"Just a Dream?"

I was asked recently if the vision of all means all was just a dream – a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind; not reality.

I asked in response, “Why would you think that?”

“Do you think that all means all is achievable?” They asked.

As I pondered my response, I considered what drives me, what motivates me, what causes me to do this work.

Fundamentally, I must believe and behave in such a manner to make all means all more than a pithy statement, a political correct motto for our time.

If we don’t want all students to have access and opportunity to take full advantage, participate fully; to have choices for his or her life then what do we want?

If we don’t want all students to learn and achieve to high standards what do we want?

Which students should be successful and which ones shouldn’t be?

If equity and social justice don’t fuel our passions, our decisions, and our convictions, then what does?

Underpinning the “all means all” vision is a mindset, an attitude, and a perspective that require redefining accountability for ones’ commitments and actions. It requires being proactive not reactive. It requires moving beyond identifying, explaining, or justifying current reality to owning the reality irrespective of the circumstances or who or what created the reality. It requires moving beyond ownership to solving and implementing strategies to achieve improvement. It requires doing.

“All means all” requires choice. Shouldn’t each student, each individual have the choice to decide their career, level of education, and etc.?

To have choices requires that learners are equipped with the tools, skills, knowledge, and experience that at a minimum afford them options.

The ultimate expression of “all means all” is the response to each of the following:

“If you were accused of doing whatever it takes to ensure all students are successful, what evidence would be presented at your trial to convict you of such an allegation?”

Or

“If you were accused of having learning and behavior expectations – high expectations that ensure all students are successful, what evidence would be presented at your trial to convict you of such an allegation?”

Or

“If you were accused of never giving up or quitting on a student to ensure they are successful, what evidence would be presented at your trial to convict you of such an allegation?”

The allegations may seem trite. Yet, it is not the beliefs we espouse that matter – it is our action, our behavior.

Moreover, it is the evidence of our behaviors.

This is pretty heavy stuff at this time of the year. Yet, it is exactly this time of year we need to be reminded that testing and test scores are not an education. They are not the ultimate measure of teaching and learning.

Our beliefs matter, our behaviors matter more, the evidence of our beliefs and behaviors matter most.

The “all means all” vision includes a community that wraps its’ arms around each learner to ensure each learner has a clear choice to pursue his or her dreams.

If “all means all” is not your dream, your vision then what is?

If “whatever it takes” or high expectations for each learner or never giving up are not what you want to be accused of, what should be the allegation?

If creating the conditions that ensure each learner has a choice – an authentic choice is not why you are in this work, why are you?

Come to think of if, what drives your work?

What motivates you? Inspires you?

The “all means all” vision is achievable – it must be what drives the work – it is for me.