But then educators present them with new information, new ways of thinking.

We are all bombarded by so many competing priorities for our time, our attention, our energy. We launch initiatives that are important…. emphasis on literacy, on math skills, on higher order thinking, on character, on social justice, on developing 21st Century skills…. the list goes on and on. But what’s important?

Let’s be honest. When two teachers are scheduled to be co-teachers, it’s not easy. There are issues with expectations and communication, with differing perspectives about students, and with establishing mutual classroom routines for instruction and management. Over the years, I’ve witnessed all sorts of things that can go wrong. But it doesn’t have to be that way!