The role of the educators is to empower future generations of students to live productive lives and to solve complex problems with empathy and compassion. The world is increasingly interconnected; thus our students need a global point of view far beyond the community we live in. The task before us is monumental and one we must be successful doing.
Every child deserves the best education we can provide at that moment. Innovative and effective teaching involves meeting students at their level.
Today’s buzz words of personalized and individual learning all go back to the same premise John Dewey had many years ago: we must capture the heart and spirit of kids in the classroom the best way possible. Student learning has to be the ground level of instructional decisions. The best lesson will fall short if students are not connected. The clock is always ticking; we cannot lose opportunities to educate our students.
Teachers, administrators, support staff and families see success when partnerships are established. Administrators who value the incredible talent of teaching staff will inherently develop a stable relationship through casual conversations, learning about families of teachers and being in classrooms frequently.
Facilitating the gap between teachers and administration can happen. It takes time for both sides to observe, listen, ask questions and to develop a respect for the person and the position. These are where challenging conversations can occur, and real growth will be measured. Administrators need to be focused on solutions that are best for students and their learning. This is not an easy task. All sides need to feel they are being heard. This takes time to build a culture of support and empowerment.
The community we are in provides ample resources and support for the district. Community members and businesses want to help our students be successful. There are many stores and businesses donating both time and money to help kids in need. As a district, it is crucial to recognize the caring nature of our community and build on that as an integral component for our kids.
The trust and respect gained through spending time building relationships first is time spent…. but also time saved. Once relationships with teachers, support staff, students and the community are cultivated, the art of raising the whole child will occur, and we all benefit from that.