Visible Listening: #ThePepperMindset in Action

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Every band has a template for the creative process. These are the pivotal steps taken to either remain inside or outside the proverbial box. Recording a song for a band can take on many approaches and the path is not always the same. For The Beatles, there was one step they often took along the way in their studio recording creation. It involved auditioning a new song in the studio to George Martin, their producer and sounding board.

There are many pictures documented of The Beatles pitching their song ideas to their producer. Early studio session photos usually depict George Martin perched on a stool with his head bowed down and his hands placed on his knees. He is arrayed in a crisply starched white dress shirt and an immaculately thin tie dangling in time to the music. John Lennon and Paul McCartney are standing on either side of George Martin. Their guitars are slung over their shoulders with voices harmonizing. George Harrison may be slightly off to the side picking out lead guitar riffs and studying the chord formations on John and Paul’s respective guitars. Ringo Starr is in the background listening intently to the lyrics and perhaps imagining how his future percussive beats will compliment the lyrics of “Another Lennon-McCartney Original.”

Producer Martin would listen intently to the tune and then provide direct feedback to the songwriters. His opinion was highly valued by the band and they at first viewed him as a kind of schoolteacher. He may have suggested an arrangement idea or technical suggestion. Perhaps, George Martin was looking for a teachable moment for the band to take them down a new path in songwriting and recording. Perhaps, he was tuning into an innovative and whimsical idea a songwriter suggested and looking to build upon it.

The Beatles had a gift of being open to the best idea regardless of who shared it. Martin’s direct and timely feedback coupled with the songwriting genius of The Beatles led each song to embark on a creative journey that would eventually impact generations of listeners. The collaboration of The Beatles and George Martin was always rooted in this first step of auditioning a song before recording. It began with the simple act of listening.

In starting my new assignment as principal at Lexington Middle School, I find myself taking a few pages from George Martin’s playbook as a leader, educator and collaborator. It is easy for a principal to leap into a school full of vigor and ideas in the name of change and innovation. I made a similar move in my first principal assignment. Thinking I was going to single-handedly save the school with the simple wave of a smile and a quote from a well-thumbed book on change leadership, I stumbled hard over my ego and stubbornness. I am still learning and striving to hit the same universal notes as The Beatles did.

For the first two weeks in the new school, I am making an intentional effort to practice what I call Visible Listening. This practice takes on many permutations, but the aim is still the same in service and support of kids, teachers and the school community. Visible Listening means visiting classrooms and engaging with students and teacher. It means sitting down and being open to learning more about the pulse of the school. Visible Listening means sitting down with each team member (whether they are a student, teacher or family member) and setting up time for an intentional conversation by asking three simple questions:

  • What is great about our school?
  • What do we need to work on together to grow our school?
  • How may I serve and support you as your principal/lead learner?

I imagine myself as George Martin sitting on that stool in Abbey Road Studios and the teachers are my Beatles. I am listening to their words and music. Looking for ways to learn more about our school. I am in tune with those teachable moments and hoping to share what I can with them. In turn, I am looking for those teachable moments so they may edify me about our school. We are sketching out plans to build a masterpiece for our students so that they may add to the tapestry of our school culture. We are building the blueprint for our students to create their own respective masterpieces.

During one of these chats with my some of my new bandmates, I noticed that I was talking too much. My excitement for our collaboration was droning on too long and I could sense that I was spiraling into that nonsensical “Charlie Brown Teacher Voice.” Stopping immediately, I asked them what their dreams were for our time together. The barometer of the conversation changed and we were able to learn more on building our collaboration to new heights. I am so happy that I took the time to stop my ramblings so that I could tune into the dreams of my colleagues.

Beatles Producer George Martin knew that active listening to The Beatles was a crucial element in the recording process. Tuning into his clients provided a necessary foundation for the band to create the timeless and universal songs that still inspire us today. His simple act of Visible Listening led to a world-changing musical canon.

The creative and collaborative focus that is The Pepper Mindset helped The Beatles build an innovative album which still challenges and motivates. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” could not have happened with dismissive or rushed listening. 50 years after its release, “Sgt. Pepper” still stands as a pinnacle of recording achievement.

Principals are called to practice Visible Listening in service and support of our students, teachers and families. Stopping for those intentional pauses and inviting those whom we serve into the collaborative marrow will lead to world-changing music in the schoolhouse. Visible Listening is a pivotal move in building The Pepper Mindset and we can adopt that same action to enact bold and creative innovations for our school communities. Visible Listening is one of many notes any educator can use to compose a majestic schoolhouse symphony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Looking Glass Ties” Principal George Martin

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“He was friendly, but schoolteacherly: we had to respect him, but at the same time he gave us the impression that he wasn’t stiff—that you could joke with him.”

-George Harrison on Producer George Martin from The Beatles Anthology

It all started with a necktie.

Aiming for a more grandiose angle, one could say that the trajectory of 20th Century Popular Music shifted due to an impish remark by a 19-year old George Harrison to Producer George Martin in June of 1962. George was a member of a little-known band from the North of London. This pop quartet had just concluded an audition for the EMI recording label.

George Martin was lecturing this young group about the recording studio standards. The various members of the band seemed to be inactive in their engagement with Mr. Martin. For many years, George Martin had established himself as a solid presence in the recording industry. He was head of the Parlophone label, a small eccentric subsidiary of the global record giant known as EMI. Martin was an impeccable professional with a classical music background. His Parlophone label was the home to comedy and variety recordings. One of the artists on that roster included the comedic genius of Peter Sellers.

As George Martin noticed his listless audience, he pressed pause on his lecture and gestured for the band to share if there was anything that they didn’t like about the proceedings.

Without missing a beat, Lead Guitarist George Harrison responded, “Yeah, I don’t like your tie.”

The ice was immediately lifted and the natural charm of the auditioning band shifted into high gear. Their natural humor and infectious camaraderie gave George Martin notice. Soon after, he signed this band to the Parlophone label. History is made. The Beatles become “the toppermost of the poppermost” in Europe. America is conquered two years after this audition. The world quickly becomes a global playground for Beatlemania.

Fast forward to February 1967. George Martin is standing on a conductor’s podium attempting to explain to a 40-piece orchestra how to achieve a “giant orgasm of sound” during the “Sgt. Pepper” sessions. The Beatles are gathered with family members, friends and associates for a celebratory recording session for their song entitled “A Day in the Life.”

George Martin’s relationship as producer for The Beatles had evolved from a directorial approach in 1962 to one of supportive collaborator. As The Beatles grew as songwriters and musicians during this short period of time, George Martin grew with them. He became an invaluable and literal sounding board for the band. Merging their imaginative ideas with his trained background in musical composition, scoring and studio recording proved to be a template for timeless recordings ranging from “Yesterday” to “In My Life” to “Tomorrow Never Knows.”

By early 1967, The Beatles had taken Pop Music through the audio looking glass with their many innovations in form and function of the traditional radio-generated hit. George Martin proved to be a necessary ingredient in the The Beatles approach to song. His ear was tuned in to their collective ideas and he proved to be a willing accomplice in their quest for innovation.

The Pepper Mindset is the full realization of this collaboration where The Beatles attempted to do something bold and different within the realm of what a Pop Album should be. George Martin’s production technique is a textbook example for all scholars and musicians of the 20th Century recording studio. Whether it was merging the Indian Raga sensibility of George Harrison for his “Within You Without You” or attempting to capture the smell of sawdust in John Lennon’s carnival jaunt of “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite,” George Martin became a Merlin providing his studio alchemy with his four King Arthurs.

As an educator and principal, I often look to George Martin for inspiration. I marvel at how he was able to collaborate with and build a foundation with a band that truly changed the course of Music. As an unabashed fan of The Beatles, I believe that Producer Martin had my dream job. When I find myself in those “times of trouble,” I often turn to Sir George Martin and ask myself the question, “What would George do?”

If George Martin was a school principal and The Beatles served as his faculty in the school known as Abbey Road Studios, what would George do as principal?

My guess is that Principal George Martin would be a sincere and positive presence for his teachers and students. He would be open to ideas and encourage his school to be a laboratory for big ideas. Perhaps, he would encourage his teachers to “think symphonically” when it came to designing lessons to engage students to be creative. His office door would be open to all but I don’t think you would see Mr. Martin dwelling in his office. Mr. Martin would be out and about visiting classrooms, coaching teachers and connecting with students to be creative thinkers. I see Principal Martin listening to and inviting crazy ideas to create a school culture where innovation is a mainstay. I see Mr. Martin have an artisan approach to his leadership having great pride in contributing to something positive in the schoolhouse.

A principal leads humbly with students and teachers at the center of their agenda. As he did with The Beatles, Martin was in tune with their musical gifts and encouraged them to soar to new heights as a band. Even when The Beatles rejected his suggestion for a sure-fire hit during their early days as a band, George Martin humbly stepped aside and accepted their original composition. Upon recording their alternative, George Martin announced to the band that they had their first #1 hit. George Martin’s prophecy turned out to be true when “Please Please Me” did do just that.

The Pepper Mindset is more than just studio trickery or throwing an ed tech tool in a classroom, hoping that changes student lives. Collaboration has to be nurtured and encouraged in an environment that is positive and inviting for creativity to ignite. George Martin was able to do that with his steady hand collaborating with The Beatles and igniting a revolution in Music. A school principal has to take on the role of lead learner and encourage the same moves in the schoolhouse for teachers in service and support of all kids.

Tuning into the possibility of ideas in the name of creativity made George Martin an effective producer and collaborative leader for The Beatles. School Principals are called to turn a similar dial on the studio mixing board that is the schoolhouse. Educators are faced with the glorious quest of bringing the 4Cs of Education (Collaboration, Creativity, Communication & Critical-Thinking) alive for our students.

Let’s take a page from George Martin’s inspiring musical score and lead the schoolhouse towards embracing The Pepper Mindset.

 

“May I Introduce to You?” What is The Pepper Mindset?

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Side 1

Imagine if EMI Recording Studios (later to be known as Abbey Road Studios) was a gallery where the sonic tapestries created by The Beatles there were mounted and framed for all to see. What images would we see displayed from the Sgt. Pepper Era? Perhaps, we would see Paul McCartney laying down the fluid and melodic bass tracks for “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Maybe, an image of George Harrison directing his guest Indian Musicians for the ethereal raga drone of “Within You, Without You.” John Lennon demoing on piano the surreal landscape of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” would make a beautifully framed portrait. The percussive answers of Ringo Starr locked in lyrical synchronicity of “A Day in the Life” with his drums providing well-timed responses to the ebb and flow of the song.

The image I prefer to envision is the band gathered around a battered piano in the cold, echoed confines of Studio 2. Producer George Martin is in a crisp, pressed dress shirt with a tie swaying in time to the chords being played on the piano. Our Fab Four, no longer in their “A Hard Day’s Night” suits and Beatle Boots, are moustached and wearing the paisley, crushed velvet of Carnaby Street. A knowing smile is exchanged by the band as they run through a rough tune entitled “In the Life Of.” This song pieced together from separate scraps written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney will serve as a shining example of the album’s majesty, timelessness and impact.

Proclaimed by many to be the band’s most revolutionary era in their recording oeuvre, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band takes the template of Pop Music and smashes its established standards against a day-glo wall of rebellion. The album stands as a paradigm shift for expression in Music. After its June 1, 1967 release date, bands will forever embrace or avoid comparisons to this album. The words “masterpiece,” “psychedelic,” and “concept album” are freely associated with the “Sgt. Pepper” album.

Books, tributes and documentaries fill the space of Sgt. Pepper. It is an album that is often met with a pious pause like Excalibur being pulled from the stone.

Esteemed Beatles Authors have explored all kinds of interesting permutations of this “little band from Liverpool.” Upcoming guests on the radio version of The Pepper Mindset, Jim Berkenstadt and Donovan Day have mined fresh perspectives on The Beatles with their respective books. The Beatles impact is far-reaching and their studio work still challenges and inspires today as we have seen with the fresh takes provided by these two authors.

The studio innovations embedded within the album have served as the basis for analysis and discussion. The dated trappings of the Summer of Love are aligned with the release of the album. The final haunting chord of “A Day in the Life” or the album’s groundbreaking gatefold cover are freely referenced by Beatles fans and scholars alike. What I believe is often missed in the equation of Sgt.Pepper is this culture of creativity, collaboration and innovation evident within the band. I call this The Pepper Mindset. The Beatles harnessed this mindset with the need to do something different with their recorded work. The band was intentional in this progression and very much aware of the studio production race that was happening with prime movers like Brian Wilson, Phil Spector and Berry Gordy.

The Pepper Mindset fueled experimentation within the studio during the recording of their masterpiece. Their collaboration pushed and nudged them to collective new heights and allowed them to embrace risk-taking moves like adding comb and tissue paper on songs like “Lovely Rita” or adding a forty-one piece orchestra to play what producer George Martin called  “a giant orgasm of sound” for “A Day in the Life.”

Side 2

Imagine visiting a 7th Grade Math Class filled with a diverse group of learners. Their Math Teacher is co-teaching a lesson with the Library Media Specialist. They have decided to take a Problem-Based Learning Approach to a particular lesson. Students are working in collaborative groups in the school library’s Makerspace. Each group is inspired to provide a creative solution to a complex real-world problem involving application of statistics, probability and computation. They are creating meaning and visualizing their learning. The teachers have established a culture that is positive and inviting for all learners.

The 4Cs of Education (Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking) are alive and happening in real-time as students are pushing their thinking with intentional purpose. This is not a traditional classroom where students are aligned in rows and the teacher is lecturing. The Makerspace has the feel of Studio 2 circa 1967 at EMI Recording Studios. (For more on Makerspace, be sure to check out Laura Fleming’s dynamic and invaluable website: Worlds of Learning.)

The Pepper Mindset is resonating in dynamic actions among the students in the schoolhouse. Students are creating their own masterpiece with differentiated support and encouragement from their teachers. Everyone is included and inspired to innovate. It is almost as if you can hear The Beatles and George Martin nodding in approval at the creativity taking place in the classroom.

What if schools embraced The Pepper Mindset in service and support of all kids? Where would the schoolhouse head if we continue to push to embrace this mindset? What if teachers embraced the collaborative spirit as The Beatles did in creating their 1967 album masterpiece? As The Beatles shifted the landscape to change world with their music, schoolhouses are encouraged to do the same. Our students have so much to offer and with a dash of The Pepper Mindset we just might change the world.

Tune in for the companion radio series for #ThePepperMindset starting May 3rd at 5pm CDT/6pm EDT. I am co-hosting with Author Lanea Stagg of Recipe Records. We have authors Jim Berkenstadt and Donovan Day joining us. The radio series is found at the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/recipe-records-cookbook/2017/05/03/the-pepper-mindset

A very splendid “Fab” thanks to Nicole Michael of 910 Public Relations for support, encouragement and gear organization! I am so grateful you caught the bus for my “Magical Mystery Tour” Tweets on Boxing Day.

 

“A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed for All!” An Overture to The Pepper Mindset

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When I was I kid, I had heard the rumors and hype behind the “Paul-Is-Dead” Urban Legend. This is the Beatles Parlor Game where Paul McCartney died tragically in a car accident and the surviving Beatles hired a replacement who looked and sounded like Paul McCartney. They had supposedly supplied all kinds of clues buried in album covers and backward song message alerting the fans to this mystery. It’s a fun and silly game to play.

I remember scouring the back album cover of the “Sgt. Pepper” album looking for “Paul-Is-Dead” Clues and I came across in the bottom right hand corner a randomly placed lyric from one of the album’s tracks: “A splendid time is guaranteed for all.” It didn’t make sense to me because the back cover of the “Sgt. Pepper” album displays all of the song lyrics. This particular lyric from “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” is already listed within the sequence of the album’s words. I never understood why it was there. Perhaps, it was a message from The Beatles to their listeners about the joy and creativity that was embedded within the tracks of their audio masterpiece.

“A splendid time is guaranteed for all” is a suitable opening into The Pepper Mindset. This upcoming project is a five-part blog and radio series not only commemorating the 50th Anniversary release of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles, but also a celebration of the innovative spirit of the band that created this album and how it connects to the schoolhouse today.

The Beatles recorded this album within an atmosphere of creativity, collaboration, risk-taking and positivity. This mindset for innovation truly made a significant impact on cultural and music history. “Sgt. Pepper” is synonymous with being a milestone for creativity. It is the innovative barometer that still resonates today for artists in any medium. Repeated listenings of the album still serve as sonic catalysts for inspiration, creativity and challenge.

What I refer to as “The Pepper Mindset” can also apply to the schoolhouse. The Pepper Mindset is the highly collaborative movement of innovative expression established by The Beatles during the recording of what many consider to be the greatest album of all time. The impact of The Pepper Mindset is resonating in schoolhouses all over our globe. We will bring attention to the connections between The Beatles influential collaboration and the inspiring things happening in the schoolhouse in service and support of kids.

As an educator/principal and unabashed fan of The Beatles, I believe The Pepper Mindset is common ground ripe for exploration and discussion. The connections between The Beatles approach to recording music and the 4Cs of Education (Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking) possess a similar synergy.

In collaboration with Nicole Michael of 910 Public Relations and Lanea Stagg of Recipe Records, The Pepper Mindset will begin officially on May 3rd as five-part radio series with companion blog posts written by yours truly.

Here’s the link to the radio broadcasts: The Pepper Mindset. Our radio world premier is May 3rd at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern Times. If you miss a live broadcast, then you will be able to catch the archive at the link.

We are truly honored to have some prominent Beatle authors and scholars guest on these broadcasts. Here’s a rundown of the shows:

  • May 3-“May I Introduce to You” What Is the Pepper Mindset? with Jim Berkenestadt/Donovan Day
  • May 10: “Looking Glass Ties” Headmaster George Martin with Ken Womack
  • May 17: “I’m Changing My Scene” Escape from Candlestick Park with Jude Kessler/Marti Edwards
  • May 24: “When You’ve Seen Beyond Yourself”-Global Connections with Aaron Krerowicz/Terri Whitney
  • May 31: “We Hope You Have Enjoyed the Show”-Making Your Masterpiece with Ed Chapman/Jude Kessler

The Pepper Mindset hopes to be “A splendid time guaranteed for all!” All are invited to sit in with Sgt. Pepper’s Band and enjoy the show.

Be sure to follow #ThePepperMindset and #SgtPepper50 hashtags on Twitter.

“I Thought It Was You Three!”-Adding Praise and Thanks in the Schoolhouse

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My favorite track on the 1968 eponymous album by The Beatles (now affectionately known as “The White Album” due to its blanched jacket cover) is “Dear Prudence.” It is a haunting song written during the band’s sojourn in India studying Transcendental Meditation. The song has so many incredible elements embedded within it ranging from John Lennon’s emphatic vocal performance, Paul McCartney’s supportive, melodic bass lines and George Harrison searing bursts of lead guitar. The song is buttressed by a firm backbeat performed by Paul McCartney.

Wait…Paul McCartney on drums? Where’s Ringo?

He had walked away from the band.

Believing that his percussion skills were not making an impactful contribution to the band, Ringo Starr had decided to leave the band. Adding to this sudden break was the fact that Ringo was feeling like he did not belong in the band. Ringo assumed that John, Paul and George had formed a closer alliance and he was tagging along as an uninvited outsider.

Ringo decided to announce his decision to leave The Beatles individually to each member of the band. His first visit was to John. Ringo framed his decision around the fact that he felt his drumming was sub par and the other three had formed a stronger bond without him included in the mix. John’s response to his band mate was “I thought it was you three!”

The next stop was to Paul. Ringo shared the exact same sentiment about leaving that he had shared with John. Without missing a beat, Paul’s response to Ringo was identical to John’s, “I thought it was you three!”

Perhaps, fed up by the identical responses, Ringo did not bother to venture to George’s.

The band carried on without Ringo during “The White Album” Sessions. Two songs were recorded with Paul filling in on drums. Feeling musically bereft without their musical brother, telegrams of praise were sent to Ringo asking him to “come home.”

Convinced that the band truly did love him, Ringo returned to Abbey Road Studios to rejoin The Beatles and finish recording “The White Album.” Upon his arrival to the studio, Ringo was greeted with his drum kit bedecked in flowers. The band retreated to a smaller studio space to record “Yer Blues,” a raw bluesy number, with the four of them locking musical arms together.

Taking intentional time to praise and thank the ones we love is a necessary stop along our collective journeys in life. The schoolhouse must be a platform for praise and gratitude when it comes to connecting with our students, educator colleagues and families. As an educator, I have felt those “Ringo White Album Moments of Despair.” I have been through moments where I don’t know if my work as an educator is making a ripple of resonance. I also know that I have been wordless when it comes to contributing to those positive nods and words to the faces I encounter in the schoolhouse.

I learned for the first principal I served as an assistant principal the value of putting praise into action through visible and audible words of praise. Mrs. Brooks would draft a weekly memo for the staff where she made a point to thank specific individuals for a job well done. Her time in the hallways and classrooms was always filtered with audible words of gratitude and encouragement for students, teachers and staff members. This lesson made such a tremendous impact on my personal and professional life. Seeing students Mrs. Brooks transform someone’s day with a handwritten personal note or word of thanks resonated in a way that uplifted the culture of our schoolhouse.

Applying the lesson of gratitude to our daily steps in the schoolhouse is transformational for school culture. We do have remember that praise has to come from a sincere place when it comes to serving our students and each other in the schoolhouse. Praise cannot be automated and has to be tied to specific actions. It rolls even better when that praise is tied to the vision and mission of the schoolhouse.

There are many tunes to the add to the set list of praise in schoolhouse. Transform someone’s day and add value to the schoolhouse with some of these examples:

  • A handwritten note of praise and thanks
  • Create a daily or weekly blog devoted to schoolhouse heroes
  • Join in the positive Twitter shout out hashtags like #CelebrateMonday or #JoyfulLeaders and tweet out the positives in your schoolhouse community.
  • A simple word in person to someone.
  • Create your own school hashtag intended solely for the purpose of promoting the positives in your schoolhouse.
  • Flip a faculty meeting or classroom activity into a time for unabashed praise

We have all been in the role of Ringo during those early “White Album” Sessions. We feel that our own beat is off and that we are standing outside an established camaraderie. Some of our students walk along this lonely path as well. Our role as educators is to model this sincere outreach. We cannot take our positive impact for granted. It is indeed important to take intentional pause for sincere praise for each other as we serve and support students in our noble profession.

Let’s add Praise and Thanks to our set list in the schoolhouse.

The Inner Groove: Getting Back to Our Childhood

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The Child is the father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

–from “My Heart Leaps Up” by William Wordsworth (1807)

There is wonderful whimsical moment at the very end of the “Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band” by The Beatles. Following the apocalyptic ending of the album’s final song known as “A Day in the Life” (depending on what album version you own) a brief burst of The Beatles and some of their associates break into a spontaneous cacophony of gibberish.

I first heard this snippet on the now out of print compilation titled “The Beatles Rarities.” These two seconds are labeled on that particular album as  “Sgt. Pepper Inner Groove.” There was a rather mischievous intention behind this gibberish. If you had a record player in 1967 without an automatic stylus, then the needle would play infinitely until you had to manually remove it from the record. The two-second gibberish on “Sgt. Pepper” could conceivably play for eternity on a non-automated record player.

As a kid, I would place my ear up to my little cassette player speaker (I had the tape version.) and try to figure what nuttiness was being said. I could never figure it out but I always enjoyed that snippet after resonating crescendo of “A Day in the Life.” It was audio equivalent of a breath of fresh air.  (Sidenote: The Beatles also added a dog whistle as well at the end of the album. Only your friendly neighborhood canines can hear that whistle, but that’s another story for another time.)

The “Sgt. Pepper Inner Groove” mishmash following “A Day in the Life” is a powerful reminder and fascinating contrast to explore. The Beatles were very aware that they were creating a masterpiece with this particular album. The album was a calculated risk recorded by band wanting to push the boundaries of musical expression. It is filled with experimental sounds, avant-garde flavorings, Eastern-tinged instrumentation, orchestral flourishes and poetic lyrics. I always thought this particular gibberish was a reminder by the band not take one’s self seriously. It is if The Beatles are saying, “Yeah, we made this grand artistic statement, but we are still a bunch of blokes from Liverpool.”

The brief blast of Jabberwocky sounds childlike and in a way connects back to the original concept for the “Sgt. Pepper” Album.

Two of the greatest songs recorded by The Beatles were originally intended for the “Sgt. Pepper” album. “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” were tracks based on real-life places in the native Liverpool of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s life. Both songs were written for an album that was originally intended to be a celebration of the band’s childhood past. It is interesting to note that these songs rooted in nostalgic retrospection are two of the most progressive and innovative pieces of music The Beatles recorded. The concept of an album as ode to their Liverpudllian childhood stalled when the record company needed songs for the then-popular singles market and radio airplay.

Childhood nostalgia is the fuel for some of the great works of art, music, film and literature. As a former English Teacher, I loved bringing in a song like “Penny Lane” to reinforce the beauty of nostalgia in a poem like “Fern Hill” by Dylan Thomas.

Our noble profession as educators is filled with moments of bliss, challenge and grit. The schoolhouse is a place where childhood intersects with standards, compliance and policies. Sometimes, we default to the rigidity rather than valuing what we are called as educator do. The call is rooted in a support of the social and emotional well-being of the Whole Child. As an educator, I know all too well the realities burdening our noble profession. I am not calling for us to stop the bell schedule for a collective cry of gibberish like The Beatles did with “Sgt. Pepper Inner Groove.” Perhaps, we do need to tune into our own “Inner Groove” of remembering our childhood as we support and serve our students in the schoolhouse.

Collaborating with students and supporting their creative voices is steps towards tuning into that “Inner Groove.” Celebrating Monday (#CelebrateMonday), committing Random Acts of Kindness, exploring in a Makerspace are ways to promote the Whole Child by establishing a culture that is positive and inviting. These examples are planned with consideration for the unique needs and extraordinary gifts of our children. We have been entrusted as educators with the center of someone’s universe. We must not forget that our students bring inspiring wonder and gifts to our respective schoolhouse communities.

Tapping into the nostalgia of childhood helped to fuel a world-changing album by The Beatles. Following along the Inner Groove of our childhood as educators can spark waves of creative possibility in the schoolhouse.

Carving out “Here Comes the Sun” Space

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Before we go any further, I want to proclaim that I am not in favor of skipping school. As a school leader, it is not my desire for this blog post to serve as a blank check for students and educators to pull a “Ferris Bueller” and to romp off the grid abandoning all semblance of responsibility.

There is a time and place for whimsical notions to transpire and we do have to give ourselves permission for the occasional escape. In the last couple of years, I learned about the concept of Whitespace from some educators I connect with on Twitter and Voxer. This is intentional time taken out of the scope and sequence of a packed day for reflection, relaxation or escape.

As a recovering workaholic principal, I was so uplifted by this idea. I knew that I needed a gut check for balance in my life between the home and the schoolhouse. Knowing that I needed training wheels to make this happen, I asked our school secretary to hold me accountable. She had access to my calendar, so she plugged in times for me take some intentional intervals of time away from the grind of the Principal’s Office to recharge. Since I am an unabashed fan of The Beatles, she titled it “White Album” Space as nod their classic 1968 double album.

If George Harrison was principal, then his secretary may have titled scheduled Whitespace as “Here Comes the Sun” Space.

“Here Comes the Sun” was written on a beautiful afternoon in an English Garden circa 1969. This oft-covered and referenced gem from the final studio album of The Beatles was written by Harrison during a business meeting he skipped. The prospect of taking time away outweighed the need to be at ponderous meeting. It just so happens that George’s hookey sidebar was spent in the English Garden of a “little known” guitarist named Eric Clapton. Mr. Clapton just so happened to have an acoustic guitar handy for his pal George.  A timeless classic was created for the soundtrack of our lives. “Here Comes the Sun” has been covered by bands and played at weddings. The song has found it way on any one of my playlists or mix tapes over the years.

I cherish “Here Comes the Sun.” It’s my #OneSong for 2017. The tune is one of my go-to anthems for hope. It is a salve that uplifts and inspires each time I listen. There are so many cool moments embedded within that song from George and Paul’s harmonies, Ringo’s shifting time signature drum fills and those hand claps during the bridge. Those supreme hand claps always speak to me as a call to embrace the eternal promise beyond the horizon.

An intentional move to gather time for renewal can stir inspiration in the most unexpected of ways. Educators are a dedicated bunch and we sometimes default to binding our moves to calendars, meetings and pacing guides. I have been guilty of forsaking balance and meaningful time with family in order to meet that district deadline or network at a ponderous meeting. Allowing ourselves the time to break away for from the grind is essential for our well-being. There are so many simple ways to accomplish it from changing up the routines of your day:

  • Ask a colleague about the last movie she or he saw.
  • Sharing with students what’s on your playlist and ask about theirs.
  • Spend time with a favorite song or quote from a life-changing book.
  • Follow a few tweets from a inspiring hashtag on Twitter like #JoyfulLeaders or #CollaborativePD.
  • Create something new!
  • Spend a few minutes savoring the silence of your thoughts.

Finding that time can be challenging. Those “other duties as assigned” in the schoolhouse pull on us relentlessly.  We at times lose sight of what is sincere and meaningful for our noble profession. As educators dedicated to the quest of serving and supporting all students, carving out “Here Comes the Sun” Space is a necessary track upon which we must move. Perhaps taking that time may lead to the creation of a timeless and universal song like George Harrison’s?

 

Making the Impossible Possible: A Beatles Reunion in the Schoolhouse

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It just so happens that I was born on the day and in the year that The Beatles released their final studio album. The “Let It Be” Album stands as my favorite Beatles album for many reasons. The fact that I share a birthday with the final bow of The Beatles as a band in their lifetime makes it even more poignant.

The dissolution of The Beatles in 1970 was a cultural event and it made global headlines. Their break-up was the result of many reasons from financial to personal. They had simply outgrown each other and were ready to forge individual paths. The break-up was very public and bitter. For the next ten years, John, Paul, George and Ringo were hounded and pressured to reunite. There were a few close calls for a reunion but all of that reunion speculation came to an end when John Lennon was murdered in 1980.

Surprisingly in 1994, the surviving Beatles reunited in the studio for “The Beatles Anthology,” a documentary they were producing on the history of the band. Putting aside years of acrimony and bitterness, they reunited and recorded two brand-new songs.

Somehow the Impossible was made Possible because not only did the three surviving Beatles reunite they were also able to include John Lennon in the event.

Taking two rough demos John Lennon recorded before his death,  the newly reformed Beatles added music, lyrics and vocals. The songs are entitled “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love.” Both songs were worldwide hits and received Grammy Awards. It was quite an innovative practice and it was arduous in terms of the technical and musical demands of the reunion project. Somehow the world got a Beatles Reunion amidst seemingly impossible odds.

I share this anecdote not as a proud music geek, but as someone who works in a school where we embrace the Impossible. Ours is a school where we proudly register students who have been retained at some point in their academic year. My school is seen as a haven for students who want a smaller class size and a caring teacher. The school where I am the proud Lead Learner is cast on a list of Title I Schools with poor achievement test scores. Despite all of those negative odds, ours is the school that exceeds achievement growth, possesses one of the highest increases in our district’s graduation rate and overpowered our $500, 000 college scholarship goal to almost $900, 000. Most importantly, the students at the school where I stand proudly as a servant-principal feel connected, safe and loved. In a way, I feel as if I am working with The Beatles. I believe that our school will exit Title I Priority School Status and stand as a true testament to an authentic turnaround.

Daily I strive to overcome the Impossible just like the surviving Beatles did with that battered, hiss-filled cassette of an unfinished John Lennon song. I am nowhere near the musical talent of The Beatles and what they accomplished with those 1994 Reunion Sessions.

How might we embrace the Impossible collectively as educators? Sometimes there is a negative default to those who stare the Impossible down and pursue seemingly absurd quests in the service of students. This mindset is sadly evident in our noble profession as educators. There are daily stories of #EduHeroes in schools everywhere overpowering the Impossible and creating a new paradigm of possibilities for our kids. We have to spread the sparks of those #EduHeroic Stories from the rooftops within social media venues and beyond. We have to value each victory over the Impossible in the schoolhouse as we did with The Beatles Reunion of 1994.

There are many variables to plug into as exemplars of the Impossible in the Schoolhouse. I invite the conversation to address and define them. Our challenge as educators is not to give permission for the Impossible to flourish. We do give too much power to the Impossible. Sometimes we have to take the time to recognize that the Impossible has morphed into the Possible. Taking stock of those examples such as The Beatles reuniting can spark inspiration into action.