Gator Nation

The University of Florida has moved beyond the common mission statement and has identified the Gator Nation, another vehicle designed to communicate the beliefs, actions, and successes of the University of Florida.

Here is the transcript from the Gator Nation television commercial (click to view)

GO GATORS
GO GATORS
GO GATORS
GO GATORS

GO start a Fortune 500 company

GO write the great American novel

GO cure cancer

GO to Mars

GO GATORS

There is no bond stronger than the one formed when you become a member of the Gator Nation. It identifies who and what we are, and this network knows no boundaries.

Act Boldly

"One thing the Marine Corps teaches is that it’s better to be doing something than doing nothing. If you stay where you are, you’re in the position where your enemy wants you to be. If you start doing something, you are changing the rules of the game."

- General Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps

This quote is printed in Mark Sanborn’s book, You Don’t Need A TITLE To Be A LEADER. Regardless if you are a NESS Liaison, Instructional Coach or even a New Educator, there are many obligations that happen everyday that can easily be turned around into opportunities.

Is it easier to watch or act?

Questions Make Life Interesting

House on FX does a wonderful job of modeling the use of high order questions. Even with predictable story arcs, House does not accept the obvious, and is always looking for more. Throughout the show, Dr. Gregory House riddles question that would make any teacher proud. “What is the relationship between? What ideas justify? Suppose you could ___ what would you do? Can you predict the outcome if? Based on what you know, how would you explain? What information would you use to support the view?”

Not to put House M.D., out of business, but how can questioning skills lead to self-improvement?

Favorite “House” Quotes:
“You can think I'm wrong, but that's no reason to quit thinking.”

“I take risks, sometimes patients die, but not taking risks causes more patients to die - so I guess my biggest problem is I've been cursed with the ability to do the math.”

Greatness

“Greatness…consists of doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life. To be great at all, one must be great here, now in Philadelphia.” Or in Broward County, Or in the Classroom.

--- Russell Conwell, pastor, founder and first president of Temple University

Do we find our work as a collection of Good or Great?

Cheesecake Factory Cooks Up a Rigorous Employee Training Program

How do we compare to Cheesecake? Something to think about while waiting in line for your table.

Each candidate must go through a rigorous two-week certification process before becoming a full-fledged server. Candidates are assigned a mentor for on-the-job training. They observe how experienced servers interact with customers and navigate diverse situations in the restaurant.

At the end of the two weeks, candidates are given examinations and are required to attain a letter grade of A. They are given two attempts to qualify, and if they can’t get that A, they’re not hired.

Thirty days after becoming servers, employees receive follow-up classes. To maintain strict quality control, servers go through a recertification process once a year.

Because many of the company’s workers do not hold predictable 9-to-5 schedules, creating deep, long-lasting company ties can be a tricky undertaking. With this in mind, the Cheesecake Factory gathers employees every day for a formal meeting—a ritual long practiced by Ritz-Carlton. The sessions serve as a platform for talking about a variety of issues—from the best ways to keep the stores clean to safety tips to celebrating special events.

One way the company measures its return on investment is by examining turnover rates, which are about 15 percent below the industry average of 106 percent.

How rigorous is your Orientation compare to Cheesecake?

Click here for the complete article : )

Vampire Principle

Did you know…Vampires can enter a private residence only if invited; otherwise they will hit an invisible barrier. Once invited, the Vampire is always free to enter.

Vampires need to be invited. How thoughtful! Many actually believe that inviting Support is considered difficult. Granted Coaches are not Vampires, however Coaches are more effective if invited than forced.

Prime Directive

You do not need to be a CSI fan to appreciate the following anecdote (borrowed fom CSI).

Gil Grissom: I was flying to a seminar in New Hampshire a couple of summers ago. I was sitting in the plane next to a Philosophy Professor from Harvard. He told me this story about how every morning he heads to the bathroom after his three-hour philosophy class. When he flushed the toilet there'd be this tiny brown spider fighting for its life against the swirling water. He came back the next day, flush. Same spider, clawing its way back from oblivion. A week goes by, he decides to liberate the spider. Grabs a paper towel, Scoops him up and sets him on the floor in the corner of the stall. Comes back the next day and what do you think happened to the spider?

Warrick Brown: Dead.

Gil Grissom: On his back, eight legs up. Why? Because one life imposed itself on another. Right then I realized, where we stand. For the first time I understood our role. We don't impose our will. We don't impose our hopes on the evidence.


This exchange reminds me of providing support. Support should always start with the New Educator’s Current Reality. If a teacher is unconscious and unaware, the introduction of new ideas (or in the case of the spider- a new environment) without proper planning might cause more harm than good.

NCAA Tradition

Florida Gators are 6-0! Two Quarterbacks!
Coincidence? Supernatural Phenomenon? Not!
Components of Induction? YES!

As reported from MSNC news, “Tim Tebow has accepted the role that he’s going to learn how to play quarterback from Chris Leak,” Coach Meyer said. “More importantly, Chris Leak has accepted the role that he’s going to teach Tim Tebow how to play quarterback. That’s how it has worked throughout the history of college football. The upperclassmen have an obligation to bring along the younger players and teach them how to play.”

Obligation or is it something else?

Coach Meyer provides opportunities for the Quarterbacks to play to their strengths, as a result passes are completed, yards are gained, touchdowns are made, fans go crazy and the TEAM is happy.

Perhaps administrators need to start thinking like the NCAA.
Perhaps teachers need to stop thinking like a STAFF and start thinking as a winning TEAM.

CSI: Crime Scene "Induction"

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is becoming one of my favorite shows. Why? The style is unique, the technology is borderline Star Trek, the music is from The Who, and the characters are far from perfect. What is intriguing is the well-developed systems and protocols that focus the CSI team to investigate mysterious crimes and deaths.

According to the CSI website there are 59 documented procedures and 233 documented tools currently utilized by at least 8 positions including: Night Shift Team Supervisor, Swing Shift Team Supervisor, Day Shift Team Supervisor, Blood Spatter Analyst, Materials/Element Analyst, Audio/Visual Analyst, Hair/Fiber Analyst and Field Workers. With this many positions, tools, and procedures there is no doubt that CSI has in place a systems-driven Induction Plan.

Since a Plan is the HOW work is done, the WHO is just as important. Each analyst understands the characteristics of the team as a whole, each analyst understands the characteristics and traits of themselves and why they are chosen for the team, and each analyst focuses on his/her specialty. The team benefits since each member works towards his/her strength avoiding jealousy and competition. The success or failure depends on making sure the right people are on the right team doing the right job.

I am curious to know to and find how does one identify his/her strength?