Very Fine Words

Talk.

A lot of it.

We say a lot of things.

We have words.

Very good words.

And initiatives, and programs, and directives, and strategic plans, and goals, and outcomes, and professional learning directions, and slogans, and charts, and top sellers, and mission statements, and buzz words, and acronyms for our acronyms to explain the acronyms, and budgets and baselines, and testing and assessments and pedagogy.

Sometimes, I get impatient with words. I have a Specialist Degree in words, from a very fine University known for many words. I know we need words, and plans, and ideas. Chaos and no direction isn’t particularly pleasant either, even though I will manipulate words to fit who presents in front of me such that it is about heart songs and not just letters.

A very wise professor gave me the one set of words that has served me well in over 20 years as an educator, werewolf whisperer, facilitator and master of the three ringed circus.

“Process over product Annie”.

That’s it. That is the lens through which I work, whether an Academic level course, Alternative program, English, Drama, Culinary, or Art. If you stay true to that philosophy, you have to meet the students where they are, as they are. You have to “see” them. And in truly “seeing’ them, the connections are established, and then the process can begin.

In that process, there is a multi-faceted approach, one that considers not just the academic component, but also the social-emotional, the psychological, the physical and mental well being of the person with whom you are on this journey of discovery. Within the framework of the journey, your curiosity, your creativity, your own personal growth mindset, innovators’ mindset, global competencies and other fine words will translate such that it is authentic and intentional. The connections that you make on the journey will create the foundations for SEL, nurture it and allow it to flourish.

The journey, the process isn’t all smooth sailing. It’s just like a road trip with family. You plan for a destination, but along the way, oh the adventures you have. There are bends and turns, and someone always forgets to go before you leave. So, you wait and reload the car, then someone get carsick. Someone needs to stop at THAT McDonalds right there, but another insists on Starbucks at the next exit. The detours and spontaneous pitstops along the way are what makes memories.

Laughter, tears, squabbles, curiosity=heart song=memories=magic.

Words. Lots of words. Very fine words. Meh.

When the latest acronym’s acronym, initiative, focus group, assessment, PLN for your PLC so you BIPSA doesn’t get confused with the SIPSA and your scores and ratings and tweets and checkmates, the dizzying head spinning bandwagon jumping positivity pumping affirmation soundbite threatens to take over with words upon words upon words built on air, scribed in the ethernet in insubstantial visible ink…

Breathe.

Seriously.

Stop.

Remember.

I. See. You.

Heart song. Magic.

Walk your talk.