Every Little Bit: A learning journey reflection
Mira Kilmeyer
Journey Reflection
Brackish- water that becomes slightly salty as fresh water moves and mixes with saltwater. This mixing causes a bit of a hazy blur if you are observing it while snorkeling. In the midst of this pandemic, it feels like I am looking through brackish water at my Buell Early Leadership learning journey experience.
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We started in the river. The water was clear and fast paced. I was excited to get swept along with the cohort on a wild ride. Suddenly, it was brought to our attention that there were babies in the river we needed to help! How could I not see them before? I was wearing my blinders. I took them off.
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The river started to slow down and I could focus on my intentions and the intentions of the group. We shared more about the journeys we were on before our rivulets converged. We learned about the passions we had that were uncovered or clarified and strengthened by our readings and discussions. It became clearer that my intentions were actually “our” intentions as we bonded as a group. |
We began to explore in smaller groups and we worked together to draw maps of this new territory to share with the whole group when we gathered at the end of our excursions. The map was becoming clear to all of us and we were excited to explore more when the storm hit. We didn’t see it coming and if some of us did, we had no idea how it would impact our work, capsize our rafts and scatter us and our work downstream.
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We have had a little time to tread in this estuary and though our plans to complete our maps have had to be put on hold, we are here in this brackish water together. Water is clarifying and cleansing. As the turbulence from the storm settles, our directions will also be clarified. Will we work together to build a new raft? Will we get back to mapmaking now that the storm has changed the landscape? Will we travel back to the top of the river to keep the babies out? I fear the storm has increased the number of babies in the river.
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Lights in the Dark
Everyone is looking for clarity right now. We want answers. We want truth. We want the brackish water to clear. As a teacher, I want to see my students again. I want to hug them. I want to tell them not to worry when they see their classmates on the screen of our video-conferencing and they turn away or close their screen because it’s not the same as our time in person. I want to be able to tell them that we will be together again soon, but I can’t.
So we look for the light in the dark. We use all our Appreciative Leadership practices and we highlight the good that is happening. Because the more we can highlight the positive, the more our brains will be able to work in creative ways that will help our communities and children come out of this better and stronger. |
Communication and Collaboration
Since the shift to remote learning, our whole ECE team, teachers and paraprofessionals, are meeting weekly. Before, we met 2-3 times per year. Paraprofessionals are generously and thoughtfully providing feedback to students on their work, they are volunteering to record their own read-alouds and they are contributing ideas to lesson planning. They are finding their voice and sharing it. We recognize the benefit this has for our professional relationships and how greatly our students will benefit if we can keep these practices going next year.
Parents as Partners
As a school, we are requesting family feedback and acting on it. Yes, we have sent surveys, to which only some families have responded. And when we are not getting a great response rate, we are reaching out individually to families. We are showing how much we care by checking in regularly and individualizing resources that families identify they need. This frequency of communication is new for us. Can we sustain it and what wonderful outcomes are possible when teachers and parents communicate with such frequency?
Advocacy for Change
Thanks to the deep equity focus of my learning through the Buell Early Leadership Program, I was brave enough to successfully advocate for change in our school recently. When our school was trying to lift the spirits of students and families, we had a virtual spirit week. One of the day’s themes was a pretty common one in schools- “Crazy Hair Day.” I had read something in a blog that I thought was important to share with my principal. This is what I wrote:
“Since spirit week is coming up, I just wanted to share something I read recently about cultural competence. When people put their hair in multiple braids/other styles that are culturally acceptable in African American and black communities, it tells a story that those hair styles are “crazy” because it is not the hairstyle of the dominant culture, which can perpetuate biases. Here is a narrative blog post that shares the same concerns. It seemed important to share that perspective."
As a result, my message, along with this communication, was sent to the entire school community:
“As a school committed to equity, we are practicing inclusion and mitigating biases. We take responsibility for our actions, and apologize for our lack of awareness. Next Wednesday will not be Crazy Hair and Hat Day. It will be Essential Worker Superhero Day. Students can dress as medical providers, grocery store workers, or other essential workers who are demonstrating such bravery in this challenging time. Students may consider writing a letter or drawing a picture to give to an essential worker to show their appreciation.”
“Since spirit week is coming up, I just wanted to share something I read recently about cultural competence. When people put their hair in multiple braids/other styles that are culturally acceptable in African American and black communities, it tells a story that those hair styles are “crazy” because it is not the hairstyle of the dominant culture, which can perpetuate biases. Here is a narrative blog post that shares the same concerns. It seemed important to share that perspective."
As a result, my message, along with this communication, was sent to the entire school community:
“As a school committed to equity, we are practicing inclusion and mitigating biases. We take responsibility for our actions, and apologize for our lack of awareness. Next Wednesday will not be Crazy Hair and Hat Day. It will be Essential Worker Superhero Day. Students can dress as medical providers, grocery store workers, or other essential workers who are demonstrating such bravery in this challenging time. Students may consider writing a letter or drawing a picture to give to an essential worker to show their appreciation.”
Every Little Bit Helps
I know this small shift in practice and school culture will not change the world, but it is one of the little things that add up. It gives me hope that change can still happen despite the stress that we are all experiencing. The amazing social justice movement across the globe occurring right now is even greater proof of this transformation.
When we began our final classes for the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program this spring semester, this word cloud represented our desires. Though the words all hold different meanings now than they did before the pandemic, I can still see our collective vision coming to fruition, maybe more now than ever.
When we began our final classes for the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program this spring semester, this word cloud represented our desires. Though the words all hold different meanings now than they did before the pandemic, I can still see our collective vision coming to fruition, maybe more now than ever.