Mr. Gary Czapla called all the eighth graders into the lunch room right at the beginning of fourth period. Questions began to curculate from the students beginning at a low murmur and climaxing at nervous shouting. Why do we have to go? What is he going to talk to us about? How long is this going to take? It took all of the students off guard. However, we had already been informed of what this surprise meeting was going to be about: raising the level of excellence in the eighth grade students.
As the lines filed into the cafeteria to take a seat, you could feel that the students were still sitting and waiting in anticipation of what their principal was going to talk to them about. As the last class took their seats, the room began to quiet. For the next fifteen minutes I witnessed one of the most genuine speeches I have ever heard.
Our principal did not yell or use "disappointment" to motivate these 250 students, but rather he just challenged them. He said that he is raising the bar. It is no longer acceptable to be acting like middle schoolers. In a few short months these kids are going to be entering high school and he told them that it's going to be higher standards and greater demands. So he said now is the time to start acting like it.
He spoke with concern, but showed how much he cared for them and how much he wanted to see them succeed.
It mostly focused on showing better respect for teachers. Teachers should not have to tell them to go to class. Teachers should not need to constantly tell them to turn in homework. Students need to learn how to behave in class and during passing period.
It was a great talk to witness. It was great to see a great example of what an administrator should be and the support he gives to the faculty. What was also great about this was the extreme change that I saw in the work ethic and classroom behavior of the students. Now it is my job to raise my level of teaching to meet the kids striving to be better.
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