A Different Kettle of Fish

When I was asked if I was interested in joining Cohort 21 this year I was, of course, beyond stoked at the chance to reach into the endless font of teacher nerd knowledge and see what I could pull out.

I can’t say I wasn’t a bit nervous in the beginning. This year has brought its fair share of change with a new baby boy at home, a new job title, a whole new grade to teach, a brand new renovated section of the school to figure out, and a new routine with my baby girl starting JK at Daddy’s school! Adding to that load seemed daunting at first but my colleagues that had “cohort-ed” before me conveyed their confidence that it would all be worth it in the end. So I decided to mainline some dark roast and lock in for the year!

Following last month’s first face to face I left excited, a little intimidated, no less daunted, but hopeful. The task placed in front of me this year in my new role is to help develop a strong middle school culture, and what better place to prepare myself for that task than with the amazing facilitators, educators, and thinkers assembled at Cohort21. Talk about role modelling culture! I was so inspired by the energy in the room from moment one of the first day. After a few coffees and a fruit plate, I knew I had come to the right place.

So here we are, heading into our second face to face tomorrow, ready to prepare our action plans for the rest of the year. As usual, my brain is overflowing with scattergun thought, worry, and expectation. Hence the overzealous ramblings herein. Time to put a laser sight on that Gatling gun.

The idea of creating a culture sounds so enchanting at first. I pictured myself strutting into our new middle school space, chin aloft, teeth gleaming, ready to lead my students and colleagues to the promised land. What really happened better resembled a shaggy dog, scrabbling at the edge of an in-ground pool after falling in (close your eyes and picture it, you’ll get there). You see, I come from seven amazing years as a Grade 4 Homeroom teacher. You know: those sweet little cherubs, newly awakened to the world around them, but not yet scarred by the deep cynicism that creeps in after several run-throughs of the OK Boomer Remix? Let’s just say that Grade 8 is a different kettle of stinky, hormonal, but entirely loveable fish altogether. What possible skill could I have in creating a culture for this crowd with my lack of experience?

Luckily, the first Cohort face to face at The York School swooped in to save me at the perfect time. We reflected on our experience, shared our mistakes openly, and were given the opportunity to reflect amongst a group of supportive peers. It was just what the doctor ordered. I realized as the day progressed that my experience matters. Given the correct lens, the things we do with our younger students should absolutely inform what we do with our soon to be graduates.

What stands out to me now, with that insight in mind, is the distinct difference in the way we educate our tweens and early teens as compared to the youngins. In Grade 4, it was all me. Four to five hours plus a day of generalist instruction across multiple subject areas, with the flexibility to drop everything and talk it out as the situation required. Flash forward to Grades 6-8 at our school and we find teachers with no more than 45 minutes a day in which to teach their curriculum, develop strong relationships, and navigate the shark-infested waters of puberty. ZOIKS BATMAN! If anything, developing strong and supportive relationships with this group of students during the turmoil and upheaval they are bound to be facing would seem as, or even more, important in some cases.

My students echo this thought.
“I wish he/she knew me better.”
“They just don’t get me.”

And so my scope is beginning to narrow in (though it is never completely set) on this question heading into tomorrow.

How might we… (the ellipsis is crucial for dramatic effect) develop authentic, supportive relationships within the constraints of a rotary system in the middle school?

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself (another common occurrence when you live inside this head). But it strikes me that creating culture requires at least one fundamental feature.

Real. Human. Connection.

Maybe then we can turn this kettle into a fishbowl worth living in for a while!

@tfaucher @egelleny @ahughes @ashaikh @wdarby @awebb @rcampolucci @hmcclure @cfong @cshin @mhoel @kprillo @rabbiento @bblack @ccybulski