Last week was the first of my 12th year in education but our 2nd at Indi-ED.
There were dozens of differences…
-The kids and families arrived with smiles on their faces.
-The teachers we were able to tie their content into real life experiences right from the first day. (They also arrived with smiles.)
-The kids took initiative and started teaching one another.
-The kids and teachers felt comfortable enough to share personal stories of obstacles that they’ve overcome or that they’re currently struggling with.
We could go on.
But what was entirely different was that it already felt like home, like family.
Good teachers know the research supports the importance of creating relationships. The first step is always getting our students to trust one another and us. Then, once they are able to see that they aren’t threatened, that they’re loved and supported; only then are they willing to take the risks that will help them grow.
That takes time. That takes effort.
The sad part is that in the past, all of that hard work is scrapped at the end of every year and we’re left to start all over again.
Not this year and not at Indi-ED!
Our veteran students walked in with heads held high knowing that they are loved, supported, and valued. That energy has created the largest noticeable difference to date; their energy has naturally spilled over to our rookie students.
They’ve expressed it verbally on day 1, “This feels so different. I feel comfortable.” They’ve expressed it in notes to their teachers, “Thank you for being an awesome teacher.” And they’ve expressed it in their actions, they’re jumping in because they’re feeling the trust and inclusion.
That has a lot to do with how much we’ve already interacted and engaged with them before this year has even started, but a whole lot of that has to do with how our veteran students have acted upon their return.
That’s not to say that we don’t have to reestablish our values or to reteach our ways of work.
But like one of our youngest veteran students said so eloquently, “It’s just like painting a wall. Sometimes you’ll need to touch it up but we won’t have to repaint the entire thing.”
Having the environment where we simply have to “touch up” a few things will make all of the difference in being able to jump into content and challenging our students even further.
The success that they will have this year has nothing to do with being established for x amount of years. Or having a certain amount of students on a traditional looking campus.
It does however, have everything to do with the genuineness of the relationships established and truly knowing our students and their families.
Here’s to a great first week and to happily doing it differently…again!