Hope, Love, Resilience in Education
When educators gather, something amazing happens that equals more than the sum of its parts. Some say it is when 2+2 = 5, but I like to think about when 2+2= Magic! That’s what happened October 2nd at the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms.
Educators from near and far joined together for Stories of Hope, Love and Resilience. While you may wonder what those three words have to do with education, eighty educators knew right away. The words spoke to them and their professional practices, and they launched into discussing the question: “what gives you hope in education?”
We know there is a lot that might engender despair. In Vermont, the spring 2014 science assessments made many cringe, as does the ongoing debate over consolidation and financing. Many people focus on annual test data and react with: “Give teachers more training in math and literacy strategies!” In our professional learning programs, we believe that focusing on the negative, is, well, just that. We believe that turning our gaze to what is working, to what successful strategies look like, and, most importantly, to stories, is a more fruitful endeavor.
His message was clear and inspiring: take down the barriers between educational practice and personal values. Find hope.
Hope underpins all our work in education for sustainability. It’s not always easy, and it can get lost in the day to day of running a classroom or a school. But at our gathering we heard from lots of educators about where they find it.
Conversations swirled long after the day closed, like the leaves in the courtyard. Hope. Love. Resilience. What gives you hope in education? How do you connect your professional practice with your personal values?
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