Celebrating the Village

I believe positivity is something we choose moment by moment and also acknowledge that we are in challenging times in the USA. There is so much uncertainty in education and a good bit of negativity associated with this uncertainty. In an effort to choose positivity, allow me to share a moment from the week.

I have had the sweet escape of working with 3 different groups of 6 fourth graders at a local school. If you ever need to reconnect with humanity, simplicity and joy... talk to kids. They embody this, no matter the age!

Fourth graders are one of my favorite age groups. Not just because this is where I spent most of my time while in the classroom, but because this 10 y/o stage of development is so sweet. As if getting to talk math with kids was not enough, the other day I experienced an "icing on the cake" interaction.

I had a group of 6 boys who were working in partners through a math task. We were in the hallway because classroom space was limited and testing was taking place in the building. These boys are amazing. I love the way they question and challenge ideas. They love to finish first but also challenge each other to be thoughtful, to slow down and to listen to each other. So you have the scene in your mind right?

Ok... what happened next was even better!

The head custodian stops where we were and asks if he might have a quick word with my group. They looked puzzled, as if they were wondering what they had done or if they were too loud. Perhaps, I am just projecting my thoughts here. We were all curious.

He asked the group "how do you feel about your upcoming test?", to which most replied "good" and one replied "I ain't gonna lie, I am worried". When asked why he was worried, the student went on to say the mock test they had just completed was hard, and he felt like it set the bar for what was to come.

Without missing a beat the custodian says "son, did you do you best?", The student replied, "Sir, I assure you (yup, he said those words) I did the best I could." The custodian went on to explain that that is all we ask of the students. He shared how much he believed in them and reminded them of his commitment to complete 200 push-ups and a cart-wheel when they complete the test to the best of their ability.

As a teacher I really disliked the way testing made my kids feel and see themselves. I always shared that I did the best I could that year and that I believed each of them did as well. No matter what one test on one day says, what they know and who they are was bigger.

It takes a village to encourage, inspire, celebrate and teach these children in our schools. The custodian did not have to stop. He has lots of work to get to but he recognizes that the building is second to the children. They matter most.

Small moments like these are sparks in a student's life. They ignite something that slowly burns and spreads. Each of us has the power to light a spark in the kiddos around us. How will you ignite sparks?