Perspective

"Who you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you're saying."

A colleague of mine passed away unexpectedly, in the middle of the night. She was a 4th grade, special education teacher. I was one of the "first responders", balancing my shock with the needs of her fellow teachers and students. In my 10 years in the district, this was my fourth time responding to such a crisis, and it never gets easier. Since this devastating loss a week ago, I have seen my colleagues reach out, and support each other in ways I never imagined. It has reminded me of the strength, empathy, and love that develops when you work together everyday advocating for children and families.

This event has given me perspective, which is very easy to lose when you are in the trenches of public education.  First, education is about children and families. Yes, our students need to learn reading, writing, and math; however, without kindness, empathy, and integrity, who will they grow up to be? Where in the PARCC assessment will students be evaluated on their emotional intelligence?  We place so much emphasis on achieving, but what happened to being a good person? As an adult, when I reflect on my school experience, the best moments centered around a teacher highlighting my strengths, acknowledging an act of generosity, or simply listening.  My scores on the California Achievement Test, and IGAP, have long since been forgotten, but the birthday card from my 1st grade teacher remains in my drawer. My parents no longer reference report cards, rather a time when a teacher reached out to them, helped me when I was struggling, or taught me a lesson that would carry me through life.

As an educator, I look around at the children who walk through our doors everyday. They are watching. They are listening. Who we are, as people, is what will shape the next generation. Our students  won't rise to greatness because of the common core, RTI, or high stakes testing. It is through times of loss, stress, and anxiety that we teach our students what it means to be resilient. We are their Tier I social/emotional curriculum.  The families of our community are blessed to have their children engaging with adults who demonstrate compassion, empathy, and commitment, which can't be measured by student growth targets.