There’s divide. It separates. It obfuscates. It alienates. It waits.

For us. 

It waits to see what we will do. We can ignore it. But it will grow. We can trick it, tempt it, tease it, but it will soon be wise to our paper bridges, intimating that those icebreakers we did in September no longer hold.  But all is not lost there were the divide resides. No it is vulnerable. We can confound the chasm. For we hold the power to create connections, and when we do, we make our divide less-wide.

Of course, we will never fully close the gap. We only have so much time, and there is that age thing–they are children and we are adults. No getting across that, but we are more than our ages, for regardless how many seasons we’ve seen come and go, we are all of us human. And humans want connections. As teachers we can use this power to do great good. We can bring people together. People together. That seems a worthy end in our divided time. That seems a real-world impact that makes our work consequential.

Those who follow the 180 journey know I put much stock in such things, as I daily make efforts to bring those in my charge closer together now, and, world-willing, later. Connections matter. So I work at them. Yesterday, I let my kids come closer. I let them interview me.

Oh, there was more to it than bridging the gap. There was also the opportunity for my youngsters to build capacity as interviewers and interviewees, to grow as communicators.

To that end, I asked them to consider PVLEGS as they observed me.

Poise

Voice

Life

Eye Contact

Gestures

Speed

These are the skills we emphasize for engaging an audience. In particular, I asked them to give me feedback on Life and Eye Contact.

When it’s their turn to be interviewed, they will have to consider and select two areas of focus for the rest of the class to focus their feedback on. As I said yesterday, these are building moments, not make or break moments, so I am very careful about the frame. As such, we do this not for a grade, not for an evaluation. We do it for experience, feedback, and growth.

But that’s an aside for today, a step away from what I learned yesterday, rather remembered: we have to let kids across. We have to let them know us. And when we do, we make the divide less-wide. I encourage all teachers to build this bridge for their kids. Let them interview you. Here are some of the questions that I can recall from yesterday’s hot seat.

Why did you become a teacher?

How did you meet your wife?

What’s your favorite word?

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you?

How much wood could a woodchuck…?

What are your views on the gun debate (I was careful but honest here).

What is your greatest fear?

The chicken or the egg?

What’s your favorite book?

Why do other teachers reject or not adopt your teaching style?

Have you ever played an instrument?

Can you make any funny noises?

If we could visit any place in the world…?

What do you think it will take to change education? (I told the kids, “you.”)

If you weren’t a teacher…?

Think of all the mistakes you’ve made. If you could go back and erase them, would you?

The list goes on. Each class had ten minutes to grill me. But grill is not the right word here. Know is more apt. They got to know me, and in so doing, I, them.  We moved the edges.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…the craft of writing through 101 word stories.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals. 

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.