So, we made it. The 2020-2021 school year for all of us is now “in the books”. During this past year, I’ve been reminded that no matter how many years a person has been in a job, there is still something to learn. Most of my learning this past year happened in the 371,566 minutes I spent on Zoom.
I actually think that educators have SUPERPOWERS. There is nothing that these heroes didn’t do to rise to the challenges and overcome the barriers they faced. They simply kept forging ahead, knowing that the students were counting on them.
These educators (aka: HEROES) reminded me that choice matters. Students did learn this past year. They learned a lot. We know that because teachers allowed students to “show what they know” in different ways. Sure, we may have been forced to make this quarter turn. But the fact of the matter is that educators embraced the opportunity to think outside the box. And it worked!
The pandemic caused us all to be reminded that “more” is not necessarily better. In fact, I would go so far as to say it’s almost never better. I saw that firsthand as I watched educators move from trying to teach it all to a place where they taught a few things really well. The outcomes were positive from both the teaching and learning perspectives. We should remember that as we move forward.
This one hits home every time. For too long, I was laser-focused on achievement that came in the form of numbers. Don’t get me wrong here. Of course, I want every student to achieve. But, it doesn’t have to be just about “the numbers”. Students are human beings. We are the lucky ones who get to be a part of their development. Educators taught me that it’s about changing what we do to ensure that every student has access to the opportunities, resources, and support they deserve to reach their full potential.
So, this summer, I’m going to be digging in and doing a lot more learning. I want to better serve the heroes that serve our students. Join me this summer as I share what I’m learning as we all prepare for our best school year yet – the 2021-2022 school year.
Thanks to all the heroes that Focused Schools is lucky enough to serve.
