We have a dream… and we’ve been hiding it.
I know all about this hidden dream…
How do I know?
From sharing memes and inspiring quotes on social media.
It’s so interesting to see what resonates....
Take for example this one from our childhood friend, Mr. Rogers...
“Each one of us has something that no one else has - something inside that is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.”
You like it...you even give it a virtual thumbs up. And some of you even give it a virtual heart! It really resonates with your calling!
And no wonder….
We all love getting to know what makes our learners tick as human beings, don’t we?...helping them unlock that unique potential….understanding their hopes, fears and dreams for a promising future.
Connecting with our learners…it’s in our DNA! It’s why we chose to be educators.
Who hasn’t had one of those kids that’s done “poorly”... yet had soooo much potential? You know...the one that just wasn’t a good fit for this thing called school.
One day, they come back and visit you…and share how much they appreciated YOU and the caring relationships you had with so many of your students. And that you prepared them for this thing called life more than any other teacher.
You smile and say to yourself something like…
“I don’t get bonuses, and I don't get extra for working late. But having that student come back and tell me how much they valued their time with me…now that’s priceless!”
Yet underneath that momentary shot of oxytocin and other brain chemicals, you’re feeling trapped, aren't you...that dream is being crushed… you’re fighting off a world of standardization…. forced to stick to the curriculum pacing guides, and making sure those test scores improve...year after year….
You’re held back from doing what Mr. Rogers reminds us we need to do…connect with them and encourage our kids to find what makes the heart sing….
You’re held back by things that strip kids of their individuality….their humanity...
You’re held back by the parts of the system that turn them from young people with assets, dreams and aspirations….into lifeless testing data points.
What are some of those things holding you back?
How about….the mad dash we’re all on to make up for COVID “learning loss”...it’s the same old soul-sucking stale solution, isn’t it...drilling, testing, data, remediation….over and over….and do it as quickly as possible...because…you know…there is so much catching up to do...isn’t there?
How about...less time on the playground for those always energetic second graders?
How about…the pressure to fill high school schedules with “real” and “rigorous” courses--you know, all the honors and APs?
Yeh... Mr. Rogers’ words really do resonate deep down, don’t they? They resonate with those beliefs at your core and why you chose education to be your craft.
You know in your heart each one of your learners possesses some unique magic…. magic that no one else has…and magic waiting to be released to the world. If only the system wasn’t in your way…and you weren’t so damn tired fighting it….
Yet, despite feeling crushed at times, you’re working tirelessly.
Fighting the system is a battle, isn’t it? An exhausting battle that more and more are giving up on.
A battle with a system that’s been designed to DEHUMANIZE…dehumanize you … dehumanize your learners…dehumanize everyone in the system from the superintendent to the bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians.
...a system that sees people as data...a statistic...a statistic with deficits that somehow need to be “fixed.”.
...a system that ignores the assets we and our young people bring to the learning process.
.And ..a system that overlooks the full humanity of its people--both young and old.
Your hidden dream…OUR hidden dream....is for The Human School...a place where all…young learners and ourselves as professionals...are SEEN...HEARD...and VALUED.
What does it look, sound and feel like when we are SEEN, HEARD, and VALUED?
