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In Your Corner, Teacher Learning
Six Questions to Get Beyond “How Are You Doing?”
We know that this is a time when we need to frequently check in with our staff to see what they are experiencing and how they are feeling. We also want to encourage and support them as they work their way through a very difficult set of professional challenges.
It is often not enough to simply ask, “How are you doing?” First, staff may not know if we are using the question as a casual greeting without an expectation that they really tell us what they are going through, or if we really are trying to understand what they are experiencing. Second, staff members may be reluctant to unload their concerns without a more specific inquiry, fearing that they will be perceived as whining and complaining. Third and as a result, we are not likely to gain consistent, useful information to inform our leadership. Fourth, without more specific guidance, what we hear is likely to be predominately negative even though there may be a lot of positive and insightful information that we need to hear.
Rather than defaulting to this habitual question, we can shift our inquiries to focus on elements and aspects of teachers’ experiences that reflect what they are going through, inform us, and are shareable and useful to others. In its place, here are six questions we can ask to learn how teachers are processing their experience. The answers we hear may also offer important insights, reinforcement, and humor to colleagues.
What hilarious or heart-warming situations have you encountered this fall? This question invites teachers to reflect on and appreciate the wonder of learners and learning and the delight they can bring to our lives, even under difficult circumstances.
What is one thing that has worked really well for you in the past two weeks? We can become trapped in negativity by focusing only on problems and challenges, when we are also experiencing important new learning and successes. The answer to this question can also offer insights and hope to colleagues who may be struggling with similar issues.
If you were to give one piece of advice or wisdom to your colleagues about the current situation, what would it be? This question invites teachers to think about what they have experienced, what they have overcome, what they have learned, and how others might find that information useful.
Who has gone above and beyond to help you since the year started? Here we give teachers an opportunity for a “shout out” to someone who has made a positive difference for them or their students as the new school year began. While we need to attend to problems, we also need to recognize those who have been key problem solvers.
What is your greatest hope for your students in the coming weeks? This question invites teachers to share their goals and reveal their thoughts about what they and their students are experiencing. We may hear about challenges and barriers to overcome, or we may hear about the path a teacher has constructed to ensure student success in the days ahead.
Who has given you the best advice this fall and what was it? This question speaks to what teachers have learned and who has supported them in their learning. The answers we hear can give us important insight about who is offering significant, informal leadership and making a meaningful difference for their colleagues.
Be ready to hear surprising and important responses from your staff. They will also give you a lot to think about and share.
Climate and Culture, In Your Corner
A Powerful Strategy to Lift and Support Students During the Pandemic
One of the most concerning, yet under recognized impacts of the pandemic is the emotional and psychological blow it has delivered to the health of students. For far too many students, the experiences of the past several months are tinged with feelings of isolation, separation, and disconnectedness.
Many of the activities to which they look forward have been curtailed or eliminated. Hanging out with and meeting new friends carries the risk of infection and illness and exposure for vulnerable family members. Sports and other activities have often been cancelled or delayed. Community events and activities have largely been called off for this year. As a result, the lives of far too many young people have grown smaller, depression has come calling, and loneliness has been a too frequent companion. Return to school this fall has been a lifeline for many students, but even school is not what it was before the pandemic.
We know the potential and importance of social and emotional learning (SEL) to carry students through this time and beyond. However, SEL activities are often confined to classroom lessons, in-school activities, and school-based support systems for vulnerable students. While these experiences can build skills and provide support, they do not always extend to life beyond the classroom and school.
Unless students can transfer and apply what they learn and continue to build their skills in other areas of life, the SEL investment we are making is likely to have a superficial and temporary impact. Fortunately, there is a proven, powerful, and accessible strategy we can tap to help students make this important transition. It also provides a powerful counterbalance to feelings of depression, isolation, and loneliness.
That strategy is meaningful service to others. Numerous studies have shown service to others to be a strong antidote to stress, depression, and loneliness. Further, service can build social skills, expand person-to-person connections, increase feelings of self-worth, support career exploration, build a sense of purpose, and support academic learning in applied settings.
Of course, the pandemic has shifted the landscape for engaging in service. The need for physical distancing and other means to counter virus spread must be respected. Still, opportunities to offer service abound and may be even more important than before the pandemic.
Service can take many forms. Some activities and projects may be undertaken by individual students. Others may offer the opportunity to collaborate with classmates and organizations and be a part of efforts larger than themselves. Some activities may by physical. Others may be virtual. Some may provide assistance to those in need. Others may focus on solving a problem. The possibilities are nearly endless.
After introducing the concept, benefits, and importance of service, we can brainstorm with students possible ways they can provide service. Some ideas may tap current interests and hobbies. Some may focus on the needs of which students are aware. We may even invite students to research ideas and report on promising possibilities. However, we must be certain that in the end, students feel ownership for and see the importance and value of the service activities and projects selected.
At first students may struggle to identify opportunities to serve in light of the restrictions they face, especially if they have limited experience. If they need ideas to get started, here a few possibilities:
- Tutoring and mentoring younger students
- Offering virtual companionship to shut-ins
- Volunteering at online food, clothing, and other resource centers
- Performing socially distanced yard clean-ups, snow removal, etc.
- Delivering meals and collecting donations
- Conducting online surveys and identifying people in need of services
- Assembling protective masks for donation
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Share Your Tips & Stories
Share your story and the tips you have for getting through this challenging time. It can remind a fellow school leader of something they forgot, or your example can make a difficult task much easier and allow them to get more done in less time. We may publish your comments.
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As much as we sometimes want to take control and tell students what they should do when they face a difficult challenge, it usually is best to position ourselves as coaches, reflectors, and supportive advocates.
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