LM Sept.2017

“I am a big fan of Dean’s presentations, all of which help to put Canada on the map for innovative approaches to education and learning.” Melanie McBride

By Michael Chamness IASA Director of Communications Shareski:Cultureof joy hard tomeasure,but it’s important Culture can be a powerful force to help shape successful businesses, create championship programs and foster great learning environments. No less an expert at developing a winning culture than Alabama football coach Nick Saban, who has led the Crimson Tide to four national championships in the past decade, describes it this way: “It’s not the end result. Don’t think about winning the SEC Championship. Don’t think about

the national championship. Think about what you needed to do in this drill, on this play, in this moment…If you don’t get result-oriented with the kids, you can focus on the things in the process that are important to them being successful.” Dean Shareski believes that the process should include some fun. The keynote speaker who will cap the IASA 53rd Annual Conference on Friday (September 29), Shareski last year wrote the book “Embracing a Culture of Joy: How Educators Can Bring Joy to Their Classrooms Each Day.” In the introduction of his book, Shareski recalls participating with about 40 other educators in a 2011 retreat at a lake in northern Ontario. The primary topic of discussion for the weekend was what really matters in education. He writes: “As a student, I didn’t really like school, but I loved learning. I didn’t hate school; it was merely a rite of passage to adulthood. The idea that school should be a pleasurable experience was nonexistent. That’s not to say it was never fun—fun just wasn’t a priority. In some cases fun was seen as the antithesis to real learning.

If you don’t get result-oriented with the kids, you can focus on the things in the process that are important to

them being successful. —Alabama football coach Nick Saban

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