It's not often that we are told to do less, but this week that is exactly what we've been told. Now, the true challenge is to be honest with ourselves about what we can eliminate and what our priorities are. Remember our kids need LOVE---they are living through a very stressful event as they navigate daily life in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. Normal school no longer exists. Normal life no longer exists. So, we have to give ourselves permission to do things differently.
I love this quote from Dr. Marschhausen (so get ready to hear it constantly)-“If we do less and we do it better, it’s going to end up being more for our kids.”
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I don't know about you, but is this hybrid schedule messing with your mind like it is with mine? I was talking to Jeff about a student yesterday and we came to the conclusion that every day of the week feels like MONDAY and FRIDAY at the same time.
Think about it for a minute... The only time we ever see kids two days in a row is every other actual Friday. Otherwise, we are seeing kids the day after they've had a break and the day before they have another one....thus every day is both MONDAY and FRIDAY! So, what's my point, you may be thinking? I'll tell you.... This school year is CRAZY.....like, can't make this stuff up kind of crazy! So, for crying out loud even though we are talking about guided reading groups, math running records, mental health and wellness data teams, R Factor, state testing, phonics and phonemic awareness and more we HAVE TO REMEMBER that we are NOT GOING TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS WE HOLD FOR OURSELVES THIS YEAR! It's not going to happen. So, we can choose to live in a constant state of stress and anxiety or we can be okay with just getting by! (PS----this blog post is written so you realize that you can give yourself permission to "get by"). Happy Thursday....or is it MONDAY or FRIDAY? I don't know. It feels like we have literally been running for our lives since about August, maybe even longer for some of us. (You know, the cheetah analogy.) We have been moving at a pace that is unsustainable. Today, as I sit in the school there is an eerie silence. The pace slowed today and we needed that to happen. Sometimes when we move so fast for so long we forget what it feels like to pump the brakes and coast for a while or even come to a full stop. This weekend, I hope you all give yourselves permission to pump the brakes.
Disconnect. Unwind. Relax. We have been going really fast for too long!
There are so many words that I'm hearing recently as I dive into learning about racism, diversity and equality. Last night during the Vice Presidential debate, the Vice President of the United States of America proclaimed that systematic racism does not exist. I wonder how that statement made black and brown families feel? I feel like I see the effects of systematic racism every day that I come to school.
I came across this video that explains systematic racism. It helped me process my own white privilege. I don't think that systematic racism and implicit bias are a matter of opinion. Check it out.
Hatred is taught. I know this for a fact. Today two of our teachers came to me to share some comments that were made by a child in their class.
I'm working really, really hard this year to be open and talk about differences whether that be race, religion or sexual orientation. I was able to call the parent and talk about it but I'm not sure if I handled it correctly. Mom shared that homosexuality was against her religious beliefs. Should I have confronted the mom about what she is teaching her daughter? Should I not have said that I want to respect her beliefs? What do I do when a person connects their belief to their religion? I think it's okay that I don't have the answers right now, but I am going to DO THE WORK to find out how to handle these situations better. Check out this CNN video called "A Look at Race Relations through a Child's Eyes" This video is 9 minutes long but TOTALLY worth the time, it is FASCINATING! Pay attention to the part about IMPLICIT BIAS. Take some time to reflect on your own bias. Remember we have our first Equity and Diversity team meeting on Tuesday at 3:45 in the gym! |
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