“The way you can support me is just being patient I guess while I learn this at my own pace.”

This is still sitting with me this morning. One of my students wrote this in her Learning Check reflection yesterday in response to my asking, “How can I support you?”

While I learn this at my own pace. What a novel idea. On the surface this seems a simple thing, an intuitive thing, a reasonable thing–a given thing. But as we dig more deeply into this ideal notion in the context of education, we discover this too often an impossible notion, the reality of “pace” falling fall far short of the ideal. And a novel idea becomes an impossible idea.

Too much to cover. Too little time. These are oft heard reasons behind our rationale for not being able to let kids learn at their own pace. And while there is some truth to these reasons, they are content and calendar considerations, not learning considerations. Learning considers kids. Learning says all kids learn differently. Learning says all kids learn at different paces. And we know this. We do. But in the end, we largely ignore it. We have to. There is too much to cover. There is too little time. And this where the roads meet. We can cover content, or we can support kids. Can’t we do both? I don’t know. Can we? Do we? Will we? Sounds like a great idea, but I’m not convinced it works, and I think–for many reasons beyond our control–we end up leaving kids behind as we cave to the curriculum and calendar. When I finally came to the place where these two roads meet, where I could no longer pretend that “doing both” was really a viable response to two masters, I veered left and considered kids.

What have I learned? What I already knew. What we all already knew: kids learn in different ways and at different paces. And as such, kids need support. So, I serve kids. And part of my serving them is no longer playing servant to calendar and content. Oh, they’re still there–they have to be–but I bow not to them. They are constructs. I respond to the call of my kids.

“Being patient” is the call she made. And as simple as this sentiment seems, it–for me–is profoundly gratifying, for not only is she self-aware enough to express, but also comfortable and confident enough to ask for what she needs. What she needs. And I will do my best to respond, for that is when I truly feel a teacher: when I am responding to kids. And while I cannot meet all their needs all the time, I try. Over 180 days and through too many standards, I try. Of course, eventually, the curriculum and calendar end, and I am left to wonder if I did enough. Always if I supported enough. Never if I covered enough. And at the end of her year, to wherever we make it at her pace, I hope to look back and feel as if I have been supportive enough, as if I have been patient enough for her in her own journey. At her own pace.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…responding to feedback.

…writing our Learning Stories.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.