As I have stated in the past, the rise (and fall) of Elvis is an amazing story. Poor boy makes a big impact on the world. He changed music forever. He changed the movies. He changed TV. I wondered if Elvis looked at things and thought they were impossible. I wondered if Elvis ever thought he should put lid on his talents...if he shouldn't take risks. During his rise to fame, Elvis began traveling with what was called "The Memphis Mafia". This was a group of friends, cousins and associates who protected and traveled with Elvis. This was the inner circle of people he felt he could trust with his business. Begin a part of this inner circle meant gifts of trips, cars, and jewelry. Perhaps the most important piece of jewelry you received was a piece of "TCB" jewelry.
"Taking Care of Business in a Flash". "Taking Care of Business in a Flash". Long before his band in the 1970s was called TCB, Elvis used this saying as his personal motto. It meant so much to him, it became a symbol of trust he shared with his most loyal friends and confidants. This is not only a motto perfect for the King of Rock and Roll and his friends, but for all of us. If there is business to get done...get it done. Take care of that business with the upmost professionalism and care. Help those around you. When you see an extra hand being needed, reach it out. Help other take care of business. Don't hesitate. Jump in and do it. Never hesitate to "Take Care of Business". IT may mean taking a risk. It may mean stepping outside your comfort zone. But "Taking Care of Business" may mean changing the world and your classroom for the better.
Of course, I have to leave you with a little Elvis.
PS; Get ready... NBC will be airing a special in February to mark the 50th anniversary of the 68 Comeback Special. I am already thinking of how to relate that to teaching!
The new year brings amazement. For example: It seems strange to say "2019". 1999 was twenty years ago and 2020 is next year. WOW! It also brings a period of adjustment. For example: We will spend the next two months trying to change the 8 into a 9 when we write the year on anything. A new year bring new possibilities. But we often find ourselves facing the fear of adjustment. The fear of trying something new. The fear of stepping outside our comfort zone. We say no because we may fail. We say no because it may be hard. We often ask our students to do this every day and honestly, they struggle. We see rampant apathy. It seems too big or too much, so they begin not to care. How can we get them to care? How can we get to put in the effort to reach a goal? We must fall back onto what we have been told ourselves when we have a big task to tackle: Bite off one chunk. Don't aim for going to the gym every day during a week. Start with a small goal of once a week. Don't say you are going to read a book every month. Start with a small goal of reading for 10 minutes a day. We must encourage our students to do the same as they approach the new year. If you can find success in one area, doesn't that make you feel good? Doesn't it breed confidence? Doesn't it bring more success? Try it with yourself. Try it with our students. Here is a good article about apathy and students. https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article81668307.html
