Getting 'fishy'

Students, teachers buy into motivational program

By Carol Rolf

LITTLE ROCK — Something's fishy at Greenbrier Junior High School.

Principal Aimee Dyson heard about the Fish! philosophy and motivational program based on observances of employees at Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, Wash., and how much they seemed to enjoy their work, despite being in a smelly fish market. She wondered how that philosophy would work at her school.

"I introduced it to the teachers last year," Dyson said "I wanted them to learn the principles and apply them to themselves before we introduced them to the students.

"We had a different feeling in the building last year," she said. "The teachers seemed to be working together, playing together, helping each other out more than they had in the past.

"This year, we're getting the students involved," she said.

The Fish! philosophy is explained in the book, Fish: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results, written by Stephen C. Ludin, Harry Paul and John Christensen.

The philosophy is based on four principles:

◊Play.

◊Make their day.

◊Be there.

◊Choose your attitude.

"Using these principles will help us make the school a better place for our employees as well as our students," Dyson said. "We don't want our kids coming into a place where they can't be happy."

"We have great teachers here," Dyson said. "These are easy things to apply. We want to recognize people who are doing great things."

Pamela Nacke, family and consumer science teacher at the junior high school, said the Fish! philosophy is a "morale-booster.

"Sometimes we dread work and coming to school," she said. "I've bought into this philosophy; it's a good thing, not a negative thing.

"I think it will create student interest," she said. "It allows us as teachers to present materials in a way to interest them.

"This generation of students, and those to come, are so technology savvy," Nacke said. "We are going to have to motivate them by doing different things."

Rebekah Bilderback teaches civics and social studies at the school. She is also the Student Council sponsor.

"I had not hear about it (Fish!) until last year," she said. "This year, we've put up displays, made a fish wall, and during the first few weeks of school, before we introduced it to the students, it was already creating interest and questions among the students. They've already been asking me, 'What is this?'"

"School doesn't have to be boring," Bilderback said. "We can do different things. School can be fun. Learning and playing and being there for each other is a good thing."

Bilderback said the Fish! philosophy has "spilled into my personal life, too.

"I have kids, and I've learned from this that I don't have to be snappy with them.

"You can choose your attitude both at home and at school," she said. ""You can come to school with the attitude that 'it stinks.' Or you can come here and choose to make it the best day of your life."

Stephanie Corder, art teacher, said she had "no idea about it (Fish)" until last year. Now, she hopes to use the four principles in the way she teaches art.

"In all of our classrooms, we want to make them as comfortable as we can," Corder said. "We want to make the rooms feel cozy and warm. By creating a good atmosphere, the students can learn better."

"We're in it together," said Bilderback in summation. "We can do it. We can succeed. Learning can be fun."

River Valley Ozark, Pages 75 on 10/02/2008