If I were asked to provide one word that is the key to success, whether it is a successful school year, a successful friendship, a successful marriage, a successful business, or a successful family unit, that word would be communication. That is why it is so incredibly important that we take the time necessary at the beginning of the school year to make sure that we understand what it means. Not just the definition and not just a day or even a week of practicing how to communicate effectively, but to live and breathe it in everything we do for a minimum of the first several weeks and to ensure its presence is seen and felt each and every day after that.
For the last several years we have made this the centerpiece of our meet and greets with our veteran families before school even starts. It is important that we provide opportunities to ask quality questions that go deep and help our families dig beneath the surface to connect and continue to get to know each other in a way that fosters the strong and undeniable connection that families have. This year we were reminded of the importance of these moments when a parent shared that these activities stand out for her and what she learns about people stays with her through the years. It was a reminder that what might seem like one simple activity can have a ripple effect that extends into people’s lives in a way that we are not always aware of.
Effective, meaningful, and face to face communication has become more challenging over the years with the introduction of email, social media, and then the disruption we all felt with lockdowns and masks. It is probably one of the most important things that we invest time in at Indi-ED.That is why we work hard to create as many of these moments as possible and provide our kids with the tools they need to do the same, so that they are empowered to have the same ripple effect. These moments take place in all subjects we cover, even math, where the focus this past week was to identify group norms and the role that communication plays in successful collaborations.
Communication is not always easy, and that is probably one of the most important lessons we can teach our kids. To help them understand and see how and why it is one of the most important reasons to put ourselves into what may be an uncomfortable conversation: whether it is that first one on one with your teacher, to talk through a misunderstanding with a friend, or to talk to someone that you don’t know for the very first time. The ultimate goal is to take time to work through these conversations, understanding that it may take multiple conversations to build or repair relationships. Successful businesses, relationships, and families never give up and put the effort in, to work through our challenges, grow from them, and to build new or deeper relationships. We are fortunate that at Indi-ED we have the flexibility and understand the value of investing time and energy into doing all of these things by learning how to effectively communicate with each other.