Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Magic – We all Have the Power | Connected Principals

Magic – We all Have the Power | Connected Principals:

Magic – We all Have the Power

August 27, 2013
By 
2013-07-18 06.37.44“Write the way you talk.”
That was what she said to me, and I never forgot it.
Her name was Nancy Peterson (Mrs. Peterson to the seventh-grade version of me) and in that moment – for me – I felt it: magic.
The light bulb went off; the lesson made sense; my confidence grew.
In that moment, Mrs. Peterson literally changed my life, and that is the type of magic that happens daily at Hilliard City Schools.
Who influenced you?
Who helped mold and shape the person you are today?
My bet is, among the parents, grandparents and family members who played a paramount role in your development, you too have a Mrs. Peterson in your life – a teacher (or two, or three) who connected with you in that magic way. It doesn’t have to happen inside the classroom – perhaps you were influenced by a coach who pushed you to go the extra mile, a cafeteria worker who always remembered your favorite dish or a custodian who made sure to ask how your day was going as you walked down the hall.
We are the product of our collective experiences, both positive and not so positive.  As we begin a new school year our students have the tremendous opportunities to interact with dedicated, wonderful and talented teachers and staff.  For each student they may be just getting to know their Mrs. Peterson.
Mrs. Peterson gave me the confidence to simply be myself as a writer.  Every time someone tells me, “I can hear you speaking when I read your blog,” I think of Nancy Peterson – and I smile; she