Hampton Bays Middle School
Monday Memo #9
The Words of Wilson
With each passing week, I become more and more impressed with what great teachers do to make middle school memorable and meaningful for our kids. So much good has happened, in the last seven days alone. Our teachers have stepped up (and stepped out) to walk with large groups of students to raise money and community awareness for worthwhile causes. HBMS teachers have represented our District and our school on site visits that support our District and school vision and mission. Our teachers joined HBMS families in celebrating the accomplishments of our students' hard work as servant leaders. And our teachers have continued to step outside their comfort zones, this week into our local waters, to bring classroom learning to life. If you look closely, you will notice a pattern here, week after week. Great things are happening for our students at Hampton Bays Middle School. And great teachers are working together to make great things happen.
Three Septembers ago, I addressed the members of our current 7th grade class in a pod meeting. As I was covering the elements included in my standard "pep talk" for our newest middle schoolers, there was a fifth grader who I noticed was hanging on my every word. It was now seventh grader, Wilson Martinez. For those of us who know Wilson, we've come to expect his big smile and his bright and hopeful eyes. Like so many kids, he stands out a s special kid with a bright future. When Wilson was one of our new fifth graders, I closed the pod meeting by asking the students if there was anything I had forgotten. Without hesitation, Wilson raised his hand, and added the following for his classmates and I to consider:
We're not here to be average.
I was awestruck, hearing this from a fifth grader. That was the day I realized the depth to the thinking and reflection of some of our students.
Last week, when I stood with Wilson and his family, eating hors d'oeuvres at Oheka Castle (thanks to his teachers, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, and Wilson being one of the honorees of the evening's Future Stewards Awards), it brought me right back to that pod meeting. And I reminisced with him when he said this to me, while seated on the floor of the fifth grade pod, in front of his classmates and his teachers.
We're not here to be average.
I could tell from our conversation last week, that he vividly remembered that exchange as well as I did. And I acknowledged to him, that on this night, when he's receiving an award for his academic achievements, that he is living these words.
We're not here to be average.
My favorite part of the evening, and quite possibly, the week, was hanging out with Wilson and one of his classmates. While these two kids looked like two typical middle schoolers dressed to the nines and wandering a "castle" on a school night, they I had to wonder what they were thinking about the fuss being made all about them. I also kept thinking of these words from Wilson, intrigued that he remembered saying this.
When I asked Wilson where he learned this pearl of wisdom, he told me that night what he told me three Septembers ago: I learned it from my teacher.
So for those of us who question the impact of our words and our actions, I present to you this case-in-point. Wilson represents so many of our students, who are impressionable and taking our words and actions, and living them.
And...this week, I challenge each of you to contribute something to your classroom, your team, and your department, that will help our students and our school to live the words of Wilson:
"We're not here to be average."
Thank you for your dedication to our students and our middle school program.
Sincerely,
Dennis
5 ARTICLES TO PUSH OUR THINKING
4 BLOGS FOR REFLECTION
3 IMAGES TO DISCUSS WITH KIDS
2 Highly Effective Instructional Tools
1 "Must Watch" Video Clip
HBMS Photos of the Week!
Let's keep sharing and celebrating the great things happening in our classrooms and school.