Relationships Part 1

“No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.”  -Dr. James Comer

Teachers

We doubt ourselves, our professional worth, and societal value because we are constantly being judged by administrators, parents, colleagues, the media, and our students. These judgments make us feel as though what we are doing is always wrong.

Consider this…

A recent post that a teacher wrote about school supplies has been going around Facebook. This teacher shared a story about running into some of the families in his class doing their back to school shopping. His cart was full of supplies for the students in his classroom. A parent confronted him with the supply list and as her children watched, complained about having to buy so many things, oblivious to the fact that his cart was full of these same supplies. As the teacher went through the checkout lane and paid for his supplies, the family in front of him turned around, noticed his purchases and commented that he must be a teacher. This parent, with child watching, thanked the teacher for his important work and handed him a gift card. Reflecting on this later, the teacher realized how differently the children of those two families will think about school and education, based on the interactions their parents had with him. One child may think about the importance of investing in education and supporting the work of teachers. The other may think of school as a chore, as supplies to be crossed off a list, and question the value of teachers and education.

What does the teacher do to overcome the differing attitudes toward education as he or she begins to create the new year’s classroom culture of positive relationships?

Students

It’s a new school year. Each individual student has a different reaction to this annual rite. For some it’s about school supplies, new clothes, and a happy reunion with old friends. For others it’s the beginning of a new charade, when they again work to hide their realities at home (homelessness, poverty, violence) and be someone else at school. Still others come with apathy toward school which can result in conflict at school and at home.

Consider this…

Surprisingly to those who don’t work in schools, each new school year begins in a state of chaos.  Staff is yet to be settled because of enrollment and budget interdependencies; classroom and teacher assignments are potentially in flux until enrollment figures become more stable, which is usually in the second month of school; highly mobile families are yet to settle on which school their child will attend; and as always student transportation and all it entails can be a nightmare. And, most of the students can sense the chaos without an understanding of its source.  

How can we expect all children, with the complexity of their various needs, to successfully start school in a chaotic environment? What can teachers and other adults do to assist in calming the environment?

Parents/Guardians

Just as there are many differences in teachers and students, parents and guardians also represent a multitude of perspectives and attitudes toward schools. There are caregivers with a very narrow focus whose only priority is their own child and his or her success. Others may have a well-balanced perspective of their child as part of a diverse community of learners, within the larger school community. There are also some adults at home who for a variety of reasons are unable to be a support in their child’s education.

Consider this…

In any classroom we have parents who fit into all of these categories. It is not for us to judge, but to accept this reality. With this reality, all of us must band together and work to create equal and rich learning environments for all children. Do we think about parent involvement in a way that all children are represented? To be successful in school, all children must feel like a contributing member of their school community. It is imperative that teachers, students, and caregivers work together toward a goal of inclusivity.  

Relationship building among key people in a school community is what we are talking about.   In our next blog post we will explore a bit more about how healthy relationships between and among these groups of people can mean a successful school experience for all children, staff and families. This is truly the foundation of student achievement.

What If?

We’ve been thinking a lot about children and families in our current social/political/cultural environment, because we know the children are always listening. What is being overheard in conversations between parents or friends, in the news on television or on the radio? What photographs are they seeing? What stories are they hearing? What impact does this have on our kids? What will this mean for schools in the fall? There is so much to be said, that for this blog post we decided to simply pose our thoughts as “what-if” questions. Perhaps you have some thoughts you’d be willing to share.

• What if mothers seeking asylum were free to be able to love and hold onto their children?
• What if children didn’t have to comfort their mothers?
• What if parents didn’t have to make the choice to flee their home countries?
• What if there was no place for parents to find safety?
• What if you had to do the same?
• What if our country had no diversity?
• What if we better understood the diversity of the original inhabitants of this country and our roles in the changes on this land?
• What if we felt safe talking about diversity?
• What if we understood our own part in the diversity of our country?
• What if children could maintain their innocence as they grow and experience the world around them?
• What if every day at school, every child was greeted with a smile and a big hug?
• What if every day all children were told that they can do it?
• What if we treated all children as though they matter?
• What if teachers had class sizes that allowed them to develop individualized instruction and deep relationships?
• What if education was truly valued by all?
• What if our society respected the role of educator?
• What if everyone had the courage to be open-minded?
• What if we could all put down the screens and go outside?
• What if education was less about control and more about collaboration?
• What if we put as much value on career paths in trades and skilled labor as we do on academics in college?
• What if we reversed the hierarchy of value in education so that the greatest emphasis is placed on the youngest learner?
• What if more Americans were engaged in responsibilities of citizenship?
• What if more American citizens were knowledgeable about the politics of our country?
• What if schools were more like spas and less like jails?
• What if everyone volunteered in an early education classroom for one day?
• What if everyone shadowed an elementary teacher for one day?
• What if we all lived the words to John Lennon’s “Imagine”?

At The Heart Of Who We Are And Why We Care

The word educate comes from the Latin educare "to bring up, to rear.” It is also the source of Italian educare, Spanish educar, and French éduquer, additionally meaning “to bring out, to lead.” It wasn’t until the 1580s that we began to see the definition “to provide schooling” also attributed to the word educate.

Think for a moment about the word care embedded in education’s roots… What does it mean to care for a child? Education today encompasses vast territory from the basics of literacy and mathematics, to specialized curricula, to providing daily nutrition and safe before- and after-school care for children. Education is everything in a child’s life from birth to graduation and beyond. Indeed children are always learning something, regardless of who is doing the teaching, or what the intended outcome.

We recently watched the trailer to the new Mr. Roger’s film. He stated that “every child wants to be loved and to give love.” This may seem like a grandiose topic to tackle in reference to education, but that is exactly what we intend to do in our new blog.  Passion for children and their need for a healthy education is the core of what we will explore.  We will discuss this in our own words and invite guests to participate in discussions as well as submit ideas of their own.

Some of our initial topics for discussion will be homework, parent involvement, the teaching profession, and embracing healthy change. How are these things addressed in schools today? Can we do a better job defining and following through with ideas for change? Our contention is, yes we can.

         We are writing this blog as catalysts for change. We are educators, mothers, and grandmothers. We are engaged citizens, taxpayers, the products of public education, and lifelong learners. We are also risk takers, willing to engage in dialogue surrounding tough issues in education. We care about our community, all of our children, and the future of our schools. We want to share our passion for education with you and invite you into the conversation. The goal is to examine the system of education today, discuss the things that go well and take a closer look at what is needed for all students to be successful.  What is truly at the heart of successful schools is successful students.

So please read and hang in there with us as we explore a variety of topics.  We encourage your feedback and suggestions and hope that our audience will grow to include people passionate about education and children, as well as those who are skeptical about the necessity of giving up some control.  Read to think, read to stretch, read to engage in dialogue. Let us bring some sunshine into the world of education today, allowing us to explore these topics with an open mind.

Introducing Judy:

I met Judy when my son (now an adult) was beginning kindergarten at the school where she was the principal. I was a young, single parent who knew little about education or schools other than my own experiences. Trusting your child to strangers is never an easy thing. From the moment I met her, Judy made me feel confident that my child would be safe, cared for, and in a learning environment that really valued all children. I was reassured by her warm smile, her easy rapport with children and parents, and the respectful relationships she had with teachers.

Over the years I got to know her as a fierce proponent of the school, a fearless leader who truly wanted input and participation from our entire school community, and an unwavering advocate for doing what was best for children. She invited me, and all other parents, into that school as though it were our own… which of course, it was.

That was more than twenty years ago. I have learned a lot from and about Judy since that time. She inspired me to get my teaching license. She welcomed me into my very first classroom after hiring me for my first teaching job. I watched her lead meetings, engage the community, help teachers become learners with a new curriculum, encourage risk-taking, visit classrooms, finesse school budgets, get parents engaged enough to attend and speak at school board meetings, and remind everyone what was really at the heart of everything. She always asked, “Is this what’s best for kids?” If it wasn’t, we were on the wrong path.

If you follow our conversations on this blog, you will come to know Judy as someone who believes passionately in education, who isn’t afraid to talk respectfully about things that make her or others uncomfortable, who wants to understand other perspectives and takes the time to listen, and who values working together for solutions that are in the best interest of children.

Introducing Dani:

Dani is a caring and committed woman with many talents.  She is a mother, wife, teacher, writer, naturalist and awesome photographer; a creative person and a willing collaborator.

I first met Dani over 20 years ago when she was registering her son for kindergarten at the school where I was Principal.  Her warmth and interest in the success of all children drew me to Dani and I was fortunate to hire her as a first grade teacher.

         And what a fabulous first grade teacher she was.  Dani studied and enthusiastically embraced the IB program which our school had just begun.  She had natural instincts for the IB concepts and philosophies and comfortably engaged her students in inquiry.  I always remember visiting her classroom to see children studying insects and mimicking their eating habits with pliers and green paper.  They were so excited and eager to explain the process.  On another day, these students were lying on the floor painting on paper taped to the underside of their desks modeling the painting of Michelangelo.  What a rich classroom for little children Dani created!

Over the years I have watched Dani grow in her profession by taking risks and exploring options.  She has combined her skills as a classroom teacher with her love of nature in preschool teaching at a nature reserve. And she has developed a college course for teachers designed to help them gain confidence and skills necessary to engage in hands-on experiential teaching and learning.  Dani is all about the students, young or not so young.

I am thrilled to collaborate with Dani on this blog.  She will bring energy and integrity to this endeavor and a truly courageous voice.