Be A Leader THIS School Year

It's that time of the year again. 

Your inbox is stuffed with sales and ads about back to school specials. 

Children are excited to know who their new teachers will be and they can't wait to see their friends. 

Teachers are anxious about their class lists, schedules, and making sure that all is ready for opening day. 

Administrators are scurrying to make last minutes decisions and welcome back faculty, staff, and students.

Everyone is looking for that new idea or strategy to help them be better. A last minute get away or trying to finish that summer reading list may be on the agenda before the start of a new school year. There are so many things to do and all are important.

The most important things you need to start the school year are inside you. You don’t need to squeeze in a college course, webinar or a last minute professional development conference.  It's all inside of you!

Be a LEADER THIS school year.  

Here’s how you can do it:

1. L - Listen

Listen more.  It’s a skill we all have but need to maintain and increase.  Children today and even most adults have short attention spans, working memory challenges, and other issues. Demonstrating this one skill will change people’s lives.  Put the cell phone down, text less, shorten your screen time (social media and videos), and be present.  Always put people, including your students, before paperwork. Listen. 

2. E - Empathize 

Putting yourself in other people’s situation (at least in your mind) can help you understand what they are going through.  You know the children in your school who are hungry, have material needs, lack opportunities, and most of all, need love.  Providing more attention is not enough.  Effective educators are capable of showing heart and making heart-felt decisions that display empathy.  Students and parents will know that you truly made a difference when you empathize.

3. A - Accept 

Accept people for who they are and NOT who you want them to be.  As a professional in an educational setting, you are trained, have experience and probably know a lot.  Students and parents you serve don’t care how much you know.  They care about how you will serve them and help them get better. Be the hope in their lives.  Put the people you serve first and their lives will be different.  You will be surprised that YOUR life will also be different.

4. D - Decide

Leaders make decisions and they learn from the good, bad and ugly ones they make.  The bottom line here is that YOU made a decision to teach: to make a difference and to shape the future.  Stay focused on this noble cause and give yourself reminders of your decision to be an educator.  Count your victories and always presume the positive especially when there is no praise or compliment.  You know why you do what you do.  You made the decision.    

5. E - Enthusiasm

No one believes (or follows) someone who is miserable and angry.  One of the most serious challenges in our field is educator burn-out or low morale.  We can all lay blame to so many aspects of our profession.  Effective educators are positive and love what they do.  They are also self-starters and motivated and look for solutions.  They are realists and are not naive about the challenges in our profession. They choose to emphasize the positive and work through all the mess. 

One more thing: they take care of that one thing that is very important: self.  

They exercise, eat well, rest, and do whatever necessary whenever necessary to sustain their mind, body and souls.  

Why? 

If they are the best they can be out of the classroom, they will bring that same enthusiasm and energy into the classroom. Enthusiasm is contagious and a great way for a child to learn.

6. R - Responsible

Parents send their best and the most precious parts of themselves to your school everyday.  The degree of responsibility is immense.  Effective teachers value this responsibility and care for it with all their heart, strength and wisdom.  Being responsible involves doing what is expected of you on a daily basis (attendance, lesson plans, meetings, instruction, assessments, etc.) It also involves going beyond what is expected (home visits, good calls home, special projects, etc.). Show your worth by doing your job and going beyond just being responsible. 

Finally, you don't need a title to be a leader. Educators who make a difference whenever and wherever they can are the real leaders in our schools. 

They also know their voice and use it to fill a gap, a need or an injustice. 

Finally, be a LEADER THIS school year. Keeping it inside of you is keeping the status quo. LEADERS seek to change the status quo so all can benefit.

Remember, it's all inside you! 

How do you show your LEADER qualities?

What other qualities would you add to this list?  

I am sincerely interested in hearing you comments. 

Please share! 

Be the ECHO!

Being the baby of the family has many benefits.  Time. Attention. Gifts. Love. Yep, I got all of these and more.  I am grateful to my family for everything they provided and more.

I copied lots of things my older brother and sister did. Growing up in the seventies, there was a distinct fashion sense and my brother spent a lot of time grooming himself.  So did I.  

I learned how to use a blow dryer at 8 years old just by looking at him do his hair! Looking like my brother and having the John Travolta look was a must for me.  

Music was always playing in my home.  If it was not hardcore salsa from Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon and the Fania All Stars, then it was disco.  My sister loved to hustle with her friends in the middle of our living room floor.  So did I.  

Dancing was like an out of body experience for me and I did it everywhere, even at school.  During inclement weather, we would ask permission and play the LPs on the school record player.  It was incredible.

We all learn things from our family that help us grow and become better people. As an educator, I have taken these two things: grooming and dancing to help my students grow.

Every special occasion in school, like a moving up ceremony, I see boys with a necktie or collars that need fixing.  I can’t resist from helping.  After, I always remember my brother when he helped groom me.

When I taught high school, I started a Latino Heritage Club to connect immigrant ELLs from Colombia and the Dominican Republic with school and their culture through dance.  We did not learn how to hustle, but I did teach them basic salsa moves that involved partner work, turns, and shine.  Seeing my students dance together reminded me of my sister when she danced with her friends.  

We all ECHO something (pass it along).  Knowledge, values, a skill or an activity.  We get them from our family or a special group where we learn something positive, something healthy, something that makes us happy.  We pass that along because we are meant to.  

When we share, we grow and so do others.  When we grow, we are all better.

As this school year begins, ECHO the positive.  ECHO those things that help students become better.  It might be new information, a new strategy on how to solve a problem or how complete a task.  It might be how to tie a necktie, or how to complete an art project or sing a song.  It might also be a new dance move.  

No matter what it may be, be the ECHO this school year.  You may be surprised at what comes back.

What things did you grow up with that you have ECHOed to your students?

How do you ECHO effective practices in your classroom?

How are you the ECHO in your school? In your community?

Looking forward to learning from your comments!

Going Against My Will

"Pick up your clothes!"

"Come and eat!" 

"Clean the dishes!"

"Hang up the phone!"

My mother was a taskmaster. Living with her as a teenager was not easy. I know that she loved me. She did her best and I am eternally grateful for eveything she taught me. By the time I went to college, I knew how to cook, clean, do my laundry, iron, and care for myself.  Although there were many times I chose not to do what she instructed, I felt the reprimand verbally or physically. I never knew that when I acted against my will and did my mother's, I was acting on "agere contra." 

Agere contra is Latin which means "to go against." I learned it as a Jesuit novice in 1998. Seeking to find God in all things, I entered the Society of Jesus religious community to find my vocation (calling). One of my most memorable experiences was when I was assigned to an apostolate in Syracuse, NY called Loretto Home. 

At first, I thought I was being punished. I didn't want to go to a skilled nursing facility for seniors and spend two days out of my week for 12 hours visiting, caring for and praying with sick, older people. I was young and had lots of ideas to help with youth and jail ministry. None of that was in store for me. The novice director had decided I would best serve the community at Loretto. I was upset. 

Different forms of prayer were introduced to us that included the Daily Examen as well as Lectio Divina. None helped me. I turned to writing and drawing little stick figures. I wrote down the feelings that I experienced. It seemed to be the only way to get it out. I didn't understand what God was doing let alone these Jesuits I had just moved in with. I was not hopeful. 

Sometimes in life God is hard to find. That's because he is talking or whispering while we are looking or moving. We use a different sense than He.  We may not be in sync. God gave us all these senses to experience life, and HIm, in its totality. At times, we can best experience Him via touch or  through smell. Our God is real, alive and wants us to use the physical as well as the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional to find Him in all things. 

I was using the wrong sense and my time at Loretto became challenging. Visiting the sick on different floors was interesting but "being" with them was not. Many were ill, under medication, had to be fed and cleaned, and transported for appointments and what not. I was immersed on purpose. And, that's what bothered me: it was done purposefully so I can get out of myself and find Jesus in these people who were close to death. I wasn't buying and it made me bitter. 

That's when my spiritual director introduced the idea of "agere contra."  Claudio saw me struggling and sad. He told me to embrace exactly the opposite of what I wanted. I had been focusing on what made me comfortable and would bring me glory. I had forgotten about God and what would bring Him glory. Agere contra is not about you. Its about God. Yet, it begins with you and ends up with a new you in Him. 

Then, one morning I just sat in the hallway on the 13th floor of Loretto. I tried to place myself in their shoes and be like them. I asked myself, 'What would happen if I just sat here and did nothing?'  I heard screams, moans, snoring, residents who walked by, and nurses answer phones. I just sat and sat and sat. 

There was no deep spiritual revelation or light or voice. I was not knocked down from my horse or moved to confession to pray for forgiveness for my poor attitude. All I heard were the residents and the noises they made. I smelled a combination of food and floor wax. I saw long corridors, crumbs on the floor, wheelchairs spinning, and the elevator doors open and close. I felt the stiff chair against my back and the thick, sultry temeperature that kept the residents warm. 

In all THAT, I found peace. I found humanity. I found Jesus struggling to live, catch his breath, thirst, and desire to be with his loved ones. Sounds like calvary to me. Jesus had his own "agere contra" in the garden. Mine was at Loretto. 

Often I wonder about the residents. If I stop, I still see, hear, feel, and smell them. They will always be with me because I went against my own will. Embracing what you don't want helps you grow. Its not putting yourself in other people's shoes, its being more. Recognizing when to use agera contra is a grace, a gift from God. Sometimes we need a guide, like my spiritual director, to provide advice or a new path. This new path reminds me of what the Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin said, "Every spiritual journey begins at Calvary."  Jesus knew it. I know it now. 

Birthdays

Birthdays are memorable because they are special. Everyone ... well, almost everyone, celebrates and remembers the day they were born. Family and friends celebrate you for being you.

We remember birthdays mostly because of the number or milestones we hit.  We remember what we did, who we were with, and where we celebrated.  Some milestones are memorable and some are not.  My 21st birthday was spent with a supervisor from work and a pitcher of beer at a bar in New Brunswick.  I always thought 21 was a huge deal but it wasn't.  I think turning 13 was more impactful.  A cousin of mine told me, "Hey, look at it this way, now you are officially a teenager!"

My wife Barbara surprised me once for my 40th birthday.  We entered a restaurant in Inwood (Upper Manhattan) and as I looked at the crowd I saw my principal and my mentor sitting there.  They stood out among all the people and I said, "What are you two doing here?"  They replied, "It's your birthday, silly!"  I was really surprised and grateful for them to be with me on my special day.

One birthday is most memorable: when I turned nine years old.  I spent it at the movies with my best friends at the time: Aaron, Victor, his brother Manny, my cousin Gabe and lastly, my father.  After a bad divorce that I did not understand, my father was present but not living at home.  Yet, he promised to take me to the movies. It was going to be the best birthday ever.

I remember going to every one of my friend's homes and speaking with their parents.  In my broken Spanish, I asked and got permission for my friends to join me at the movies.

It was February 12, 1978,  Close Encounters of the Third Kind had been out for three months. Even though I had already seen the film, it seemed like a good idea to watch it again. As we entered the theater I noticed that Saturday Night Fever was also showing and that I had made a poor choice. My heart raced and the wheels in my head started turning. 

At the time, John Travolta was king and disco ruled in my part of the world. SNF was a huge hit and the soundtrack was heard on all the radio stations, house parties, discos, and yes, even at school.

During free time, a group of us would plead with our teacher to allow us to play the album and "hustle" or partner dance, disco style. We needed no lights or deejay, only the super sounds that came out of an old school record player. We made our own dance party. Dancing was always a part of my birthdays and it was going to play a huge role in my ninth birthday.

At the movies, I remember getting up to go to the bathroom and sneaking into the adjacent theater to catch glimpses of Travolta's Tony Manero. Walking into the theater during a disco scene made me feel as if I was in a discotheque. My friend Aaron and I started moving our hips and arms.  We looked at one another and smiled. We were happy. It was becoming one of the best birthdays ever. 

Suddenly, I saw my cousin Gabe with Victor's younger brother enter the theater. 

"Where were you guys?" asked Gabe. 

"We snuck in here to dance!" said Aaron. 

"Where is my father?" I asked. 

"He's back watching the other movie with Victor," said Manny. 

"We better head back before we get caught," I replied. 

Then we ran out of one theater into the other. As I sat down my father looked at me and didn't say a word. He was calm but he knew I was up to something. We told my friend Victor and he said he wanted to see SNF. I couldn't say no so I hatched a plan: I would tell my father that Victor had to go to the bathroom and since he didn't know where it was located, I would escort him. He said fine and we dashed off. 

This time I decided to sit in the front row. Victor and I saw the scene where Tony and Stephanie dance in the club. Then we lost track of time. We couldn't move. We were hypnotized. After like 20 minutes had passed, I saw Aaron, Gabe and Manny walk in with my father. My heart sank and I grew nervous. I thought I was in big trouble. 

"Where were you?" asked my father. 

"I am sorry Papi. We came in here to watch this movie," I said. 

I stood up and my cousin Gabe gave me my coat and Victor put his on. Close Encounters had finished, the SNF credits rolled on the screen and my birthday was quickly coming to an end.  Then, my father asked me, "What are you doing?"

"I am putting my coat on.  We are leaving."

"Sit down and watch the movie," replied my father.

My friends and I were surprised.  My father wanted to stay and watch Saturday Night Fever.  The emotions I felt at the time were the same as when everyone sings the "Happy Birthday" song. It was the best birthday I experienced.

Birthdays are special because the people who love you celebrate you. They are also special because you get to do something memorable with those people who are most important to you. As I look back 39 years, I see my ninth birthday as most special because I was surrounded by people who loved me.  At the time, my family was going through some serious challenges and I guess my father didn't want to let me down.  He did the best he could and I realize that now.  

Thank you Aaron, Victor, Manny, and Gabe for making my ninth birthday special.  You made it special because you are special.

Thank you Papi for making my ninth birthday special.  I will always remember that special feeling of being loved, watching Saturday Night Fever, and dancing in the movie theater.  

"You should be dancing,

yeah!"

"Dancing, yeah!"

Mid-Year Check-In

We are officially in the middle of the school year.  (Actually, Friday was the 91st day of school with the beginning of the Third Marking Period.)  A lot happened at our staff meeting on August 31.  New staff, new room assignments, new district offices and people, new programs (Journeys) and applications (MyLearningPlan and Genesis), and new requirements.  Lots of "new" things for a new school year.

Aside from our regular review of staff expectations and schedules, we gathered into team/grade level groups and created positive messages for our school.

Our school continues to have "new" faces and things like students, maternity leave replacement teachers, professional and lunch assistants, and Smart Boards!

Because a lot has happened since August 31, questions come to mind as a "mid-year check-in" compels me to share. Feel free to answer back or simply let them stir inside you a desire to reflect and think deeper about your work in our school community. 

How do you feel? How do you view your work? Do you believe you are making a difference? Do you feel encouraged? Supported? Do you believe you have a voice? 

How do you see your students? Do you view them the same way as you did in September? Or do you see them different today? Do you remember the demonstration of the two cans of sodas?  If not, ask Ms. Restituyo in Room 322.  

How do you view your colleagues? Do you collaborate with them often? Or just when need be? What are you collaborating about? Are you just being compliant or working on things that you are really passionate about? 

How do you view your administrators? Do you believe that they care about you? Your work? Your teaching and learning? Your professional and personal growth?  Your daily work with children and parents?

How do you view your parents?  Do you see them as one of the key ingredients to student success? How are you engaging them?

At the end of the meeting, I shared a video titled "Every Life Has a Story."  Here it is again for you to watch. No matter how many new people or things come our way, or how many challenges we are faced with, let's remember to put people first before process or paperwork.  Everyone has a story.

Finally, how is it going with your idea? 

At our meeting, I read Kobi Yamada's "What Do You Do With an Idea?" and asked you to write down an idea you would act upon this school year. I have your ideas in an envelope. 

How is it going? How have you progressed? Have you started or is it still in progress?

If you haven't started on your idea, you still have time. It's never to late to make a difference. All you need is an idea. 

I can't wait to see what you come up with. 

How I Get and Stay Organized

Let me begin by saying that I am very organized at work.  As a Vice Principal, I must be organized and on time for my students, teachers, parents and for myself.  Organization also helps me plan and execute the daily operations of teaching and learning in my school.

Here are ways that I get and stay organized.

1. Go to sleep early.  The early bird gets the worm saying is so true.  If you want to reach your goals, get to bed early so you can wake up early. As a parent of three boys, my best time to be productive is early in the morning BEFORE my family wakes up.  You will be surprised how much you can accomplish.

2. Exercise.  Run, bike, dance, yoga, weights, or whatever it is.  Just do it.  It helps release endorphins and keeps one healthy.  Exercise is a key ingredient for healthy living and being organized.

3. Post it notes. They have to be my favorite invention.  These colorful squares help me post notes, phone numbers and important reminders anywhere I see fit.

4. Chart paper.  When I have lots to do, more than usual, I use large pieces of white chart paper.  The beginning of the school year in September and towards the end are two of my most busiest times. Chart papers help keep what is important a priority and "in my face" so I won't avoid or forget.

5. Routine, routine, routine.  I am a creature of habit and one thing I know is that I like habits.  I walk my school building at the same time everyday, except when there are special meetings or assemblies.

6. Phone reminders.  I love this feature because it gives me multiple reminders and I can set them based on days, hours or minutes.

7. Lots of alarms.  If I want to go to the gym in the morning, I set my phone and the alarm goes off multiple times.  I almost never wake up and get outta bed the first time the alarm goes off. I love this bedtime feature on my phone. It has helped me get and remain organized.

8. A watch that is one hour ahead.  If I have 60 minutes of lead time, I know I will never be late.  This can backfire but I know that I procrastinate a lot and try to fit in one more thing to do when I am busy. Yet, intentionally setting the time one hour ahead has helped me get things done and be organized.

9. Remembering a bad experience.  I had a memorable (bad) experience in college being tardy.  I always remember this because it taught me how to prioritize.  It also taught me that if I wanted to take on more responsibility, I had to act responsible.  This event marked me and I go back every so often as a humble reminder of how much I have grown.

10. Listen to others. I don't know if this is part of being organized or not but when you are on the move, you must listen to those you serve. This has helped me to stop and notice if I am being effective or not. It also reminds me never to put paper or procedures before people.

That's how I get and stay organized. How do you organize yourself?

Captain John Gray

My first year at Rutgers University I tried many courses and things. One experience I will never forget was a no credit course I took with the Army ROTC.  I cut my hair, wore fatigues, learned about military science and organization and participated in a field training exercise located at Ft. Dix, NJ.  Here is where I had my first lesson on leadership thanks to Captain John Gray, the ROTC instructor.

After a long day of rope bridges, shooting the M16, hiking with 40 pounds of gear, eating MREs, our group of 50 students was very tired and wet.  As we entered the mess hall, I saw Captain Gray standing at the front of the line.  He greeted us with a warm smile and a plate. Captain Gray stood there patiently and waited for all of us to grab our food before he got served.

I was hungry and was one of the first ones to eat.  I wasn't waiting for anyone.  As I went for seconds, Captain Gray was still standing in the same place handing out plates.  How could he wait so long? Wasn't he hungry?  I had to find out so I sat next to him.

I thanked Captain Gray for allowing me to come to Ft. Dix.  Then, I asked him why did he wait to eat.  Captain Gray responded that his soldiers always eat before he does.  Silence overwhelmed me. Then, I felt bad for being impulsive and selfish.  Captain Gray's words struck my mind and heart at the same time. My belly was full that day but I had an empty sense of service and leadership.

I just Googled the word leadership and 556,000,000 million results appeared.  When #EdublogsClub asked us to share about leadership, the first result that came to my mind was Captain John Gray.  His priority to put people first, model through example, and serve others will always remain with me.

I aspire everyday to serve my students, teachers and parents in a similar way that Captain Gray served us that day.

Thank you Captain Gray for giving me my first lesson on leadership.

Do you have a person in your life like Captain John Gray?  If so, I'd like to know about him or her.  Feel free to share.

My Inspirational List of Songs for Educators

Back in November, David Guerin wrote in his blog a list of 80's songs that serve as an inspirational list for educators.  He came up with ten.  I came up with five that have inspired me as a person and educator for years.  The first one is a late 70's song, three from the 80's and the last one from the 90's.  

I want to thank David Guerin for helping me to reflect and enjoy writing this blog post. 

1. Three Little Birds (1977) by Bob Marley.  A mistake. A misunderstanding. A miscommunication. A difficult situation. A difficult conversation. Errors are part of life and schools are full of mistakes. Students are not the only ones who learn in a school. Adults can learn too, especially from a mistake  I love this song because the reminder is real simple: "Don't worry about a thing/cause every little thing is gonna be alright."

2. Pressure (1982) by Billy Joel. Teachers and educators can all relate to pressure. Lesson plans, grades, parent conferences, formal observations, testing ... I can go on. Pressure comes with the profession. Pressure helps build character. Pressure is also a good teacher. 

3. Sign of the Times (1987) by Prince. Here is an artist keeping it funky and real. The late 80's saw a lot of social and political issues like AIDS, the anti-nukes movement among others. We are still dealing with many issues today and connected educators keep students engaged in currents events. 

4. Rebel Without A Pause (1988) by Public Enemy. Sometimes educators have to buck the system and rebel. Sometimes they take risks and look at things in a new and different way. In the spirit of Public Enemy, being a rebel in the classroom can help stimulate thought and inquiry in students. Being a rebel helps students develop their own voice and power to think, question, collaborate, and create. 

5. Optimistic (1991) by Sounds of Blackness. No matter what adversity comes our way, our job is to be optimistic and believe that ALL children can and will learn. Yes, THEY CAN LEARN in our classroom, under our watch. This also serves to help uplift one when we have had a bad day, week or month.  One of my favorite verses from this song is "If things around you crumble/No, you don't have to stumble and fall/Keep pushing on and don't you look back."

What songs inspire you as an educator?

When it gets challenging, what songs do you listen to?

I would like to know your video list.

Feel free to share!

Biking and Blogging

I love to bike.

Living in NYC I know of great parks, bridges, restaurants, and other sites to see and experience. I visit a lot of these places while I bike because I can move alone, fast and spend as much or as little time as I wish at anyone place. My experience of biking is similar to blogging. 

At first, I would travel downtown via Riverside Drive, and up and down the West Side. 

Later, I challenged myself to bike over the Brooklyn Bridge and into parts of Brooklyn and Queens I never knew. 

On any Spring weekend, these spots can be daunting and rather hectic. On weekends, Central Park can be quite tricky maneuvering through the runners, bikers and tourists.

Blogging can be daunting and intimidating too. At first I thought, who is going to read what I have to say? Who cares enough to read my words and thoughts?  With all the news and websites and blogs out there, why would anyone stop by my page and take notice?  And if readers do happen to take notice, would my words be good enough? Do I have the skills to keep a reader's attention? to inspire? 

You can see how doubt and fear of the unknown can build and give you many reasons not to blog. In addition, I knew  nothing about creating a blog, title, images and settings. Then, something happened that happens to bikers and bloggers alike: growth. 

I learned that the more I bike (or blog), the stronger (wiser) I get. My leg muscles got used to climbing hills and pedaling non-stop for miles. Just the same, the more I wrote, the better the words and my posts. I realized that there was strength in brevity, in using a picture or image I created or took on my travels. 

Here's another thing I learned about biking and blogging: I am not in competition with anyone.  I do not wish to enter a race.  Some bikers pull up next to you and seek attention.  I ignore them and just keep pedaling.  There are many professional writers and bloggers out there.  I am not in competition with them. My aim is to reflect upon a personal experience.  When I publish, which is about once a month, I seek to share what I learned from an experience.  

When I bike, there are certain places that I frequent because they are my favorite locations to experience. 

Mamoun's in The Village is a great place to eat falafels. 103rd Street and Riverside Park has the "empanada lady" who makes one of the most delicious empanadas (cheese or meat) in the area. 

One of my favorite bridges to cross is the Triboro from the Queens side onto Randall's Island.  Sure there are some steps and the climb is a bit steep at first but the last stretch is all downhill.  It looks like the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.  

There are thousands of blogs out there.  One that stands out for me has to be by George Couros.  Not only are his posts filled with ideas, videos, or pictures like many others. Couros shares his thinking and learning on his posts with everyone. He also invites you to constantly share and help him learn.

Biking is a lot like blogging. If you are not comfortable on the bike, you will not travel far and will not enjoy the ride. If blogging seems like work or obligatory, then it will simply be words for naught. 

I bike because I love to bike. Its my time to reflect, pray, and get some exercise too. I blog because it helps me write, share and connect with others. 

Maybe biking is not your thing.  Whatever it is that you do, you probably do it with passion and love.  Let that passion and love spill over to blogging and you may surprise yourself.  

I Learned THAT in 2016

2016

Every New Year people look back to reflect on what they have learned. Others see how much they have grown or need to grow. 

Many people look forward to see what they can change or pledge to themselves to do different. Here is my attempt to look back and then look and move forward. 

I want to thank my wife Barbara and my sons for always helping me be a better person. 

I also want to thank Claudio Burgaleta, SJ for accompanying me as my spiritual director. His wisdom and generosity made a real difference in 2016. 

Finally, I want to thank all those hundreds and hundreds of educators who helped shape my mindset via Twitter. I met so many people, professionals and leaders on this social platform. Muchas, muchas pero mil gracias for your energy, creativity, and passion. You made a difference in my life.  Connecting, learning, sharing and collaborating with you was a big change for me.

After looking back at 2016, here is my list of things I have learned and look forward to using in this new year:

1. I realized I do not need a title to make a difference. 

2. Be patient with myself and I will be patient with others. 

3. Trust others more. 

4. Listen to others. They matter and make me better if I listen more. 

5. I can do anything. If I practice. 

6. I have a voice. When I reflect and share, I let the world know that I have a voice. 

7. If I fail, I learn. 

8. God is simple. He is not complicated. I am the complicated one who resists, doubts and refuses to change. 

9. I remembered that if I forget about God, God will never forget about me. 

10. There is a gift in tears. 

11. If I look up I see more. And, when I do, I am with God. When I am with God, I am more. 

This is not a list of New Year resolutions or one words that will serve as a statement or reminder.  These are ingredients to something larger, bigger than me that is connected to people, places and moments in my life that I can point to and say, "I learned that in 2016."

Wishing you a happy, healthy and holy 2017.