For educators, it’s all about focus on ‘why’
Focusing on “why” provides long-term sustainability. The “why” is seen daily and outshines any pandemic.
It is Sunday evening and you are just about to sit down for a family dinner, taking in the last of the weekend and preparing for the busy week ahead, when the phone call comes in, another COVID-19 case. The contact tracing team of administrators, nurses, and staff all get to work identifying potential close contacts through phone calls, text messages, and emails. Communications are drafted to be shared with school district families and staff, and by the time it is all executed, it is time for bed.
COVID-19 has certainly changed the landscape of all of our lives. In education, it is no different: there are education model challenges, health and safety priorities, political pressures, and the list goes on.
During these challenging times, it is important to think not of our “what” but our “why”. Our “what” is what we do. Our “why” is the driving force, the purpose, the vibrant fire inside that keeps us going. Focusing on our “why” provides long-term sustainability. In education, the “why” is seen on a daily basis and outshines any pandemic.
Students have demonstrated a remarkable ability to be resilient through this entire process from online learning to hybrid to full in-person and everything in between. Mask wearing has become a normal part of our lives and attire. Hand washing and sanitizing is commonplace as part of the normal school day routine. Children are inherently resilient and have been the common thread of inspiration and hope for educators on a daily basis.
Our teachers use that inspiration to continually adapt and focus all their energies towards creating as much normalcy as possible. The “why” of a teacher can be seen on computer screens as they instruct wood shop in a remote learning environment or teach the fundamentals of reading and writing to a 5-year-old. They have reinvented education for themselves and as a whole education system in less than a year! Public education has completely changed and will forever be impacted by these challenging times.
“It takes a village to raise a child” now more than ever carries a true meaning. Our nurses, counselors, support staff have all found their “why” supporting children daily.
Whether it is ensuring the safety of our children through temperature checks, becoming pseudo-epidemiologists and COVID-19 detectives, our nurses continue to focus on the safety of our children and staff.
Likewise, our counselors have engaged in supporting students both in school and online, providing necessary guidance and a foundation for social emotional skills for students.
The people on our support staff have gone above and beyond cleaning and disinfecting facilities and preparing the logistical framework as the backbone of the education plans for each school district to be successful. It is not just a 9-to-5 job, their purpose or “why” is critical as they work to keep the buildings safe and operable for everyone.
The “why” for school leaders has remained the focus as education plans were developed and decisions have been made throughout the pandemic. The philosophy of placing students first in educational decisions sounds trite but is critical to remaining focused as the key priority.
School directors have had to refocus their purpose, or “why”, for being in their leadership role. A whole community of parents, students, and staff all look to them for guidance. As we all are aware, it is a very difficult situation and time to be at the forefront of making these crucial decisions, particularly with the divergent views and opinions on the issue of school reopening. Understanding one’s “why” focuses the energy, efforts, and decisions for each key leader.
In some ways, we all face the same dilemma of finding our “why” to keep our motivation and hope alive. When you begin to become frustrated with the prolonged impacts of the pandemic, take a moment and think about your “why”. What is your purpose? Your passion that keeps you going? And once you are reenergized, share that light with others!