Reflections

As this year wraps up, I've been thinking about the impact of words on each other, as educators. I wonder if the phrases of gratitude I've tried to share felt genuine. I hope, in some way, as the team I've worked with looks back on this year, they are able to remember more positive than negative. It was a steep learning curve for me to learn so much about a new district and department with little start time to a new year. I've appreciated so very much what I've learned from the staff I work for and with. Their words have helped me throughout the year. I wonder if speakers of criticism (including those directed at me) can still even recall the words all these days later. It's funny how words can stick more with one person than they do the other. We say so many words a day, give them away sometimes without even thinking. Criticism on its own isn't usually all that helpful. Feedback, on the other hand, that's where understanding can be possible. But, so...

We ended the department meeting with one of my favorite " Remembering Your Why " activities. Each person is given a post it note and asked to write the first name only of a student whom they feel they had the biggest impact on this year. Teacher after teacher took turns standing and sharing a brief story about the student. Many of the teachers cried with appreciation and we clapped for each other upon sharing our stories. The post it notes were collected onto one big poster sized post it note and will become a laminated reminder of our taking this time to reflect. I Stand For I was touched by each and every story. When some of the teachers began to include phrases like " it just clicked " or " I don't know what happened, but he just began to show such progress .", I felt the need to stop the activity. I asked them to think about these phrases including " It just clicked ". I tried to push their thinking by calling that phrase ou...