My style is definitely for all of my fellow right-brainers. However, I have forced my left-brain to function for the folks who truly run the world. If you are not sure what side of your brain is dominant, here is a simple assessment: Left-brainers have FILES, right-brainers have PILES, and no-brainers have PILES of FILES. Consequently, in this “cookbook/guide to success” there is something for everyone: all grade levels, all teachers, and all administrators to F.E.E.D. students.
Dispersed throughout, you will find many notes, suggestions, observations, and dreams I have chronicled throughout my career. Whenever I attend a meeting, conference, or staff development session I take notes in my journal. Additionally, many thoughts and ideas come to mind at different times that I journal. I always try to give credit where credit is due if possible and apologize in advance if an idea appears to be without acknowledgment. You will also find a lot of quotes. Attempts have been made to attach the correct person to the quote, but over time, some quotes become attributed to the wrong source. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Not everything you read on the Internet is true.” Finally, for all of you “acronym-a-holics” like me, you will LOVE this book. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy. We aim to please. As you dine, we hope you will find an array of appetizers, meals, desserts, and recipes to suit your needs.
What Do You Expect from a Five-Star Restaurant, and How Does That Translate to a Five-Star School?
When you make plans to go to a five-star restaurant, you have certain expectations. Your foremost desire is that the focus be on you, the CUSTOMER.
If you have had a great dining experience, you should be able to answer yes to the following questions:
1 Did I feel genuinely welcomed?
2 Was the facility clean and comfortable with a friendly and safe atmosphere?
3 Was the experience fabulous/extraordinary?
4 Was there someone who made it extra special?
5 Will I share this experience with others?
6 Did I leave satiated and F.E.D.?
7 Am I looking forward to returning?
The same questions can be asked of students when assessing the success of a five-star school. We will address each question thoroughly in future chapters.
My recent encounter with a five-star restaurant was in the Denver Tech Center in Colorado at a restaurant named Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse. The evening was in celebration of a dear friend's birthday. Her husband, son, and daughter-in law joined us. Obviously, the company was the foundation for a fabulous evening, but we also had HIGH expectations for the restaurant, which were met and beyond.
With that aside, as I reflect on the specific components or ingredients that made this event so extraordinary and noteworthy, I easily concluded that Del Frisco's Steakhouse provided us with a significant and noteworthy experience.
If you can experience all or at least most of the components from a FIVE STAR RESTAURANT, you will feel the money and time spent was worth it. Similarly, we want our students to feel F.E.D. (F-ulfilled, E-nergized, and De-stressed) upon departing from school every day. Our priority is to strive to meet that purpose.
The following chapters/experiences will identify each component and penetrate more deeply into the elements listed, providing the ingredients to make it happen. Understandably, an entire book can be written on each topic, but here you will be given the nuggets to entice and stimulate your pallet. Accordingly, I will attempt to provide a “buffet” of recommendations for you to select from to F.E.E.D. the students in your school, remembering that students are the customers and deserve thoughtful treatment on a daily basis. Our ultimate goal is to Fuel, Engage, and Empower Daily (F.E.E.D) so everyone leaves Fullfilled, Energized, and Destressed (F.E.D) and so students do not S.T.A.R.V.E. – Stop Trying And Reject Valuable Education.
Sit back, relax, and relish your experience. Bon appétit!
CHAPTER 1 “Welcome!”: A Courteous Greeting, and Everyone Is Valued Everyone Is Treated with Dignity and Respect
Patrons want to feel important when going to a five-star restaurant. Upon their arrival, they are treated with dignity and respect and feel valued. A five-star school (FSS) does the same to students, teachers, parents, and anyone who enters. And in five-star schools where we F.E.E.D. (Fuel, Engage, Empower Daily), everything is transparent as well. First impressions are predominant. From the minute students, parents, and community members arrive at the school, they are greeted with an array of messages affirming “Welcome to OUR school!” The appearance of the building mirrors the respect for the people who work and learn there and from the people responsible for its existence.
Signs of a student-focused school begin with the outside appearance. Have you ever driven to an unknown restaurant recommended by a friend and, upon arrival, departed without even entering because of how it looked on the outside? Unfortunately, our students can't leave. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that the grounds are neat, groomed, and inviting (William Perky). Getting students involved in the upkeep of the school is an excellent way to have students “own” their school.
Greet and treat others with dignity and respect. What does that really imply? Let's look at dignity first.
Dignity
The dictionary definition of dignity reads, “The quality or state of being worthy of self-esteem and self-respect.” Dignity is one of those words like tolerance, love, and compassion that we all instinctively believe is necessary for success but we all have different interpretations of how to show it. If we asked 10 people to define dignity and give tangible activities that demonstrate it, we would have 10 different ideas and models. While dignity is difficult to delineate, we all can clearly articulate when we have NOT been treated with dignity. Dignity, in my opinion, means appreciating others as they are and treating them as THEY want to be treated.
“Even if the student's life away from school is bleak and miserable, she/he will work if what she/he finds in school is satisfying.”
William Glasser
Some suggestions for teachers to discuss about creating an atmosphere of dignity are:
1 Articulate and model a policy to prevent any form of prejudice, abuse, and bullying.
2 Emphasize dignity in every activity, ritual, and schoolwide event.
3 Treat every person that enters your building respectfully (ensure there is a process to know who is entering your building).
4 LISTEN to and support others, allowing everyone to express their opinions and beliefs in a safe and nurturing environment.
5 Provide techniques and solutions to identify those with low self-esteem issues and needing positive reinforcement.
6 Emphasize the self-worth of others by providing as many positive activities and choices as possible.
7 Provide a process for anyone feeling bullied or unsafe and communicate it to all.
8 Do whatever it takes to create a RESPECTFUL environment for all.
Now
