by Kari Thierer
photos courtesy of COSEBOC
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the COSEBOC 8th annual Gathering of Leaders. SRI is a partner organization of COSEBOC, and we offered some facilitation support during the ‘For Principal’s Only’ session, and I was able to offer a workshop on creating a learning community in the classroom. I spent the flight home trying to find the words to name why this was such a powerful conference.
First and foremost, this conference was a celebration of boys and young men of color. Each day started like a party to celebrate the young men. Youth were present and active participants, they held the space, they sang, they spoke, they performed. One of the first parts of the opening was the processional of young men. The Jackson State University Drum Line led this processional – people stood, clapped, and gave their undivided attention to the procession of young men as they came into the room and stood on stage. We stood first in celebration of the youth, we gathered to talk about serving, long before we went to workshops or discussed the many ways we, as educators, need to do a better job.
This theme of celebration carried throughout the conversations I had, and those I overheard and witnessed. There were challenging conversations about race and inequity, academic and social gaps, and teachers who don’t know how to serve youth or who may appear like they don’t care. However, the underlying tone of the entire conference was the focus on how adults that serve youth need to find different ways of supporting and celebrating these boys and young men of color. High expectations, and belief in the inherent possibility within every student were a core theme. Never was the blame for failure placed on students. Instead, it was about building on strengths and assets, identifying how we can support one another, identifying how relationships could be fostered, all in the vein of supporting students to reach their full potential. People focused inward, thought about what they could do, the power of one individual to be a part of this movement. It was as if people believed that they had the honor and privilege of serving youth, and it was up to them as individuals to learn and share as much as they could before heading back to their own schools and districts.
Most of the educators I know entered the education profession because they care about kids and want to be in service to students. When the pressures of teaching and administration really kick in, it is easy to lose sight of why we do this work. It is our honor and privilege to serve students; it is about focusing inward and finding different tools and strategies to improve teaching and learning. We may not agree about pedagogy, or testing, or the common core, but at the very least we need to agree that every day should be a celebration of the potential and possibilities that are embodied by every student that walks through our classroom door.
I am reminded of the powerful conversations that protocols help us to have. Focusing on assets, focusing on assumptions, focusing inward on what I can do as an individual, recognizing successes and challenges and dilemmas, all with the intention of improving teaching and learning.
The Success Analysis Protocol continues to be one of my very favorite protocols. It allows people to recognize what has gone well. Even when things are hard, there are glimmers of success; there are celebrations to be had. I left Jackson, Mississippi with a renewed commitment to celebrating: the youth that we serve, the adults we work with, and our own strengths and assets. I am not in direct service of students in the same way that many of you are, however, I strongly believe that the work we do at the national office allows us to help create the conditions that lead to transformational learning and better classrooms for students.
Every staff meeting, professional development, conference, etc. should hold the theme of celebration with youth at the center. We cannot afford to lose the focus on the young people we are serving. It is hard work, and there is so much more to be done, but there is also celebration. Ron Walker, Executive Director of COSEBOC, adds this motto – “It isn’t a moment, it’s a movement.” What a great time to be a part of a network that focuses on serving students, and how honored and privileged I feel to represent SRI and bring new tools and resources to amazing educators!
In celebration of you and the youth you serve,
