Back to School Vibes

I have been in awe of k-12 educators over the last week as I’ve lead and sat in on multi district {virtual} professional development sessions.

The ideas. The energy. The innovation. Are their concerns? Heck yes! But not one session has ended without collaborative ideas, including huge shifts in how we partner with families and communities. These have been ideas that are shared among teachers retuning face to face, hybrid, and even fully virtual. No debate on what plan is best. Just moving forward to be prepared for our students. Bottom line; end of story.

Are the health concerns and the unknown unnerving? Of course. But we have to shift any unproductive anxieties {guilty } into productive solutions. It’s best for all of our mental health, as much as our physical.

To those worried school will be boring for the kids returning.... I mean, seriously...why would teachers want to stand in front of a class and drone on and on to bore your kiddos? {yes, I get it we’ve all had that one teacher...they are the exception, certainly not the standard}. That’d be every bit as brutal for them! Teachers across all districts are getting creative no matter what their return plan looks like. Integrating creativity, movement, project based learning., etc. all ideas that are meaningful in a classroom or from a computer.

These early weeks of professional development and student returns have been incredible....dare I say this may turn into a pivotal year for massive positive educational model changes?! Call me Pollyanna, but....

There’s often a difference between what we say and what we do. Between our complaints and our solutions. We need to start closing that gap. We can all can say that we want things to change, but what are you doing to lead change? Small shifts. People are watching. People are learning. Take the chance to make it a little better day by day.

We are all still in this together. We truly are better together.

Stay well.

{and for those inquiring minds: yes, that is me leading a session with 98 participants having a Walt Disney World castle hat on my head and toilet paper in my hand. Class accountability can be fun. Make your own magic.}