“Coach of the year,” “all-star” and “MVP” are standard acknowledgments that are bestowed on deserving athletes and teams. In fact, star athletes and coaches receive a host of recognitions for their accomplishments. However, far too often the role of the Athletic Director is overlooked when reviewing the components of a winning season. And it is the Athletic Director who is the keystone behind the scenes ensuring that every team is ready to take the field, or the court with solid coaching, supplies and equipment.

Many people don’t realize that the Athletic Director is consistently in the role of “urgent care,” listening to coach’s issues, dealing with parental complaints, and all while running the day-to-day operations of athletics; balancing it all to do what is best for students. Besides all of that, he/she must also collaborate with community organizations to maintain strong partnerships that will benefit the students and the community. Additionally, he/she needs to work with the district administration to develop a cohesive vision of athletics K-12 that is fiscally responsible. And planning an athletic budget without any cuts is never easy. There are always parents; alumni or community members who want to share their point of view on the matter. Add in the fact that the Athletic Director has an incredibly demanding schedule, with attendance at every game, and this job becomes extra taxing.

The position of Athletic Director is a big job for anyone. Indeed, I have worked closely with many Athletic Directors throughout my career who I greatly respect and value. However, the person who “carries the ball” for PVHS, Mr. Brian Burrow, excels at the job he is doing for our school. Patient, hard working and ethical, he has one of the most challenging jobs in the district. He multitasks his responsibilities with skill and is extremely organized when scheduling a myriad of items from transportation to referees and facilities. He oversees field maintenance, coaches, athletes and so much more!

However, what makes Mr. Burrow (PVathletics1) a stand out is his strong core values and mission to run the PVHS athletic department with integrity. He embodies good sportsmanship and a positive competitive spirit, regardless of a win or lose situation. He is often called upon to enforce rules and policies that are unpopular. However, Mr. Burrow does not waiver and stands firm always doing what is right, even though it may not be the easiest thing to do. He regularly promotes school spirit and celebrates each and every team with pride. Mr. Burrow takes the extra time to tweet out results from every game/match to get the word out to the community, and always makes sure that teams are recognized as they leave for the big sectional and state contests. He acknowledges the importance of building strong relationships with students and regularly goes out of his way to attend meetings where he can offer them needed support. He works closely with the administration to push each athlete to achieve his/her best potential on the field/the sidelines or in the classroom.

Mr. Burrow is a proven leader who is committed to creating an environment where trust and teamwork are non-negotiable. He models the daily fundamentals of discipline and hard work, which result in consistent excellence for the PVHS athletic program. His team of coaches knows that what he says is exactly what he will do, and this engenders a feeling of confidence and trust among his colleagues. He teaches us that success is what happens every day on and off the field and not just in the big games.

As Dwight D. Eisenhower stated, “the supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it no real success is possible no matter if it is on the football field, in an army or in an office.” And for that, I look forward to many years of cheering on the PVHS teams with Mr. Burrow leading the helm of athletics.

So, the next time a team wins, take time to give the Athletic Director a “high five” to acknowledge all that he/she has been done to make that win a possibility!

There is no shortage of reading on “how to be a great teacher.” The science of good teaching has been outlined by a number of now famous educational specialists such as, Madeline Hunter, Jonathan Saphier, Robert Marzano and Charlotte Danielson. Their work has become synonymous with effective teaching and their frameworks are frequently used as tools to help develop teachers.  Additionally, with  the prevalence of social media, there is now an abundance of resources available to educators on how to improve their craft. New teachers can read about the science of classroom management, creating rubrics, grading, parent communication and more. However, all teachers know that good teaching is not an easy task regardless of how clearly the elements are outlined in a book or blog post.  Persuading a group of students to do quality work is one of the most difficult jobs in the world.  Teachers need to be psychologists, social workers and nurses in order to figure out how to motivate each child. I keep this closely in mind when I walk into a classroom. In fact, the first question I ask myself when conducting an observation is, “what is the relationship between the students and the teacher? ” And secondly, “how much does this teacher focus on motivating the students?” I am looking to see if the  teacher is  just delivering content or whether he/she has considered the  learning needs of each student and planned accordingly.

The relationship between the teacher and student is primary. A positive relationship between the two helps to give the teacher insight into the child’s needs and in turn, motivates the child to learn.   Many administrators put a heavier emphasis for the teacher’s evaluation on whether a teacher is lecturing or planning a cooperative activity.  I think the greater focus should be on the student-teacher connection.  In fact, research shows that students achieve when they feel inspired and motivated to excel despite the delivery method of the content.  Achievement comes through a meaningful connection with the teacher. Students want to know that they are cared about and that they matter. Students, like all human beings, want their basic needs met.  It matters very little  whether the teacher is demanding, a hard grader, or chooses to lecture. Students will respond if they feel valued and included in the learning process. Contrary to popular belief, “think-pair-shares” are not the panacea for student achievement. The panacea is making the student feel a connection to the teacher, to the class and to their own learning. This is also what makes teaching a challenge.  Good instruction is complex because it involves emotions and human behavior. Some teachers put a great deal of time focusing on content delivery and compliance in the classroom. Truly great teachers spend a much greater percentage of time thinking about how to motivate every student and make the learning purposeful. This will lead to productive learning and a positive classroom with few issues.

Once the student-teacher relationship is well established, the next element of effective teaching is explicit instruction.  Does the teacher have an organized plan where the information presented is scaffolded and explained clearly? Whether the lesson is based on direct instruction or the inquiry method, students need to be clear about what they are expected to do.  Often, teachers don’t realize how unclear they are until students begin to ask questions about the next step. Teachers need to consistently reflect for every lesson on, “What do students need to understand and be able to do by the end of the activity?” Plus, “how I can organize the material in a clear and thoughtful way that will engage all students?”  Given that, the teacher needs to constantly check for understanding and assess if the students are grasping the task, concept, skill. Formatively assessing students is integral to student achievement and something that can often be neglected in favor of summative exams that are far less informative for the teacher.

It takes a tremendous amount of effort, planning, and reflection to be an extraordinary teacher. Even if a teacher carefully plans every lesson and follows all of the models for effective instruction, getting all students to achieve is not a guarantee. If that were the case, it would be easy to identify who will be a great teacher.   The truly wonderful teachers have a “je ne sais quoi” characteristic that is hard to explain. In fact, Malcom Gladwell wrote an article in the New Yorker, 2008 about how difficult it is to identify the right abilities for the teaching profession. Gladwell compares picking the right teacher to trying to identify who will be the next Heisman Trophy winner. It’s very difficult to predict. However, he does explain that quality teachers have a “with it” vibe. They have skills to manage the classroom seamlessly with abilities such as,  talking to one child while giving a cue to another that his/her behavior is inappropriate.  These are teachers who know their students so well, they really can see behind their head! Teachers who are “with it” relate easily to kids. They feel comfortable in the classroom and present the information in such a manner that makes students riveted to the teacher and excited about learning. This is what makes for great teaching!

In summary, there are many elements that contribute to quality instruction. However, the most critical component is building  student relationships and identifying student needs. Once that is clear, teachers can focus on the lesson design, and how to ensure students are grasping the material. In this day and age with increased technology, students need more human connection than ever. Teachers are invaluable to helping students cope with many of the new daily stressors that face them each day.  We should be providing more professional development for teachers on how to truly motivate students and diminish the focus on compliance.  The teachers who are the “Heisman Trophy” winners of the classroom are those teachers who inspire through caring connections, high expectations and well-prepared instruction that  focuses on the student’s needs before content delivery.