Summer Leadership Training

Today I had to be in Auburn at the Marriot for Uniserve 19 Summer Leadership Training.  I needed to be there at 8 to help T.C. (our Uniserve director) register the participants.  It was going to be a full day from 9 to 5.  We began with a session on Effective Membership Enrollment.  I am an officer in our local Education Association, the ACEA.  We are part of the Alabama Education Association, the AEA.  We are part of the National Education Association, the NEA.  I pay dues to be a part of this organization....that does not mean I believe 100% in what they believe....but the benefits and trainings they offer are too good to pass up.  I joined when I was in college during my internship.  One of their best benefits is the million dollar protection policy in case something happens to me in the classroom.  I hope I never need to use it.....but I have seen it in action.  Our membership has dropped in the past several years because of competing organizations who offer a lower membership fee....and believe me that is about all.  One of them does not even have an office...they have a P.O. box....period.  Labarron Mack did the membership drive session and he was great.  Lanny Lancaster followed him with a session on Laws That Effect ESP's (Education Support Professionals).  This is the first time I have ever attended one like this and it was most enlighteniing.  Lanny is very humorous so I enjoyed his stories and warnings.  Rhonda Jett did the final session before lunch on the Tenure Law.  Many people have misconceptions about tenure.  Tenured teachers could always be termenated.....there just had to be a reason....and documentation.  I know getting that big T after my name was something I worked hard for and it was nice to know that someone could not come in and just fire me because their sister's son needed a job.  We ate a nice lunch at the hotel and returned with full bellies to my favorite of all sessions on Professionalism 101 done by Lynn Pettway.  Mr. Pettway is a professional to the core.  I love to sit in on his sessions.  He makes me proud to be a teacher and makes me want to be professional about it.  He talked to us about the way we need to dress, and how we need to handle social media and cell phones.  Many teachers get into trouble for things they do outside of their job when they find themselves plastered all over facebook.   About that time my lunch kicked in and it was all I could do to keep my head off the table as Amy Marlowe presented on Bugets and the 2011 Laws abd Their Effects.  Amy is very interesting but my behind was tired of sitting.  The last hour was dedicated to Round Table Discussions and Door Prizes.  I won an AEA T-shirt.  All of our group won something....that was a first.  I left the Marriot and met Frank. Renee, Beth and Ron at Olive Garden for dinner.  It was a great way to end the day.

Trees That Would

The following story is by Bill Greer, and appears in the book Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul This story is one of two I am thinking of using for my invocation at the NEA RA in San Diego next week. I have to give the invocation on July 3rd and I am nervous. I did the first choice yesterday and here is the second choice for today. I would love for you to read over the two and comment and let me know which of the two speaks the most to you. I want this to be good guys. So a little help would be greatly appreciated. Honestly, I think this one is my favorite...but...
"Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best." This is a lesson I definitely need to learn. Sometimes I question the choices God makes thinking that my way would have been better. Silly girl!

Fifteen Things God Won't Ask

I have been asked to give the invocation in San Diego next week on July 3rd. I will be attending the National Education Association(NEA) Representative Assembly(RA)...or as my friend Steve calls it "The Mega Union Meeting." I am a member of the AEA (Alabama Education Association) and we are not a union. We do not belong to the AFL-CIO. We ARE a large organization that is very concerned with protecting the rights of teachers and students. So since you guys are a captive, sort of, audience I thought I would try the two I am thinking about using out on you. This is Friday's post and I will post the other on Saturday. Please comment so I can make up my mind. I need help. I want to be profound and make a powerful statement. I have never been asked to do this before...and to be honest I am nervous about it! Wish me luck. The two that I have chosen are both anonymous. No one seems to know where they came from. What a shame because they are both great!

God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God won’t ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.

God won’t ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed.

God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life.

God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary.

God won’t ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones.

God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others.

God won’t ask what your job title was, but will ask if you reformed your job to the best of your ability.

God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others.

God won’t ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.

God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbors.

God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character.

God won’t ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn’t.