A lot of people are so used to just seeing the outcome of the work. They never see the side of the work you go through to produce the outcome.
—Michael Jackson

Step Back and Listen
https://choiceliteracy.com/article/april-21-2023-slow-down-and-listen/

We are rolling into the universally busy time for educators. These final weeks of the school year are intense. This week I listened Jacob Chastain interview Colby Sharp on the Teach Me, Teacher podcast. Colby said, “My students only have nine weeks left with our classroom library.”

How many of us have started to count down? We feel pressure to do “all of the things,” to make sure students have every experience possible to be readers and writers, to finish strong, and to get everything shipshape.

Take a breath. And breathe again. The pressure to hurry is not your friend.  

As I listened more to Colby and Jacob, the conversation shifted from making sure kids get to read books from the classroom library to making sure kids have access to books once the school year ends.

It is a subtle and wise shift. 

It is built on the belief that we have the responsibility to empower independence even after the school year ends. When we think about the future summer version of our students, what do we imagine? Do we imagine students who are going to the public library and reading every day? Do we imagine students who are engaging in writing projects? Do we imagine students who are creating content to influence others in positive ways? 

Or, are we so focused on “just getting through” that we hurry and rush and speed through the weeks leading to summer vacation? Do we think independence means students working on their own so teachers can get everything else organized? What might happen if we, like Colby and Jacob, take a moment to reflect on ways to be sure students are developing habits of independence and confidence in themselves as readers and writers that will last after the school year is over?  
This week we step back and share the importance of slowing down and listening so that students can learn and grow…more.

Shine on,
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief