It was day full of back to back meetings in one of our buildings. I noticed a message pop up on my phone from a teacher asking if I was still in her building. I was and I responded that I would find her when this meeting ended.
As we approached each other in the hall, I wondered what she would ask me. As the Assistant Superintendent, I receive a plethora of questions. They range from professional development, policy, our new high school Flex program, special education, enrichment and more.
I wasn't fully prepared for this question though.
"How do we do it?
How do you keep doing it?"
With tears in her eyes and a sincere worry in her voice, she shared a personal story about a student she was trying to help. She needed to share what she had done that day to support him and wondered what more she could do. Wondered if what she was doing was enough. Wondered, I suppose, how the work we were requiring him to do within a school even compared to the real work life was handing to him without warning. Wondered, at the deepest level, if he was going to be ok.
As the Assistant Superintendent, I think I am supposed to have the answers to most questions. The only reply I could muster was something to the effect of:
"You just keeping doing it.
You love him and notice him and help him.
And 5 or 10 or 15 years from now, when he looks back and has made it, he remembers you as being the one that stood for him."
We also exchanged other ideas and supports that we could offer the student within the building and I know she has probably already followed up on those as of this writing.
The advice she allowed me to share with her likely wasn't the most scholarly advice I could give at that moment. But it was the first thing that heart advised me to share. I meant every word.
As we approached each other in the hall, I wondered what she would ask me. As the Assistant Superintendent, I receive a plethora of questions. They range from professional development, policy, our new high school Flex program, special education, enrichment and more.
I wasn't fully prepared for this question though.
"How do we do it?
How do you keep doing it?"
With tears in her eyes and a sincere worry in her voice, she shared a personal story about a student she was trying to help. She needed to share what she had done that day to support him and wondered what more she could do. Wondered if what she was doing was enough. Wondered, I suppose, how the work we were requiring him to do within a school even compared to the real work life was handing to him without warning. Wondered, at the deepest level, if he was going to be ok.
As the Assistant Superintendent, I think I am supposed to have the answers to most questions. The only reply I could muster was something to the effect of:
"You just keeping doing it.
You love him and notice him and help him.
And 5 or 10 or 15 years from now, when he looks back and has made it, he remembers you as being the one that stood for him."
We also exchanged other ideas and supports that we could offer the student within the building and I know she has probably already followed up on those as of this writing.
The advice she allowed me to share with her likely wasn't the most scholarly advice I could give at that moment. But it was the first thing that heart advised me to share. I meant every word.
Freedom Writers
"I Am Home"
I hope she'll find the needed inspiration from this post and the included Freedom Writers clip to continue providing a safe and positive place for the students that need her most.
Keep it up dear teacher. Keep on, keeping on.
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