Welcome Back

A belated welcome back to all of you who have rededicated themselves to this new year of teaching.

To the new teachers that have joined Make Your Day schools, I offer some words of discouragement followed by words of encouragement.  A third of you will leave education at the end of three years.  Half of the original group of new teachers will be gone at the end of six years.  The top three reasons for leaving are 1)classroom management, 2) lack of support from administration, and 3) money.  Those schools that use Make Your Day have taken care of the first two reasons for leaving.  And, the third reason...those of you who have chosen education did not go into it for the money.

Most schools choose a schoolwide system like Make Your Day because staff feels the need to make a cohesive change or fix discipline at their school.  Staffs new to the program enter into the process of adopting and implementing MYD enthusiastically.  After a few years of implementation, there may not be the same level of enthusiasm and focus that was apparent the first year.  Each year of implementation requires the same enthusiasm and focus that was evident the first year if we are to maintain the integrity of the system.

Make Your Day is not a static program and never will be.  It continues to improve each year because of the educators who implement it.  New teachers and new administrators bring a fresh perspective to this process of implementation and continuity.  It is important that we veterans keep an open mind when new staff share their perspective.  If the structure of Make Your Day is philosophically sound and good for kids, then it will withstand changes that are based on improving the system.

There are two significant changes that have occurred in the program in recent years.  Thanks to John Altermott at North Middle School in Everett, Washington for modifying the language of Concerns so that when a student shares a concern with another person the emphasis is on the behavior.  The language is changed to "It interfered with my..." instead of "You interfered with my..."

The second change should have been obvious from the beginning - student committees.  Philosophically, we have always maintained the importance of the role of the students in the implementation of MYD because their ownership of the system is critical.  The use of student committees validates their role and gives students the opportunity to provide solutions that are obvious to them, but not to the adults.  When students realize they have a voice in maintaining the integrity of the program  they will be intrinsically motivated because they own the program.

If your school has a student committee, join the MYD ListServe so that you can share your successes.  If your school doesn't have a student committee going yet, we hope the ListServe will provide you with the opportunity to learn more about this.

Maintaining the integrity of MYD will always be challenged by the passage of time and changes in personnel.  However, the passing of time and the inclusion of new personnel has made the system stronger and better for kids.

Next month - Shortcuts that don't harm the system and shortcuts that do.