Dr. Harry Alvis

  “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” — Mark Twain “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” — Alvin Toffler I know that the title of this post seems counterintuitive.  That statement alone conjures images of a weak-willed flip flopper who is easily manipulated.  Let me explain, convictions are NOT the enemy of growth.  In fact, they are extremely important.  They give us direction, purpose, and moral grounding.  ALL of which are necessary.  The danger arises when our convictions become immovable.  When we clutch them so tightly that new information, better evidence, or lived experiences are dismissed before they are truly considered.  When our convictions conflict with new information or experiences, we feel significant discomfort and we often resolve it by defending our conviction...

  "Create the life you want, and it may inspire others to do the same, even if their journey and destination look different."                                      - George Couros   There are no two ways about it, I'm old now.  How I look at the world has drastically changed.  As it should.  Our life experiences SHOULD change us.  Hopefully for the better.  I look at the person I was at the beginning of my 25 year career and I remember a very ambitious and hard working young man.  He was very ignorant (I could use the word "green" if I cared about sounding too harsh) about a lot of things and was hyper-focused on success.  I defined success then as proving I belonged in the education profession and that I brought value to the team.  I was a non-traditional teacher.  I did not have an education degree and my first day in front of students wa...

  " Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.  A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you."     - Shannon L. Adler   I was very fortunate this past school year to meet a man named Dr. Fran Murphy.  While the time I spent with him was brief, his knowledge, sharp mind, and passion for education made a lasting impression on me.  Sadly, I learned that he passed away less than two months of our paths crossing.  The following is an excerpt from his obituary: It's with heavy hearts and loving memories that we’ve just learned of Dr. Fran Murphy's passing. Fran wasn't just a teacher ... he was a life coach for the soul, armed with wit and wisdom and an endless repertoire of tales ... most of which were true.  Fran dedicated most of his life to education, shaping the lives of countless students, colleagues, and communities. He was a principal, school superintendent, and college professor and dean. Among his many ...

  “In life, you don’t rise to what you believe is possible.  You rise to what you believe you are worthy.”                      – Jamie Kern Lima   Students (and adults) who feel worthy excel both academically and personally.  Their sense of worth shapes their motivation, engagement, and resilience.  The feeling of worthiness directly influences how students perceive their capabilities and respond to challenges.  A student who feels valued and respected is more likely to: 1.  Participate Actively:  Confidence grows when students believe that their voice matters. 2. Persevere:  Feeling worthy equips students with the resilience to face difficulties without fear of failure 3. Embrace feedback/constructive criticism:  These become tools for growth when it comes from a trusted and affirming source. Conversely, a lack of self-worth can lead to disengagement, low academic achieve...

  I am fortunate to be the only Superintendent chosen to represent Arkansas in the Thompson Executive Leadership cohort 32.  As part of this esteemed group of educators, I had the privilege of travelling to Puerto Rico and touring a few of the public schools there. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life.  My heart was filled with pride, hope, and joy while we watched passionate educators practice their craft in conditions that would be considered unacceptable here in the states. 1. School buildings were 107 years old. 2. No air conditioning.  (The library was the only room on campus with a window unit air conditioner).  Puerto Rico does not have seasons as we know them.  It is 85 degrees minimum every day of the year.  It was 88 degrees inside the classrooms on the day we visited. 3. No textbooks in classrooms.  IF there were textbooks, there were usually less than 10 and had to be checked out at the library.  4....

" Engagement is the product of motivation and active learning.  It is a product rather than a sum because it will not occur if either is missing.                                                - Elizabeth Barkley Student engagement/motivation is the holy grail of education.  Those educators that have found it seem to have abilities that border on superpowers.  Those that haven't reached that level are completely confounded on how to get there. The most common battle cry to increase student engagement is make it "real world!"  They will often make some sort of comment about how they make the problem or lesson about cell phones or some other superficial topic to get kids interested.  Inevitably, teacher frustration kicks in when there is no real change in student engagement.  This approach will eliminate the classic quest...

  "It isn't that they can't see the solution.  It is that they can't see the problem."                                                                            - Gilbert K. Chesterton Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Thompson Executive Leadership Institute.  During this training Dr. Thompson made a statement that made me reevaluate how I approach solving problems and how I engage with people whose help is essential to successfully navigating challenging situations.  He said, "sell the problem, not the solution." Most who choose administration as a career see themselves as problem solvers or "fixers."  Once we identify a problem, we work on solving it with tunnel vision level focus.  Most problems though, can't be solved by one person.  It takes a coor...