The Energy Bus

This week all the teachers (and student teachers) were given a book to read as a part of staff development throughout the faculty.

The purpose of this "book study" was not just another thing to add to your to-do list, but it was more for the staff to power through these final weeks of the year where sometimes tensions get high and stress sets in. My initial thought was, "Great. Something else to add to my reading pile." However, I picked it up and it had a great deal of information to share.

Not only did it re-energize me to do my best as a teacher and professional, but also it re-energized me to still be a great student for our seminars, a great collaborator with the other math teachers and student teachers inside and outside of my building and a better coach for the track athletes.

I highly recommend adding this to your reading list. It's fairly short, but really it packs a punch. It seems like it is geared more toward the business side of things, but there are obvious and abundant applications for teachers and professionals in general. It is well worth your time.

Not only was this a book study and I'm guessing we will discuss it at our next PLC day, but also the principal is doing a great job of bringing this theory of an "Energy Bus" into the school. The basic premiss this book was written on are the "10 Rules For the Ride of Your Life." So each week from now until the end of the school year the staff is focusing on a particular rule. He has posted the "ticket" on each teacher's door as a constant reminder of the goal that week.

This week is "You're the Driver of Your Own Bus." This is basically saying that even though each of us have bad things that happen in our work, school or homes we can't let that define us, but instead we need to use that to motivate us to make a positive situation out of a perceivable negative.

Here's some more information on the book and the plan if you'd like: www.theenergybus.com