End of Year Musings

The final parent email of the year is always a little bittersweet. The sweet comes from thinking about how much our students have grown (this year, more than ever - the independence level has skyrocketed!), and everything they have given to me this year.  As a teacher is a time for reflection for beginning to think about changes and plans for next year.  Your students have even worked on a survey for me, for their feedback.  I will be moving rooms, so they are helping me with new chants, new set up, and even how to structure our online space should that be needed.  They, after all, are the experts!  

Bitter, of course, because I have to say goodbye to another group of students - and as every teacher will tell you, they take a little bit of my heart with them.  

This strange year has meant that I lost as much contact with some students, others I have connected with more than ever.  Some students attended every online class, every chapter reading, every help session, took advantage of one-to-ones as needed.  Others showed their growth and independence and flew solo.  I know that many kids learned about what works best for them and discovered new things about themselves and their learning.  That can only be a good thing!  

Some students, however, really struggled and needed more support.  The worst part of that was I had no way to get to them.  I didn’t know who had switched off, who didn’t need my help, or who was desperate for help - but because they didn’t look, they didn’t know where/how to get help. That’s frustrating because we tried nothing new.  It made me think about just how much support kids get at school - too much support.  They learn how to be helpless.

This helps no one.

Students should have no problems doing work via the same tools at home as they did at school - but they did. I literally had a parent berate me for using things his son didn’t understand.  I had no answer - we had literally worked about 75% of all assignments within this platform - if not more!  That shows me that I have supported far too much.  When students asked for help, I willingly gave it - after all, that’s my job!  Or is it?  Ironically we had discussed that year’s kids were notable for more struggles working alone, but I never like those sweeping comments about a group of kids - because they are never true for all of them and it sways decisions that aren’t fair.  And sure enough, once released to an independent world, many who were ready to fly.  

So much to think about as we look at the unknowns for next year.  If we start online, how do I prep them for self-paced learning and an intrinsic desire to succeed?  If we start in the classroom, same question - but at least this time I have an example of what happened before. The students know that it is something that they need.  

It’s going to take some intentional planning.  I’m already mulling ideas. Imagine a community that is focused on learning - and learning at the right pace for each student. 

That’s a thought that makes me smile.