In short, O'Leary was nine years old when he saw some kids in his neighborhood playing with fire. Of course, he tried to do the same, with horrific results. The fumes around O'Leary set him on fire. He burned nearly all of his body, most in third degree burns. He was given less than a 1 percent chance to survive.

But he did. He had the support of his family, his community, his medical staff, his city, the country, and from others across the globe.

In On Fire, O'Leary shares not just his story, but principles we can all use to make our lives great. In this world where we are constantly seeking to take the easy way out - what O'Leary's story spoke most to me was simple - the hard times really make us who and what we are, not the easy times.

Week #30 – April 6-9

Teaching Thought #129 - As a Teacher, YOU are What Matters Most to Your Students

I had that point driven home to me hard on Sunday. Cash was sitting on the couch playing Roblox while I was bouncing between NCAA basketball and updating lesson plans.

I don’t know how the subject came up - it might have been a beer commercial, but Cash said, “You know, I don’t know why people don’t like Mondays. I look forward to them.”

I smiled (since I look forward to Mondays too) and asked him why. He had a simple two word answer that reveals the importance of being an excellent teacher: “Mrs. Hegge.”

Cash’s teacher is the sole reason he looks forward to coming to school! How amazing is that. Now just think of what he’d be like if he disliked his teacher?

Teaching Thought #130 - Arguing to win vs. Questioning to Learn

This phrase comes out of Adam Grant’s amazing book, Think Again. When I read this, it stopped me in my tracks. I am so guilty of arguing to win. I don’t really care what the other person has to say. Too often all I do is find myself looking for flaws in their logic so that I can ‘win’ the argument.

What I love about Grant’s concept is that it isn’t really about arguing. It’s about learning. And the most important part of learning is listening. Just think what our world (at least in the world of media and social media) would look like if we all took time to listen so carefully that we genuinely question another person about their perspectives and takes on things so that we might actually learn something new instead of just proving our own biases?

That thought has me fired up. I’m going to use that skill every day in my future hot topics class.

Teaching Thought #131 - Establishing Classroom Culture

If you’re looking for transform or establish culture in your classroom, your school, your organization, your business, or your team . . . Think about these three questions.

First, what is it going to look like? This is where vision is vital. In other words, you’re showing the outside world that “people like US do things like THIS.” Now that’s quite general and open ended, but I see this all the time. I subbed for Mr. Froiland last week and saw how his students worked their tails off until the bell rang. That’s because Mr. Froiland drills into them, “The bell doesn’t dismiss you. I do.” They owned the learning and worked great as a team. I’m guessing Mr. Froiland is pretty intentional about his vision for what it looks like to be successful in his class.

Second, what is it going to feel like? This is where commitment comes into play. Now that you’ve shared the vision of the culture, you have get team members or students to buy into it and to the actual work that will result in the culture coming into being. I think of Mrs. Reese when it comes to this. Back in 2016 we chaperoned the last choir trip to NYC. After the choir finished their last performance, we had to walk several blocks back to a restaurant where we would have our final celebration of the evening. I lingered behind talking to Brittany Haviland and Aaron Bendickson who were living in NYC and came out for the concert. As a result, we were several blocks behind the rest of the choir. She was a bit worried, but then I heard our kids still singing after the concert at the top of their lungs as they walked down the street. “Don’t worry,” I said. “We will just follow their voices as they sing.” And that’s what we did.

Now that is how the culture of choir feels. You just complete a 2.5 hours concert, but you’re still

so full of energy that you’re still singing all the way back to the restaurant.

Third, what does it act like? What this means is that if you want to know how strong your culture is, look at what happens when things go wrong or times get tough. That reveals culture. A great example of this is Patrick and Mike and the amazing staff at Challenger. Last spring the fifth graders (my daughter’s grade) didn’t get to have their fifth grade graduation. Times were tough. Kids were missing their friends at school. We were all struggling with distance learning. Technology was an issue. Kids were grinding through packets. We all just wanted things to be normal again, but the staff at CES didn’t miss a beat. They loaded up a bus and then hit the road to celebrate each fifth grader’s graduation.

Kenzie teacher texted me and said they were about ten minutes away. So we got ready. Then we

saw the bus coming down the street with music blaring. Patrick was the first off the bus followed by Mrs. Hegge. Soon others got off with a banner. Mrs. Bakken offered to take my phone from me and get pictures of us with Kenzie behind the sign. Mike Weinen even pounded a fifth grade graduation sign into our yard. My kids loved it! Cash was even hoping we stayed in distance learning until he graduated fifth grade because it was so awesome.

Now that is how you show your culture to the world when times are tough.

Teaching Thought #132 - Why Are We Here?

I’ve written and shared this video before, but I think it’s the finest answer to the question of why are we here? that I’ve ever seen.

Culture isn't what you say it is. Culture is what is revealed under stress or pressure. If you have to think long and hard about what your school culture is, what your classroom culture is, what your team culture is, what your business culture is . . . then you don't have one.

Well, you do have a culture. But you have no clue what it is. That means your culture isn't intentional. That's not always good.

Culture is too important not to be intentionally focused on it so that every one in your program knows what it is.

One of my favorite lines from this podcast - "You don't get the culture that you declare. You get the culture you that you build." You have to relentless teach your culture. It has to be ingrained in everything you do.

You don't get the culture you proclaim. Simply put, you get the culture you practice, promote, and permit.

I shared the 10 minutes sessions with the students, and they signed up for one slot during the week. We will sit down and talk about their free reading book they just finished and the research paper they are going to write based on something from the book.

If students are wise, they will bring in a ton of questions and even a rough draft of their papers for me to give them feedback on.

I first came across this concept in college. When I was a freshman at NCTC, Avis Dyrud had us sign up for office hours where we came in and she went over our rough drafts with us. The feedback she gave me was vital in helping me learn how to actually write a coherent research paper.

When I was a TA at BSU, we cancelled class for one week (which was only three days then since we met M W and F), and students signed up for a time to come to my office to talk about their final research papers.

I've seen this work a couple of different ways at the high school level. I've seen some of my colleagues set a desk outside their door and then leave the class inside to work on their own while individual students came out to meet with the teacher.

I'm having students work independently either in the media center or the commons while I meet with them individually in one of the conference rooms in the media center.

I think students appreciate the work time, and I know they appreciate the one on one feedback.

I am married to the most amazing person in the world, Kristie. It was love at first sight. At least for me. And it still is.

We have four wonderful children, Casey, Koko, Kenzie, and Cash. And now we have been blessed with five grandchildren!

I also happen to have the greatest job in the world: teaching English to high school students.

I am in my 23rd year of teaching at Lincoln High School. I graduated from Lafayette High School in Red Lake Falls in 1992. I decided to enter the field of education because of two amazing teachers, Mr. Mueller, my fourth and sixth grade elementary school teacher and assistant baseball coach, and Mrs. Christianson, my 9th grade English teacher.

I attended Northland Community College, and had my life changed by the amazing Dr. Diane Drake. Then I transferred to Bemidji State University in 1995. There I had amazing professors who further inspired me to teach English (Dr. Helen Bonner, Dr. Mark Christensen, Susan Hauser, and Gerry Schnabel). I graduated with my BS in English Education in 1997.

I student taught with the wonderful Lisa Semanko and then began teaching full-time at LHS in 1998.

I took a year's leave of absence in 2001-02 to return to BSU for my MA in English. There I had the privilege to teach and work closely with my greatest mentor, Dr. Mark Christensen. I earned my MA in English in 2006 and was honored with "Thesis of the Year" for my creative non-fiction, braided, multi-genre memoir, "Meeting Myrtle: A Biography."

In 2013, thanks to my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Jodi Holen, I was offered an adjunct teaching position fall semester at the University of North Dakota. Tuesday nights I teach Intro to Education: Teaching and Learning 250 from 5-8. Those three hours fly by in about ten minutes.

Then in 2016 I was blessed to win a WEM award (thanks to a nomination from a former student (and now an elementary school teacher), Ciera Mooney).

In 2017 I became part of the #pineconepd podcast club along with Brian Loe, Jeff Mumm, Kelsey Johnson, Kelly Weets, Josh Watne, Tevia Strand, Megan Vigen, Mariah Hruby, Laura Brickson, Loren Leake, Katie Hahn, Melora Burgee, and new members all the time. This has been one of the best forms of PD I've ever been a part of. They make me a better teacher every time we meet. Please think about joining us in the summer at the Pine Cone Pub from 6:30 - until we've solved all the world's problems. For that evening anyway.

Thanks to the inspiration of Shane Zutz (our former principal) I devised this as a way to distribute my Teaching Thoughts and add more content to, hopefully, help out and inspire others.

Email: kurt.reynolds@myprowler.org
Website: http://teacherscribe.blogspot.com
Location: 101 South Knight Aver Thief River Falls MN 56701
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