RPM & Watts

RPM & Watts

November 27, 2018 

By, Michael Earnshaw

@mearnshaw158

Comfort zones are a tricky thing. I’m sure you’re aware of what your comfort zone is. If not, it’s that thing inside that keeps you from taking a risk, trying something new, making yourself look like a fool. We’ve all got one. Some of ours cover a bigger proximity than others, but we all have one. The funny joke that comfort zones like to play with us is that they continually grow and expand. The more we push ourselves out of ours, the more ground it covers. I’ve been stressing to our staff this year that each day they should do one thing that takes them out of their zone, whether it be professional or personal, doesn’t matter. Last night I began reflecting on my comfort zones when a light bulb ignited and I realized I haven’t been practicing what I preach.  

This past school year started off on fire! I was motivating, encouraging, leading our great school like I never have before. Mobile desk, visibility in the halls, all day every day, skateboarding everywhere. Then this continued. Quarter 1 flew by with me doing this every day. Halfway through Quarter 2 and I am still doing the same thing. It’s somewhat losing its effect. My mobile desk, skateboarding, and visibility has become the norm. What started as challenging the status quo has now become the status quo for me and our building. This doesn’t digest well with me. How’d I flick this light switch to realize it? By getting out of my comfort zone on a personal level.  

Fitness has always fascinated me. The dedication, the physical and mental challenges and changes they bring forth are all so inspiring. I’ve been an avid runner since grade school. After college I got into weight lifting. I’ve always shown some gains and progress, but I have never had the strict dedication to make a difference. This is especially true with my inconsistent diet. But that’s a topic for another post. My running and lifting regimen have stayed stagnant for awhile. I’m not seeming to gain any traction or ground towards the goals I want for myself. I’m not getting out of that comfort zone I’ve established years ago when I began working out. Until last night.  

My wife has been taking spin classes for a little over a year now. She’s been a runner, practiced yoga, and has now found a love for pedaling a stationary bike in a dark room with colorful lights and music pumping like the club while an instructor in yoga pants, tank top, and bandana yell instructions like, “Get up! Hover! You can push harder!” I think you get the drill. My wife’s been telling me to take a class for some time now. My response, “Nope. I’m good with running. I’ll go lift some heavy things.” Last night it was too snowy and icy to run outside, I didn’t feel like driving to the gym and follow my usual routine, and I was in no mood to pull out the treadmill. “Why don’t you try spin tonight? There’s a class at 7,” my wife responded. After a lot of contemplation and scouring my brain for excuses I caved. I threw on some workout gear, got a bottle of water ready, and drove over to my first, FREE, spin class.  

It was just like in the movies! A dark room lit with colorful strobe lights and mirrors opposite the bikes with motivational quotes written on them in fancy paints. Dance music playing. Excited pedal pushers ready to get their sweat on. Then little old scared me, not knowing what I got myself into. I felt like that freshman entering high school for the first day, surrounded by upperclassmen that knew what was going on. It was a small class, only 6 of us, which I thought would make it less intimidating until I realized the less people the bigger your output info was on the display monitors. Class begins, Rhianna is blaring (which was ok, I secretly dig Rhianna), and 7 minutes in I'm out of breath. Then we cool down, next circuit begins, and I'm second guessing this decision. I start thinking of all the other things I could have been doing tonight and after the math, I came to the conclusion this would be my first, and last spin class.  

I’m glad I did it, I did feel accomplished and proud of myself for completing it. It’s then I began reflecting on how I have not been getting out of my comfort zone in any aspect of my life, even though I encourage those around me to do this daily. I began writing a recipe on how I can spice up my professional practices, getting out of the comfort zone that I stretched a little after the beginning of this school year. I came to school today, sprinkled a few of those new ingredients and have felt amazing! The oven is back on and ready to go! I’ve even gotten comments from a few staff, noticing the change.  

It’s important to know your comfort zones, but it’s even more important to self-reflect on them and keep stepping out of them no matter how large they grow. As they grow, and you push them, YOU will grow. That is a secret to happiness and success. Today I challenge you to acknowledge your comfort zone, both personally and professionally, and devise a plan to step out of it...daily.  

By the way, my spin experience was not a one and done. I purchased a 10 class package!  It’s time for me to get back to changing the game, breaking the mold, and challenging the status quo everyday!  

Maui

Maui

November 20, 2018 

By, Michael Earnshaw

@mearnshaw158 

It’s that time of year where everyone is giving thanks to their loved ones, co-workers, & other individuals holding a special place in their hearts. Of course, I’m thankful for these people.  My wife, my rock, my mentor. My beautiful, healthy, busy children. Our caring families. My amazing staff that supports me and works hard for our students. My District Office that trusts me to do things my way. Our amazing students and parents that know our children are the future. If I wanted to be cliché, I'd write a whole blog on all of these. But that’s not me.  

I recently had the privilege of seeing Dave Burgess speak at his Teach Like a Pirate workshop. If you haven’t read the book, do so without hesitation, regardless of your role in education. This book is a game changer. If you get the honor to see Dave live, DO IT! His workshop is nothing but eye-popping motivation! I drink gallons of coffee a day. I wouldn’t leave to use the restroom unless it was a break. Yeah, that’s how good he was. During the workshop Dave discussed how his past, his background, has helped to mold him into the experience delivering educator he is. I pondered about this a lot, about my background. I came up with three aspects of me that I am thankful for that make me the leader I am today.  

Endurance. Ever since I joined the middle school track team I was a distance runner. This wasn’t by choice. I wanted to sprint the 100 M, do the hurdles, launch the shotput, you know, the exciting and entertaining events in track. My coaches at the time said Mike, “You’re doing the 800 and mile.” My first thought was, “Nobody is jumping out of their seat cheering for an underweight, gangly kid running around a track for 6-8 minutes.” I’ve been raised with the trait that you never quit something once you start. So, I stuck with it. And you know what, I was actually pretty good. I kept with it and ran cross country through high school, running on the varsity team as a freshman and sophomore, a pretty huge accomplishment! After college I began running again, multiple half-marathons & now 4 full 26.2s! The reason I’m thankful for my endurance racing background is that in my role as a leader, I’m constantly on the go. I’m up and down the halls with my mobile desk and skateboard. Getting down on the ground with students and working. Lots of long days. I typically try to get up at 4:15, get a run in or lift weights at the gym, go to school (I never call it work), and have some late evenings with meetings. When I get home I need to be there for my beautiful family, and my kids keep us active. If I didn’t have the grit and motivation to get through a 26.2 mile marathon, I may not successfully get through my days as a leader. The staff, parents, and most importantly the students, deserve me at my best.  

Punk rock. Punk rock changed my life, and it’s still affecting it for the positive. When I was a teenager it was bands like Rancid, The Suicide Machines, Good Riddance, and Propaghandi that got me through some rough patches. Hell, they still do. Music is my go-to whenever I’m stressed out or confused. I’m thankful for the punk rock attitude, the DYI ethos, that I have. For the first few years of my administrative career, I led like I thought I was supposed to lead, a cookie cutter. I wasn’t myself. This past year I have done things my way, ways that are unconventional, out of the box approaches. Faculty meetings are hands on, collaborative, culture building hours. I’ve been in my front office only 5% of the school year. Friday’s you can find me teaching some aspiring skateboarders tricks out on the back playground. I’m visible, working with staff as a teammate to solve those Rubik Cube puzzles we all encounter. Punk rock has taught me to not worry about the perceptions others have on you or what you're doing. I do my thing because I know it’s the right thing to do, even if it’s not what your “typical” principal does.  

Defamation of character. Ok, this isn’t as bad as it sounds, or maybe you will have your jaw jumping to the floor when you hear this story. Sticking with the middle school theme, when I was in 8th grade, the year I was introduced to punk rock, I had hair that liked to change colors depending on my mood. Sometimes green, sometimes blue, but never its original dirty blonde. As I was strolling down the hall with my crew, the principal at the time was standing next to a paraprofessional and whispered, “That kids gotta be on drugs.” Now you’re probably asking, “Mike, how do you know he said that?” Well, here’s how. That paraprofessional, she was my best friend’s mom! Yep, always think before you speak. Of course, my mom caused a stink, he had to meet with me and apologize, and then left our district at the end of the year. That comment has taught me the cliché saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” As a leader we need to accept differences in all our stakeholders. I know what it’s like to be judged and not taken seriously simply because of how I looked. I will never do that to a staff member, student, parent, or any human being. Oh, just so you know, that principal couldn’t have been more wrong. If he truly knew his students, he would’ve known I was an Honor Roll student that went on to take all Honor’s courses in high school. And I was straight edge, sXe. 

These traits have helped make me the leader I am. I’m thankful for my past, all the ups and downs. Some of these experiences left me confused and depressed at times, but now I see the light. Without them I wouldn’t be able to change the game, break the mold, and challenge the status quo.