It has been quite awhile since I have written and there is a reason. I have felt like in this crazy space we are all in, my voice didn't matter. Why? Because I am not in the trenches with teachers and students right now. Honestly, it was Imposter Syndrome. Who am I to say anything about the state of our education, when I am not on the front line? When I am behind the scenes? Who wants to hear from someone on "the dark side" when everyone is feeling the darkness. Suffering and just surviving? And it has been killing me. So I have finally been compelled to write. Here goes... I am not going to sit here and write about what it must be like for you in the classroom right now. I am not going to sit here and write about what it must be like to be in your shoes right now. Why? Because I have no right. I am not living your life in this time of chaos. What I am choosing to write about is what I have observed from where I am. I am choosing to call out the #brightspots and hopefully encourage you to take a beat and reflect on yours. During the Spring shut down, it was all hands on deck in our department. One thing that meant was, we were completely open to support teachers in whatever they needed, whether it was our "role" or not. Myself and my team spent most of our time in our "office hours". One #brightspot for me, was that I was able to meet, connect and support so many of our teachers. I would have never had the chance to meet them otherwise, in my role in this extremely large district. And here is the thing. I was new. Not even in the position for a full year. So, I was so humbled when teachers felt they could come to me. They didn't know me. They may have spent a few days in PD with me, but beyond that, I was an unknown. The mere fact that they were coming to me, clued me in on where they were and how they were feeling. As I wrote in my last blog post "You Are Doing It", many began with apologies or self deprecation. There was a sense of failure, disappointment and judgement of themselves. BUT, they were doing it! I met with many weekly, some daily...mostly to get them comfortable with the technology and support them to best meet the needs of their students. But many times it was just a place for me to listen. And I haven’t stopped listening, watching and learning. Here we are "mid-year" and those office hours are no longer needed. Why? Because you are doing it! But sadly, many just aren't seeing it. I still hear so many teachers feeling like they are failing their students. And it BREAKS MY HEART. I wish you all could just see what I see. This is perpetuated by the constant nagging notion that "The students are BEHIND!". And my question is...behind who? Last time I checked, this is a global pandemic. Last time I checked, we are all living through this collective trauma. Glennon Doyle talks about the word "crisis" meaning "to sift". What happens during a crisis is that we sift through everything. Many things funnel out and what rises to the top is what matters and what we should focus on. What has risen to the top during this pandemic is the need for emotional and mental well being. And I'm talking about for ALL. Teachers, families, students. Part of that is trying to dig through the darkness and look for those #brightspots. When you go into the day looking for them, you will find them. When you are in the eye of the storm, it is difficult to see beyond the darkness to the light. So I want to be that mirror to shine your light back to you. I wish you all could just see what I see. You may just miss them, if you aren't looking for them: Did you “hear” from a student that has been silent all year? Do your students share their thoughts and feelings with you? Did a task spark a light in someone? Did someone smile today? Did a student share a book they are reading? Did you get to hear/see inside a student’s head via a technology tool? Did you hear the sound of giggling? Did a student write you a story that wasn’t assigned? Did someone draw you a picture? Did someone say “Thank You” for all of your time and effort? Did you finally see a face that has been hidden? Did a shy student type a response in the chat? THOSE are the things I want you to focus on! THOSE are the #brightspots. Did any of them have to do with academics? Do they have to? Students (and adults) need to feel seen, heard and valued in order to learn and grow. That is hopefully what this crisis has sifted to the top. Last week, I was honored to be able to join a third grade class to watch a play that they were putting on for their families, via Google Meets. This was a teacher that I worked with extensively during the Spring shutdown. She began (and still does) every interaction with me with “I am not tech savvy”. BUT she is doing it! I sat in that “classroom” with a grin from ear to ear. Not only because she was so comfortable and rocking the tech...it was so much more. I joined the class about 15 minutes before the play and here is what I saw. FACES. SMILES. EXCITEMENT. The students told me that they have become better readers from practicing the play (insert fluency practice :). I asked them about what they were reading and they jumped at the chance to show me their independent reading books. This wasn’t about scores, numbers or percentages. The data I gathered in that 15 minutes was that these students felt connected and cared for. They felt comfortable and confident. And the by-product was that, in fact, their reading volume and levels have increased. And I can bet that the teacher wasn’t able to see the success that I witnessed in that short amount of time. I of course let her know, because anyone that knows me knows that this is a quote that I live by: "Butterflies can't see their wings. They can't see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that too." So I just wanted to tell you all how beautiful you are, because you may not be able to see it for yourself. These are just some of the other #brightspots I have witnessed: - teacher - student connection like never before - a focus on students over curriculum -teachers trying new and innovative ways to interact, connect and teach -teachers collaborating across sites, levels, subjects, schools (the country) -teachers joining optional "co-labs" (non agenda, on-demand PD/Collaboration) -Administrators providing PD during staff meetings -Teachers FULLY engaged in PD AFTER the teaching day -Teachers being agile and willing to #failforward in trying new things -The education community sharing widely and freely via Social Media -Teachers forming groups of support on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter -Kids thriving, students making gains -Educators offering free PD -sharing of ideas, materials, support And the list goes on and on. I can not fathom the frustration, the exhaustion, the heartache you are all going through. But within that, I hope that you see the difference you are making. The #brightspot that is you. My call to action is this: Take this time off to take a breath and reflect. Reflect on only the good. Find those #brightspots because they are there. And share them. Our stories connect us and we need connection now more than ever. Use #brightspots on Twitter and tag me.
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Mother, Teacher, Administrator, Presenter, GCE Level 1 & 2, Encourager of others.
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February 2023
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