There's No Place Like... The Journey

Newton's first law of motion state that an object in motion stays in motion. I argue that that should be the law of efficiency instead of motion. Keep moving until the task is done. As we near spring break, efficiency and focus start to wane. My students are holding on as we travel down that golden brick road toward the magical place known as spring break. In my early years of teaching, I often saw the world in black and white. We were on target to accomplish all the goals I so meticulously crafted at the beginning of the school year, or we were wasting time, and an impending twister would swoop us and take us completely off course. We'd never reach our destination if we strayed off the path for a moment, right? *Cue dramatic special effects.*

While a decade or so of experience and three children later has taught me that efficiency and effective teaching is so nuanced. An array of strategies and approaches must be taken to see the full-color spectrum and the magic of learning. Moments of being sidetracked to discover a new idea or take a different path lead to incredible results far greater than checking an item off the list. Learning is about the journey - not the destination. Just as Dorothy discovers in The Wizard of Oz, what we learn along the way and who we learn it with has a far greater impact than reaching a mythical emerald city (or perfectly achieving goals). What we as educators can help our students realize is that they have the power within themselves to achieve greatness, but they have to believe it, too.

Creating an effective student learning experience is like the characters Dorothy meets in Frank Baum's classic story. Truly gaining knowledge takes brains, heart, courage, and a touch of shenanigans along the way.

First and foremost, cultivating the best learning experiences for students takes brains.

Okay, I am the first to self-deprecate and poke fun at myself for needing to have the "perfect" lesson plans three months ahead of schedule. I am a person who needs a plan. Sidenote: Yes, I'm even the person who schedules "fun" with my family, but seriously… anyone who knows Team Sukow knows we are constantly laughing. Scheduled fun is more exciting than it sounds!

Like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, we would only know which direction to go with careful thought into the overall curriculum. Having an intended path helps guide the experience. A clear path gives us something to strive for and work toward and helps students recognize the bigger picture. Learning targets feel tedious to craft but are essential in planning a course's day-to-day and overall scope and sequence. The best-laid plans, however, include contingencies, options, and flexibility. The Scarecrow constantly loses his stuffing, but he's ready to put himself back together at any time.

As we create the overall framework and direction of a lesson, we need to remember that relationships come first.

When Dorothy and the Scarecrow walk along, they immediately bond and learn to rely on each other as they encounter surprises on the yellow brick road. When meeting the Tin Man, our protagonists immediately act to help their new friend. They demonstrate heart and show there is always time to build relationships, even when an end goal is set. When the Tin Man first is reanimated, however, he is rusty and has a harsh perspective of the world in which he has been frozen.

As teachers, we all have our moments of frustration. So do our students. SEL is such a critical part of the learning process. From learning executive functioning skills (or learning to walk again as the Tin Man literally) to being vulnerable and sharing our life experiences as we learn, our emotions are the invests that help our students to be not only ready to learn but also ready to venture out of the academic forest into the emerald beyond known as the real world.

Preparing students for the real world also takes great courage, as our world and what our students will face constantly evolves.

Change is the only constant in life. In a world with ever-evolving technology still reeling from post-pandemic effects, we must bravely face the obstacles we are still dodging as educators. Students still have gaps in skills or are out of practice from specific expectations they once had. Families moved, faced hardships, and countless political and social issues came to light that may have been overlooked before. The weight of our world is still heavy, but we can face our challenges. We can accomplish much despite our fears, just as the Lion realized.

The courage to have difficult conversations does not occur in a vacuum, though. The Lion had friends who helped him reflect and see the bigger picture. They journeyed with him on his quest. Again, learning is not black and white. Academic skills are more than memorizing facts or checking off an SEL goal. These skills work together to get to the end of the journey.

Just as for Dorothy, who was able to defeat the Wicked Witch and leave Oz, we too can reach our goals with students, but it is essential to remember that it's not about getting to the end of the story. Authentic learning is about bravely taking those bends in the road, finding joy in both the joyful and challenging times, and working together to create the best learning environment - a home away from home.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start: Lessons from a Wild School Year and a Little Boy Named Jordan

A teacher's life is measured in bells, grading periods, and seasons. As a speech coach, my professional life is defined by my in-season and not in-season paces. My 204-day season ended. Cue the feeling of lightness and the creative energy flowing back into typing fingers. I've recently entered my first "free" weeks of the 2022-2023 school year. Speech team starts the first full week of August and ends the third Sunday of February. No longer having to rush between picking up my three littles from the bus while coaching 30ish of the best wild things around, I took a deep breath and felt a new sense of calm before being jolted back into the roaring world of Cystic Fibrosis.

Jordan started feeling fatigued and had no appetite at the end of February. These past two weeks have kicked me into high alert. CF impacts all organs and can impair the digestive system. Without pancreatic enzyme supplements - Creon - Jordan cannot absorb his food and, more importantly, does not have the fuel to function properly. My heart has been heavy worrying about his health and watching for signs that the bowel obstruction needs more intense medical intervention. As a teacher and instructional coach, I navigate rocky waters with joy and a more focused approach. I could be called home at any moment, so I am compelled to have all of my organizational systems in place in case I need to be absent.

Parenting a child with health concerns has helped me to pause and reflect on how I can better empathize with my students and colleagues, especially as we approach spring break. Transitioning out of the winter months into spring is a difficult time for all. From season shifting and staffing changes to restless students - we are all navigating and fighting our own battles. I realize that whatever beasts we face, we have the power to guide the narrative. No matter how dark the jungle gets, we can find the positives and shine a light on the lessons our students and colleagues must face. Inspired by my precocious son, who is braver than anyone I've ever met, I reread Maurice Sendak’s Where The Wild Things Are. We all have a little curiosity in us, and our perspectives can sometimes make our challenges feel insurmountable. But again, we can shift the story to gain powerful insights.

When change happens, we should approach it with curiosity.

Just like Max in the book, curiosity can lead to adventure. So often, when changes occur in the school system or even in the curriculum, we become consumed by negativity or resistance, but changes can bring new insights and perspectives. They can shift the landscape of what we learn or how we might learn it. Working with high school students, I have noticed more senioritis as we approached a challenging, research-based unit. The skills they learn in this unit involve:

• Critically analyzing sources.
• Finding and applying information.
• Engaging audiences - all skills that will help them pursue higher education and be more active citizens in the world.

Instead of dismissing their complaints about "how much work they had" for this particular unit, I worked with them to shift their outlook. Getting excited or asking them to seek out topics that sparked their curiosity made an arduous task more approachable and ultimately left them saying, "Huh, that was actually fun."

In addition to sparking curiosity about change, we need to create spaces where people want to belong.

Even in the most ideal places, morale is still low. Navigating a post-COVID world has brought shifts in student behavior, new social-emotional needs of both students and staff, and gaps in knowledge/executive functioning skills. To produce the best environments for kids, we need to ensure staff feels supported and safe to fail. Teachers must feel appreciated and seen, especially as we redefine "normal." Even though there are fewer mitigation procedures to deal with and COVID is not impacting us daily, the effects of pandemic learning and the fatigue that was brought on because of it will be felt for years to come. When teachers feel valued and are given space to cope with their challenges - whatever they may be - they can create the best learning experiences and opportunities for students.

I have cultivated a supportive work culture by creating targeted professional development. This professional development revolves around topics that work in any classroom. More importantly, it is led by outstanding teachers across the building. Giving teachers a voice, celebrating their excellence, and helping them believe in their excellent work has helped spark conversation and encourage people to get involved. My fantastic colleague Cori and I have also started a podcast to amplify the voices of great teachers across our district. These small acts of lifting teacher-leaders boost morale, celebrate excellence, and unite teachers on the most critical cause in education - elevating our students.

We can let the wild rumpus start when we feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging.

No matter what comes our way - whether it be a global pandemic, a shift in learning management systems, ransomware, or challenging students - we can embrace change when we feel like we belong. Teachers need to be supported, they need to be recognized, and they need to be allowed to be authentic. Everyone comes to the table with unique strengths, talents, and passions. When school leaders can see the best quality in each person and use those qualities to create a dynamic team, we all benefit. Education is a journey and not a destination. Even if imminent threats are not filling our newsfeeds or causing us to quarantine, the challenges will still arise. The path may become overgrown and dark at times - even when we least expect it- but our teachers can navigate any adventure when we have support.

These systems involve morale committees, frequent and clear communication, and transparency. They involve weekly emails to bullet point and highlight key changes or needs and necessitate an open-door policy. As a coach, it means that when someone says, "Do you have a second..." I am available and ready to support them. If I cannot at that moment, I set a specific time and make myself available if something is absolutely needed. It also means that I anticipate the bumps and turns in the narrative before they occur so that teachers feel safe, valued, and ready to be their best selves for their students. I know I must be ready to take action and lead in any wild condition.

I need to find time to be still and reflect. My son is early to rise and loves being silly in the morning. Holding a wiggly Jordan whose body is trying to regulate itself has forced me to laugh. Sometimes, life just stinks (literally). More challenges are inevitable. I wonder if it will involve students, staff, computers crashing, or bowel obstructions that force us to journey to Lutheran General. Whatever the challenge is, I will find a way to let my imagination run wild, have hope, and roll with whatever adventure comes next.

 

Spreading Coaching Cheer at the End of the Semester

I  am going on five years of being an instructional coach. During that time, educational technology significantly shifted. Because of the pandemic, teachers adopted new technologies and teaching approaches out of necessity. Many of these teachers might not have ever considered making shifts in their practices but did so to reach students in the room and on Zoom. Also, my district adopted a new learning management system during this time. While this adoption was initially going to be a slow roll-out, COVID changed our plan overnight. 

I spent the final day of the semester sitting by a "roaring fire." In the large faculty commons area, I sat all nestled with cheer in hopes that my colleagues' gradebooks and Canvas close-outs would soon smoothly appear. I projected the fire (and wished the office was warmer) and invited colleagues to stop by to finalize whatever they still had to do. Luckily, I was given only a few challenging problems to solve. What I enjoyed most was chatting with colleagues as they walked by, laughing with division leaders as we tried to tie up the semester with a neat bow, and celebrating the fantastic work of my friends. 

So how do we get to an ending like the one I had for fall 2022? Build strong relationships. 

1. To build relationships,  instructional coaches must be available. 

We all have full plates. This year, our students' needs and our to-do lists have pulled us in many directions. Instructional coaches must appear available regardless of how long the to-do list is. Whether that be hosting drop-in times, walking through the halls at the right moment, or attending meetings - coaches need to be seen and accessible. Visibility promotes trust and more engagement, which ultimately increases the usefulness of any coach. 

2. In addition to availability, communication can build trust. 

Good communication is key to building strong relationships. Coaches should be clear and concise in their communication and listen actively to the needs and concerns of teachers. This semester, I have often reflected on when to communicate and what to share. 

Teachers need to be ready and receptive to hearing certain messages. For example, around Thanksgiving, teachers want to start thinking about wrapping up the semester. One-pagers about summative assessments and formative reviews are more powerful in November than they are in mid-September. 

Bulleted lists, tl;dr statements, and catching one-minute videos are far more palatable than two-page emails, too. 

3. Along with short messages carefully timed, effective coaches anticipate problems or challenges before they arrive.

Recognizing that teachers should check their grade syncing from the LMS to are gradebook of record is critical in December. Publishing short reminders and helpful tips two weeks BEFORE the end of the semester made the last day before the break a whole lot calmer and brighter. Sending out information about a vital tech update or instructional strategy, knowing that significant summatives are looming, can encourage teachers to use resources. Leaning into recency bias can help teachers to use tips at the right time! 

4. Regardless of the message or strategy being shared, instructional coaches know how to make every teacher feel seen, valued, and celebrated. 

People want to feel heard and valued. Sometimes the best coaching sessions start with casual conversations about a person's day or even a little venting, which opens the door to what is being shared. When people feel safe sharing their feelings, they are far more likely to want to collaborate and connect professionally. 

The biggest lesson I've learned as an instructional coach, which I was reminded of on the final day of the semester, is that a good coach recognizes every person's strength and celebrates her colleagues. Troubleshooting a tech tool, brainstorming a new teaching strategy, and preparing for a new semester are all secondary to our shared connections. Laughter, sharing stories, and reflecting together are far more important and forge relationships that create a robust and collaborative school community.

Sitting around a digital fire with friends is the best way to end the semester. 

It's All in the Timing

Over the last year and a half, I hit the snooze button on my writing. Navigating The pandemic and pursuing another master's degree have fried my creative juices. From assisting my district in adopting a new LMS to navigating parenting three young children (the youngest immunocompromised), life's been more difficult than I'd like. We have all faced unique challenges, but I'm beginning to see the light. I'm ready to use my voice and write.

The greatest lesson I have learned these past few years is the importance of timing. As an instructional coach, I need to anticipate the needs of my colleagues. Educational beats ebb and flow. The cadence of a semester brings unique challenges and patterns that have teachers seeking specific instructional or tech-based resources. At certain points in the semester, teachers need engagement strategies and assessment ideas, or they might just be looking for ideas on implementing a new tech tool. 

Over the last few months, I've spent much time reflecting on the best time and day to send an all-staff email or making myself visible so that I am accessible to my colleagues, especially during the higher-stress seasons of the semester. Like the Genie from Aladdin, I want to be ready to appear at a moment's notice, ready to ask, "(Poof) What do you need?" The more accessible I am, the more trust I garner from my peers. Maintaining that trust and fostering strong relationships across the building has helped me continue supporting and navigating the changing landscape of learning during a pandemic.

So, it's all in the timing? How can instructional leaders master the art of timing?

Utilize backward planning.

Always start with the end goals. Once those benchmarks are established, working backward through the process helps to create more accurate outcomes, inspire impactful lesson plans, and can provide greater insight into what students (or, in the case of an instructional leader -- teachers) need. As I set my own classroom goals this year, I continued asking myself, "What skills do I hope my students will take with them after my class? How do I encourage them to reach that point?" These questions forced me to think about the summatives and end products, which has allowed me to create opportunities to practice skills more frequently and directly. For example -- in my semester-long speech class, I wanted students to speak more. Students complete mini-group challenges to practice the interpersonal skills they need for their unit summatives more often and can identify the why behind their actions and speech development. 

(For more on backward planning, check out this amazing blog post by Jennifer Gonzalez).

Set small daily goals.

I create a to-do list every morning (or even the night before). These to-do lists give me energy and keep me focused on what needs to be accomplished and in what order. This short process of writing out and reflecting on tasks has helped me increase productivity and effectiveness. Forgetting an important task is easy, especially in a busy environment. Taking two minutes to plan or organize the day has been incredibly beneficial and rewarding. I love using a good pen and crossing off items on the to-do list. Remember to work ahead when possible. Crossing off one little task that could be put off until today saves exponential time the next day. 

Study instructional strategies and find inspiration.

As an instructional coach, I have focused on what theme I wanted to share with colleagues. We are still recovering from the pandemic. By the end of this school year, I hope teachers can say that they understand how they can use specific skills and strategies they used during the pandemic to enhance their classrooms. As a result, I worked with the administration at my school to encourage a focus on instructional strategies (rather than tech tools) to help teachers see how they might blend in new ways to engage their students using various tools and methods. Halfway through the year, I am excited to see that there's been momentum for using stations, including student choice, and exploring different approaches to learning. 

Reading current literature and learning from peers on social media platforms or at conferences (even digital ones) has been incredibly growing and powerful. We always have something to learn and can find inspiration for incredible people near and far! 

Finally, focus on relationships. Whatever pressing task is consuming you, remember that it can wait.

At the heart of a successful school are strong relationships. Tasks can almost always wait. No matter what, I always have time for a friend (or a student). My colleagues are so important to me. As an instructional coach, I remind myself that whatever tech glitch or concern a teacher has at any given moment, that issue is everything to them. By stopping what I am doing for just a moment, I can add relief to their day. I am building trust, and more importantly, I am making a statement about what matters most. When teachers (or students) feel heard, validated, and supported, their whole world can change instantly. And that change, that change is culture-building and life-giving. 

Time keeps on ticking, but we can make them matter even more.

How Do We Handle Difficult Conversations in the Classroom?

This past week, our country witnessed an attack on democracy in the Capitol. Over the past year, we have seen the racial injustice, political strife, and an election that divided our nation. A global pandemic has consumed our lives, led to national shutdowns and economic crises. While there has been great despair and challenging times, we have also witnessed the creation of vaccines in record time, leadership from healthcare professionals, and so many essential workers' sacrifices. To be a child attempting to grapple with these issues and understand the world must be incredibly challenging and confusing. As educators, it is our responsibility to provide a sense of safety, support, and normalcy in times that are anything but ordinary. 

The layers of these issues and the nuances of handling politics in a K-12 classroom fall into grey areas that I have struggled to understand this past week. I have a duty to my students, who are all seniors in high school, to make them feel safe, validate their feelings of anxiety/fear/confusion, and to help them to find credible sources on which to draw a deeper understanding of the world around them. As a speech teacher, I cannot allow voices to be silent. Still, as a teacher in a predominantly conservative community teaching on Zoom, I must remain unbiased in my approach. There is no answer or guidebook on handling tough conversations when event after event of 2020 seems to have led to chaos and unrest. Still, through my reflections and the experiences of conversations with my classes this week, I have come to a few conclusions. 

The week before the initial COVID shut down, I started each class period sitting on my desk in the front of the room, asking students to share what they had learned about the situation, express how they were feeling, and ask any questions they may have had. It was easy to read the physical room and see their nonverbals. Allowing time and space to react collectively was more straightforward in person. On Zoom in the first week of a semester with all new students, I was unsure of how to safely and appropriately approach this conversation. Using Google Forms, Pear Deck (Which also came in handy during the week of the election), Flipgrid, and the Zoom chat, I could at least open the door to supporting my students through this unprecedented week. 

Effective communicators are good listeners. We need our students to know that we are here to listen. 

When discussing literacy in the classroom, conversations often revolve around reading and writing. Since we speak every day, we all must be well versed in oral communication, right? That assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. And while countless teachers often include speaking activities and presentations into their curriculum, we often overlook or forget to teach students how to be better listeners explicitly. This undervalued skill needs first to be modeled. I started class on Friday, stating that I was there to listen. Waiting in a few moments of awkward silence, I noticed that students sat taller in those moments. They scanned the screens. They were waiting to listen, too. While I have always struggled with wait time, I have learned that given students a few moments of silence to reflect, react, and process can lead to richer conversations and make students feel heard even if they do not unmute. 

Validating their fears and uncertainties is important. When people are scared, confused, and upset - they need to be told that their less than normal feelings in a less than normal time are valid. 

At one point this summer, a person used the words "We must have faith over fear" that we will be safe in schools during the pandemic. As a person of faith myself, I could not be more frustrated that a person would choose to 1. Use my faith against me, and 2. Disregard my very rational fears about the unknowns of the pandemic (Especially having a child with a chronic lung disease). My feelings then and now are real, rooted in science, and completely normal in unprecedented times. Likewise, my students' feelings and reactions to the Capitol, racial injustice, the election, COVID, and many other countless events in 2020 are real. Students have expressed a significant range of emotions and beliefs, and regardless of my own beliefs, it is my job to validate their feelings. There is no guidebook for coping with collective trauma. Healing often starts when a person feels heard. Teachers are not a counselor or social workers, but at the very least, we can make our students feel listened to and help them to take the next steps to seek out further help from trained professionals if needed. 

Teachers need to provide students with opportunities to give voice to their thoughts and ideas. 

Once students feel validated and safe, they are more likely to speak. While students are not required to share their ideas publicly, they can use their voices in various ways. Students can write, reflect, and post using tools like Pear Deck, Google Forms, and Flipgrid in anonymous ways that allow them to express themselves, release tension, and gain the confidence to continue to share their voices in future situations. Our students will be leaders in this country, and if we do not address these issues -- if we do not encourage THEM to address these issues, these issues will never be solved. These activities or opportunities do not have to be all-consuming. Teachers can start small with short and private SEL check-ins, but they need to be present in our classrooms no matter the modality of learning. 

Students need to be told that they can ask questions and need to know how to find credible sources and discern truth from fiction. 

In addition to expressing themselves, students need to know that it is okay to ask questions. No teacher has all the answers to any subject, but we know how to find answers. We know how to research and discern credible sources. We can separate biases and understand the range of biases in media outlets. As teachers, we can empower our students to do the same. Credibility and accuracy matters and can make all the difference in the decisions they make, the beliefs they hold, and the values that our students perpetuate out into the world for years to come. 

Did I do enough this week to support my students through yet another trauma of 2020(now 2021)? I do not know. Did I provide them with the opportunity to speak and to reflect? Yes. Our students need to be empowered to take a stand. Their words are powerful; my greatest hope as their teacher is that they will continue to use them well. 

Rewriting the Narrative and Remembering What We've Gained

With a zero second commute time from my kitchen to my new work-from-home dining room, time should be in abundance. Yet the minutes have been filled to the brim with laughter and laps around the house as my daughters chase their little brother, who is now convinced that he is a reindeer.  

Today I came home from school where I can sequester myself in the rebranded in-school suspension room I like to call the InSpiration Station, only to realize that Jordan has a clinic again - his quarterly check-up at Lutheran General Hospital. This visit will be the second visit that I cannot attend and mark approximately nine months since the first shutdown and the last time Josh and I were both able to attend his clinic on March 12th. This regularly scheduled visit had become a joyful ritual for our family in which the children would find the indoor train upon exiting the children's hospital as I reviewed the dozen or so questions about his growth, enzyme dosage, and treatment times in my head. 

Most people would not say that they find joy in frequenting a hospital. Still, my family has found great solace in the incredible care that Jordan receives and the habits that have continued to allow him to thrive despite the challenges that are sure to catch up to him one of these days. The more I learn about Cystic Fibrosis, the more my faith is strengthened - not because I believe that everything happens for a reason. I understand why people casually use this phrase to show empathy or diminish the pain of difficult situations, but I do not agree with its sentiments. There is no reason for illness and suffering. Instead, my faith is strengthened because I am able to witness incredible people making reason out of the obstacles placed before them. I am able to witness the positivity in people and the drive to make medical advancements that improve the quality of life for countless people. 

When Jordan was diagnosed in the fall of 2017, our favorite nurse grabbed my hand and told me that CF people shine. People with Cystic Fibrosis possess a unique quality about them that cannot be explained by science, although perhaps there is a genetic mutation that has yet to be discovered for cuteness. When all of my worst fears as a parent seemed to become our reality, Jordan's care team was able to help me reframe my mindset and stop focusing on what he lost the day he was diagnosed and start to celebrate what he had gained. As a family, the diagnosis of this chronic and often terminal illness gave us a deeper sense of appreciation for every moment and the understanding of how to continue to create meaning in our everyday lives. 

As Jordan continues to grow, I am in awe of this silly little boy who laughs at everything and is unaware that he has spent over 30% of his life in quarantine. We started quarantining Jordan in January of last year because of a particularly rough flu season that seemed to be circulating in our community. A common cold had previously led to a bowel obstruction that landed him an overnight stay in the hospital. While we remain optimistic and want our son to experience every aspect of life to the fullest, we have to social distance during times of the year when people are sick. Cautiously we have to survey our family and friends about colds or any sign of illness before we attend playdates and family functions. These practices are part of life for our family. 

Enter the pandemic of 2020 - a time in which everyone is told to social distance and avoid any type of exposure to illness. Welcome to the life of a person with Cystic Fibrosis world. The idea of wearing a mask in a crowded space or avoiding public places during flu season seems foreign to most but have been constant thoughts and precautions we have taken since Jordan’s birth. 

After Jordan's initial diagnosis, I remained paralyzed on my couch with fear. I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, and most importantly, I didn't live my life. I allowed myself time to grieve for the boy I thought Jordan was and the life I thought he'd have, and then I began to imagine the beautiful person he'd become.  While I still jump when I hear a cough and worry about his digestive health daily, I am not consumed by his illness. When I need to be anxious, I am, and then I move forward. With the coronavirus looming over us all, we, unfortunately, have to be hard to lockdown as a family. We don't go to restaurants, we barely go to stores, and we don't see our loved ones in person. Bringing COVID-19 to Jordan would surely result in a hospital stay and would most likely decimate his organs, the organs that we work so hard to keep functioning properly on a daily basis. His body reacts in extremes to any illness, and the consequences would most likely be more frightening than I want to acknowledge. Despite what we are missing, however, I do not believe my family is losing anything (Sans seeing and hugging our loved ones in person, but technology and creativity have made that situation better). 

While quarantine fatigue can be overwhelming and every day seems stuck on repeat, I refuse to allow myself to perpetuate a narrative of loss. My son has friends, he loves everyone he (digitally) meets, his vocabulary is more developed than his sisters were at that age, and he is constantly running, playing, and laughing. Lately, he thinks he's a reindeer and spends a great deal of time growling, but I am told that is "normal" behavior for a three-year-old boy. 

As a society, comments have been made about the lost generation that the coronavirus is creating, but I challenge us all to rewrite the narrative. When we tell people they are lost, we permit them to disengage and to become paralyzed by the list of what they are missing. Our children look to us to understand how to cope with life's joys and hardships. We should always acknowledge and embrace our feelings - especially feelings of sadness and loss, but we cannot allow ourselves to become consumed by them. Instead of focusing on what we've lost, we should discover and celebrate what we have gained. Reframing the narrative does not deny our pain and our struggles but rather allows us to move forward - stronger - with them.

My mission as a mother is to ensure that my three beautiful humans have equally beautiful lives. While Jordan's journey is one that I did not expect, his life will be full. Someday, I'll release him from his bubble wrap, and when that happens - look out world.

On this giving Tuesday, if you're looking for a cause to donate to, check out Jordan's (and my) Great Strides Page. You can donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which has directly funded and researched several great advancements in treating and one day potentially curing Cystic Fibrosis. Because of medicine like Trikafta, there is more hope than ever. Want to read more about Jordan's journey, check out these past posts.

Empathy, Compassion, and a Little Communication

 In such a tumultuous time, compassion and empathy are critical social and emotional skills that can open doors to better understanding, stronger relationships, and deeper connections to course content. Collectively, we have been caught in a storm that stretches farther than we can see right now. When will we be able to return to a greater sense of normal? Will we ever revert to a pre-COVID existence? And what aspects of this new normal should we embrace for the long haul? When attempting to answer these questions, many feel despair rather than hope. Depression, anxiety, and fear are all too familiar emotions that cast doubt and uncertainty on teachers and students alike. 

I have always used the “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” as a hook for both my first and second units in my senior speech class. This year, I wanted to emphasize the importance of using communication skills to listen and empathize with the people we encounter each day. To feel heard, I wanted my students to realize that we must first stop and listen to process our grief and understand what others are experiencing. This unique ordeal has provided us with opportunities to be quiet and stand still. This semester the silence often experienced on Zoom has been disheartening, but using webtools like Pear Deck, Flipgrid, and Zoom breakout rooms has helped keep students active and engaged. We are finding new ways to make student learning visible by using shared Google Docs or Padlets. 

Time to reflect has made me realize that we need to be intentional with our communication, and as a result, I have worked to emphasize the importance and power in each word we say and the nonverbal messages we share. Over 70% of our communication is nonverbal. It is conveyed through our tone, our movements, and our posture. Whether we are on Zoom, in-person, or a hybrid of the two, we may use these communication elements to engage our students. On a camera, every subtle movement is exaggerated, and our communicative exchanges are on display for many people to see. As such, we need to be intentional with the messages we send, and we need to teach our students to utilize these new platforms to amplify their voices. 

To achieve these more intentional communication goals with my students, I adapted my first two units to work in this remote setting, and I began to reflect on and shift my learning targets, too. How do we promote authentic communication in the times of Corona? How do we teach students to use our listening skills and empathy to navigate a still uncertain future? 

Challenge students to first engage in self-disclosure.

For a long time, my introduction speech has been called “Walk a Mile in My Shoes.” This speech asks students to use a pair of shoes and their favorite quote to identify where they have been, where they are, and where they hope to go. An introduction speech marked with important events, people, and activities - this speech is used to introduce students to each other but, more importantly, to remind students to stop and see the world from some else’s perspective. Students are encouraged to avoid listing facts and use their time to tell stories that reflect their passions, their character, and their values. This year, students held on to each other's stories, especially as they reflected on what they have missed the most during the past several months of quarantine. What I loved about this experience is that not only did students learn about their classmates, but they also learned more about themselves as they have all faced struggles and obstacles during this quarantine.   

Reflect on the messages we don’t intend to send.

With any communicative exchange lies messages we do not intend to send - the nonverbal gestures, posture, body language, and tone. Being on camera all day, every day has forced us to look at ourselves. We notice how we sit, how we react, and how we sound. Leveraging technology to challenge students to reflect on their nonverbal messages can lead to powerful learning experiences. When we don’t see ourselves, we are completely unaware of the messages we send and how we are perceived. Now with Zoom, I can literally roll back the tape and challenge students to assess what they are saying when they are not talking. To understand the importance of body language, students participated in two online discussions that asked them to reflect on “The Importance of Listening” and the power of body language. To further understand the importance of body language, students participated in two online discussions that asked them to reflect on Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk, “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are.” Highlighting the importance of listening and nonverbal messages allowed students to reflect on how they use both skills every day, and its impact on the communication exchanges they have daily, both on-screen and off.

Have students reflect on the stories of others. 

To empathize or feel with others, we must first walk in their shoes. Textual analysis, reading literature, and sharing stories are all ways to practice this critical walk into others' perspectives. By reading and analyzing diverse stories, students begin to recognize the struggles and obstacles that people face. From health issues, LGBTQ topics, to race - these are stories that some students have not encountered because they have only lived in one neighborhood or have not experienced as much life as an adult. No matter where students understand voices that are not the same as their own, they can always learn, explore, and experience. During my second unit, I have students select a short story, poem, dramatic monologue, or speech that speaks to them. These scripts are saved and archived with representation from all walks of life. After students select a piece, complete an empathy journal to reflect on how the story's meaning has changed their insights or understanding of the world.

Ask students to amplify powerful stories.

Once students have consumed and analyzed stories, they need to be taught to amplify those voices. Students are assigned oral interp speeches every year in class, but this year, their performances were unparalleled by any previous year. Whether it be because we were on Zoom or because we had spent so much time intentionally thinking empathy, their performances significantly impacted them and me. Without fail, every reflection touched on how they learned more about the world and how to empathize through this exercise than they ever imagined they would. When we truly step inside the experiences of others, we can more fully embrace and support others. 

Ask students to provide feedback. 

Students learn from doing, but they also learn from listening. Students complete a peer review exercise for each speech that they write using Flipgrid. Through these experiences, they learn to critique others while also providing support and finding strengths. Their words are powerful, and the critical thinking process conducted during peer reviews deepens their ability to empathize and view the world from unique lenses.

While Zoom silence can be deafening, we should not underestimate or minimize the potential for listening. As the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, stated in 60 A.D., “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” May we take to heart his words, lead with compassion, and find new ways to empathize with the people and stories we encounter along the way.