Elmsford Educators "Sharpen their Saws"

Teaching staff at Alexander Hamilton Jr./Sr. High School spent part of an afternoon Dec. 6 engaged in “Sharpen the Saw” activities, the final tenet in Stephen R. Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”

For them, that meant practicing yoga, playing basketball, coloring, hip-hop, line-dancing, and jogging.

“It gives us some time to do something together other than sit in meetings and talk about only one thing,” music director Rob Jacoby said while taking a break from a basketball game.

Superintendent Dr. Marc Baiocco, who also played basketball, first introduced the “Seven Habits” philosophy as principal of the high school eight years ago. The goals are to promote teachers’ and students’ social and emotional well-being and leadership development. He has implemented it districtwide this year.

“Our Sharpen the Saw professional development provided teachers district-wide with an opportunity to focus on their mind, body and spirit while sharing the experience with their colleagues,” said Dr. Baiocco.

“In addition, the time together allowed us to work as a team and build camaraderie.”

Mr. Jacoby and math teacher Matt Simon said teachers and students at AHHS bought into the “Seven Habits” a long time ago. Both men appreciate the “Sharpen the Saw” habit, which advises people to have “a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual.”

“It’s a big stress relief,” said Mr. Simon. “It allows us to not be in our teacher clothes for a little bit of time.”

About a dozen staff members spent the 70-minute session in the art room.

Several tore out pages from a mandala coloring book and got to work.

“Sharpen the Saw” means doing whatever is necessary to take care of yourself and your mental health, special education teacher Stacey Benke said.

AHHS faculty started by studying the “Seven Habits,” and their work has expanded to sitting on committees that focus on service and learning opportunities, community outreach, and the social and emotional needs of students and families.

“I find a lot of benefit from it,” Ms. Benke said. “I also use it in my teaching in regards to kids thinking about the future.”

Math teacher Laurie Abbate led co-workers in the “Bikers Shuffle,” “Wobble” and other line dances. “Walk it to your right, move it on up, move it on up,” she said as the staff members followed along with a video. “Walk it to your left. Move it on back, move it on back.”

“I think this is great because everybody should take time to take care of themselves,” Ms. Abbate said.

Bettina Spargo, who teaches seventh-grade English language arts, showed co-workers a series of yoga poses and stretches. The blinds were down in the room, the scent of lemongrass wafted out of a diffuser, and music played softly in the background.

Assistant Principal Dr. Andrea Hamilton, who was one of the yoga “students,” said the “Sharpen the Saw” activities help staff members physically and emotionally because they are encouraged to engage in activities they love.

Ms. Spargo said taking time out of the day to do things like yoga and meditative breathing “will make us more productive and love our jobs more.” She does yoga and other exercises every day; they are a big part of her life.

“We get to share that with each other, where we don’t usually get to do things together,” she said.