An Open Letter to Educators

Dear Educators,

Our summer is slowly coming to an end. Some of us worked all summer preparing for our students. From lesson plans to opening day activities, we have been looking on Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Twitter to gather ideas. In your preparation, take the time to reflect on your WHY! Why am I in education?

Your answer to this question should be your daily driven purpose. It should be the foundation of your passion (Discover your passion.) and your pursuit for excellence. The 3 P’s! Write down your Why and post it everywhere as a daily reminder.

Knowing your WHY and having a vision of your purpose, passion, and pursuit will help you bring the best you to school everyday. I challenge you to use your purpose to drive every decision you make, passion to be a champion for every student, and your pursuit to excellence to persevere.

Bring an attitude to school each day that create an experience-riched atmosphere that will motivate and inspire students to want to be at school. These experiences should include holistic relationships, engaging lessons, and fun!  Create a school experience that will make our students want to be at school everyday.

Let your purpose inspire, your passion ignite, and your pursuit empower our students to excellence everyday.

Consciously make an effort everyday to bring your best you to school. Despite what we may be going through, our students deserve it! It is our obligation to provide our students with an educational experience that inspires them.

Here's a presentation to use with your teachers on discovering their WHY!
Know You Why Presentation

Felecia Young
fitinedu.blogspot.com
Twitter: @FITinEDU

Note-taking of the Future

I have spent the summer reading and listening to many webinars on my quest to growing professionally. As I read and listened, it ignited a burning fire inside me. My passion for my WHY grew even more.

As a 21st century instructional leader, I intentionally tried to find ways to take notes that allows me to model instructional strategies I can share with teachers in the classroom. My motto this year is Leading with Intentionality. I want everything that I do to be for a purpose.


My first few books I read was reading and note taking traditionally. Then I discovered Book Snaps by Tara M. Martin. I loved doing the Book Snaps and think students will find it enjoyable.

I also did he traditional, writing what I learned in a notebook...I created tabs and everything. That was not exciting....

I am a part of some wonderful PLNs and it was there that I heard of the RocketBook. OMG! Let me tell you that I was intrigued. I googled it and then went to Amazon to purchase. I was sold. In 2 days I got my treasure and I was in love.


There are different kinds and sizes. I decided to get the Everlast. The Everlast notebook provides a classic pen and paper experience. I chose The Everlast because it is  endlessly reusable and connected to all of my favorite cloud services. 

One pen came with it, but I purchase the colorful pens for about $10. When you write using any pen from the Pilot Frixion line, the writing sticks to Everlast pages like regular paper. But add a drop of water… and the notebook erases like magic.

The Everlast notebook is compatible with the Rocketbook app. That means before my notes go off the page they go online to destinations like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Evernote — perfectly organized. You know me, I send it to Google Drive!

I always wanted to do Sketch Notes, so I found myself listening to a few webinars and sketch noting all weekend. I was able to listen and doodle at the same time! #winning I scanned each page into the RocketBook app, it was sent to my Google Drive, and I wiped the marks away to begin again.




The Rocketbook for me is a great way to take notes, share them quickly, and you don't have to worry about looking for a notebook to find your notes. Just go to Google and you have them all the time. The app also files your pages, so you have them there and can share them to Facebook, Twitter, Messenger, and via email! Administrators, teachers, and students can benefit from the notebook from the future! I think I am going to order my daughter one. She will be in 9th grade and this would definitely help her organize her notes and prevent the clutter of multiple notebooks.

Digital Tools for the 21st Century Administrator

Digital Tools

for the 

21st Century Administrator

Register by clicking on the link: Digital Tools for the 21st Century Administrator Part 1

Leading with Coffee and PJs

As an instructional leader it is very important you are providing your staff with opportunities to learn and grow professionally. This summer I challenged myself to indulge in as much educational reading and online PD to grow as leader. I want to inspire others to become lifelong learners also.

In the book Lead Like a Pirate and one of my PLNs I learned of the digital newsletter Smore. The administrator who shared Smore stated that she uses it as her quickly newsletter and include an article for teachers to read. I started playing around with it to see how I could implement Smore this school year and it came to me...

I can use Smore to share mini PD to my staff. What a great way to provide them with things they can view or read to help them grow professionally. While trying to find the best title for the newsletter, I came across the picture...

It is not my own, but I decided to use it as the title for the newsletter: PD in PJs. So as I sit here writing a few blog post, I will end my "Me Time" this morning with a little PD and coffee (and yes I am still in my PJs).

What a great tool to use as a 21st Educational Leader to promote lifelong learners in your building! I will provide literacy, math, tech, and an article for educators to use to grow professionally. As we begin school, observations allow me to intentionally create the PD to share. Check our Edition 1:

Smore - PD in your PJs Series:

We are back with One Word - LIMITLESS

Took a little break to rejuvenate...my Vitamin Sea was the best.

I spent time basking in the sun and listening to ocean while reflecting on my 2017-2018 journey. While reflecting I decided to create one word that would be my focus word the remainder of the year and for the 2017-2018 school year. I needed a word that would intentionally drive me in all areas of life. Something that would get me through no matter what I was going through. My goal was to find a word that would keep me focus on my goals. 

Over the last several weeks prior to my reflection God provided hints through posts on a social media page, readings, thoughts, or conversations what my my one word should be.

It was not until I returned home that I realized the word was LIMITLESS. A word I used a week ago to promote a Young Panache sale. Although I already seen  and used the word, I didn't know it would be my "one word".

Many of us have experience ups and downs in our lives and have gotten to the place where we want to give up. We must remember that, we are LIMITLESS and that We Can Do All Things - Philippians 4:13.

Sometimes through our walk, we may feel that God is distant from us,  Joshua 1:9 reminds us that He is right there with us no matter what (LIMITLESS). Through all of the pain and suffering you are going through, there is hope. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

Limitless - Philippians 4:13

The Midnight Wrap - Joshua 1:9

If you are interested in the I Can Do All Things bracelet and Midnight Wrap, check out Elevated Faith:

http://efaith.co/2gV61zB 

Here is a code to get 10% off! Code: FYoung15

I challenge you to reflect and create one word that will be your focus word. Write it down, post it, wear it, do whatever you can to be able to remind yourself daily of your focus word. Share your one word with others on social media (#oneword) this is a create hashtag to check to get inspired. As an administrator this can be a great Back to School activity for your staff and even students. You can create a mural that have all of your school's one word to showcase. It can also be one word that provides your school with it's vision and mission.

Young Panache

Thoughtful Thursday

When I read The Principal 50 and Lead Like a Pirate, I began to reflect on my leadership...my purpose. I questioned my purpose and my passion. I asked myself many questions to ensure that this journey was not about me, but about the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students and teachers.  The question that I really struggled with was: Am I making an IMPACT? It took me a while to answer that question because I was unsure. Daily posting on social media is my way of providing others with an opportunity to share my journey. And it was social media that gave me my answer. In the book Lead Like a Pirate, the authors discuss the power of your words. Rather verbally or written, your words have power. I received an message in my inbox about the power of my words. It was at that moment that I realized that I lead not just the students I serve or the staff I support, I lead in my daily walk. I encourage you to be intentional about what you do and say because even when you don't think you are leading you are...and that is true leadership. 

Wordless Wednesday

Have you planted your seeds today? Water and nourish your seed and watch it begin to sprout. 

Talk About It Tuesday

It's Talk About It Tuesday and we are talking about the book 

The Principal 50 by Principal Kafele!

I will use the acronym FISH (c) to convey my thoughts...

First thoughts...

Impact of the reading on...
Summary of the chapters, reading, etc...
How will I use this to grow...







First Thoughts:
This was such an awesome read! I created a Book Study on Facebook of this awesome book and will share the link below under resources. The book was an easy read. The book is written for new administrators and those currently in administrator roles.

Impact of the Reading:
The book has 10 chapters that includes 50 different questions regarding the principalship. The definitely made an impact on my personal vision and the goals I would like to accomplish as an educational leader. Each question made me stop and reflect on thoughts and views.

Summary of the Reading:
I don't want to give away to much, but check out our The Principal 50 Book Study to get views from other administrators about each chapter! The Principal 50 Facebook Book Study

How will I use this book to grow?
This book has motivated me to begin preparing for the next phase in my educational journey. As an aspiring instructional leader, I need to make sure I take the content from the text to ensure I am doing whatever I can ti ensure student success.

I would strongly suggest any aspiring administrator to read this book. Reflect on these questions...

Some of my important take-aways: (In no particular order)

1. The mission of the principalship begins once you have made a decision to become a principal.
2. Your vision must inspire excellence by helping students and staff to envision it in action.
3. Despite the challenges our school will be successful because I am the leader!
4. Be guided by a set of beliefs about student learning rooted in sound research as well as genuine personal experience.
5. The mission is: Student Achievement and Improvement of Instruction
6. Helps teachers grow professionally with PD - Use staff meetings for PD!
7. You are the primary instructional leader.
8. Integral part of your day is classroom observations. Make it a priority to do it and provide feedback.
9. Feedback is what enables teachers to grow and improve.
10. Improvement is possible!
11. Establish a true collegial bond.
12. Morning messages should inform, inspire, and empower.
13. Give a "State of the School" address.
14. You must see yourself as the #1 determinant of success or failure of your students.
15. Your leadership is your mission.
16. Think and act with intentionality.
17. Create parent activities that are a powerful synergy with students achievement as the goal.
18. You must believe that every single student who walks through the doors of the school can not only succeed, but excel.
19. Everything that happens in your school is a data point.
20. Salient Data - Tardies, Attendance, Discipline, and Academic Achievement