Courage and Kindness

When it comes to movies, I am a simple person. There are three genres that interest me, "stupid action," "stupid comedy," and "romantic comedy." While you may find me watching Kentucky Fried Movie or Bulletproof Monk, I have missed out on quality films such as Shawshank Redemption and The Dark Night. See life is about choices: who we choose to be, who we choose to be around, what we choose to do and how we choose to go about it. These are important not just to us, but to our children and the children we teach.

As a principal at Pleasant Ridge School, we focused on the "Fish Philosophy!" as a way to help both ourselves and our children learn the social-emotional component of life. In "four easy steps" the "Fish Philosophy!" helps individuals approach their day to day life in progressive steps that allows them to seek happiness and fulfillment. It's powerful stuff, focusing on what we can control: Choose Your Attitude, Play, Make Their Day, and Be Present. Simple stuff that is not automatic. We found it to be powerful also. Focusing on what we could control. Aiming at what we could do to be better and make the day better for others. Four steps that adults could do, children could do, bus drivers could do, teachers could do, and principals could do. These daily directions, and sometimes redirections, helped us take on challenges both academic and social.

In one of our kindergarten rooms, there is one rule, "Be Brave." See, when you are five years old, for many of us the world is an intimidating place. Learning to take steps in a world in which you may not be comfortable is a challenge. When I first had the chance to work with our kindergarten team, they lamented about how play and socialization had been pushed out in favor of more and more academics. We had lost our "Kindergarten Magic." In a world in which we ask children to "Be Brave" we need opportunities for them to learn courage and kindness. This comes through play and socialization. It's not only true in kindergarten but in life. Whether children or adults, we need to learn that simple magic, learn to be brave and make daily choices that demonstrate courage and kindness.

Students, teachers, and schools have been asked to be a lot more productive. We have higher expectations and have not been given additional resources. There is not extra time, money, or people. Just us, having to rethink how we do what we do. Learning to maximize time, money, and ourselves to make a more impactful difference. It is easy for each of us, student, teacher, parent, or leader to become sullen, angry, or overwhelmed, or we can learn to "Be Brave." We can take on each day, choosing our attitude, playing, making other people's day, and being present. Working to make baby steps forward in our learning and our practice. Carrying ourselves with courage and kindness, and seeing in others those same qualities.

I choose movies where the hero wins. Impossible moments like Ferris Bueller dancing in a parade and Will Smith & Jeff Goldblum doing a victory lap saving the world from aliens.  I like television shows like the Flash, where the protagonist and his friends take on impossible challenges and seek opportunities to make a difference. And this weekend, my wife, son, and I watched the latest version of Cinderella. Learning once again, courage, kindness, and forgiveness will bring a little magic to everyone's life.

Cinderella 2015

"If the Commonwealth's High Guard
had a weakness, it was this:
Its officers were too competent,
too caring, and too brave."

Opening Scene - Andromeda Television Series