Though I should, and we all should, I don't always practice what I preach. I dish out a load of wisdom and propose a plethora of strategies to people without doing my due diligence to ensure I'm practicing these ideas in my own life. I rarely notice it unless someone points it out to me, but this time around, I'm in the midst of an experience so powerfully obvious that I can't help but to be reminded every single day of this one profound principle:
In any and every given situation, you have x amount of power, and with that power, you choose to contribute to being either part of the problem or part of the solution. One or the other. That simple. This concept is not profound in the sense that it teaches we "shouldn't contribute to the problems we already have". That's a bit instinctual. What makes this concept truly profound is this: we tend to believe that in the face of a problem, if we "do nothing", that we've remained neutral - that we haven't taken a step forward nor backward. But in reality, when we forego the x amount power that we have to be a part of the solution, we've actually given the problem more room to live and more time to grow. We've given it the power to do those things.
In any and every given situation, you have x amount of power, and with that power, you choose to contribute to being either part of the problem or part of the solution. One or the other. That simple. This concept is not profound in the sense that it teaches we "shouldn't contribute to the problems we already have". That's a bit instinctual. What makes this concept truly profound is this: we tend to believe that in the face of a problem, if we "do nothing", that we've remained neutral - that we haven't taken a step forward nor backward. But in reality, when we forego the x amount power that we have to be a part of the solution, we've actually given the problem more room to live and more time to grow. We've given it the power to do those things.
In this chapter of my life, I'm spending close to 50 hours a week in a middle school often referred to as one of "the worst middle schools" in all of Miami-Dade county. This means 50 hours a week in the face of an undeniably long list of problems. The kids we work with are up against everything - systemic racism, generational curses, language barriers, mental health issues, custody battles, poverty, lack of resources, and violence, both at home and at school (just to name a few). These kids are taught that no one believes in them, a reality often perpetuated by parents who weren't believed in as children or by teachers who've invested greatly in this initiative and spend year after year still watching their students drop out before even hitting high school. We have this brilliant mix of students whom all, for one reason or another, prefer a chaotic classroom over a learning environment. Some of them are too smart, get bored, and would rather play around. Some are new to the US, don't speak English, and have nothing better to do. Some have undiagnosed learning disorders and haven't been taught how manage anything. Some secretly want to do well in school but don't know where to start. Some don't believe in themselves and see an education as pointless. Most just realize that it's more fun to pester their peers than pay attention to plotting polygons on coordinate planes. All these different "problems" add up to one big problem in which we spend more time prying kids out of headlocks than writing on the blackboard; more energy focused on salvaging torn apart math books than salvaging the futures of our students. It's incredibly sad to be a part of, but as you can imagine, this is why I'm so constantly reminded about the power I have, and whether I'm using that power to be part of the problem or part of the solution.
Upon showing up here in Miami, I told my partner teacher that there's a lot I won't be able to contribute (organization, attention to detail, etc.), however I was confident in my ability to contribute a few things that I knew we desperately needed: creativity, strategy, and a solution-oriented mindset. My particular classroom had been through five different teachers already this school year, and I showed up to a partner teacher who'd never been a teacher, but was willing to try. He's a tall and lanky, white, millennial-aged male from the Northeast. He wears oversized slacks and tri-colored Sketchers that the kids are consistently posting pictures of on Instagram. His voice cracks when he tries to be stern and he sweats like he's never seen the summer. The kids don't take him seriously, despite how seriously he takes this position. He and I differ a bit on our ultimate goals for the students, his looking a bit more like a quiet and uniform classroom, mine looking a bit more like an engaged and high-energy classroom, but despite our slight disagreements, we do what we can to make learning work for these kids; to work together to be a part of the solution.
For the student who said he needs to "move to focus", we let him run a lap around the classroom between successfully solving math problems. For the girl who nearly got suspended for being unwilling to take her hood off, we inquired as to why, learned that she was embarrassed that her hair wasn't done, and made her a deal that I'd do her hair after school in return for a class period of full attention. For the kid who never brought his work to class, we discovered the bottom of his backpack was broken and that it wouldn't hold anything anymore. We hot glued it back together and he immediately changed his game. For the girl who can't multiply and strategically draws and then counts up to hundreds of tally marks, we taught her the 9s trick with her fingers, and then implemented a group wide Times Tables challenge with a goal of beating your own best score each class.
We easily could've told the boy that runs laps to "sit down and pay attention". We easily could've told the girl with the hood to "stop being stupid and take your hood off." We easily could've scolded the backpack-less boy for not bringing his work to class, and we could've easily interrogated the girl that tallies as to how she made it this far in school without knowing how to multiply. We could've then stuck all these kids in one classroom and given them a lengthy and hopeless speech on how dull their futures would be if they kept up this behavior. But we choose not to be part of the problem. We choose to use the power we have, though often limited, to be a part of the solution. All it took was a couple of braids, a hot glue gun, a fake track around the perimeter of the classroom, and a tiny little multiplication trick to get these kids back on the right path. A dose of creativity and a commitment to contribute to the solution.
I leave every single day from this middle school (except today... home sick with the flu) with a blatant reminder to be part of the solution - anywhere and everywhere. This invasive life lesson has translated into many of the "problem areas" of my life, examples being my health, my low levels of discipline, my laziness, my horrible "out of sight out of mind" mentality that negatively impacts most of my relationships, and so on. I've started using the same tactics I do with my students to get more potential out of myself - I cut deals with myself, entertaining strategies I formerly would've considered "ridiculous", and don't take "no" for an answer when negotiating with my own excuses. In just the month and a half that I've been here, I've seen changes in me and my life that even I find personally impressive and something to be proud of. Choose to be part of the solution in your own life. It makes all the difference.
FEEL GOOD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK
1. My sister came to visit me for an entire week. We explored a lot of cool places, had a lot of good conversations, and finished an entire Netflix series in our spare time.
Upon showing up here in Miami, I told my partner teacher that there's a lot I won't be able to contribute (organization, attention to detail, etc.), however I was confident in my ability to contribute a few things that I knew we desperately needed: creativity, strategy, and a solution-oriented mindset. My particular classroom had been through five different teachers already this school year, and I showed up to a partner teacher who'd never been a teacher, but was willing to try. He's a tall and lanky, white, millennial-aged male from the Northeast. He wears oversized slacks and tri-colored Sketchers that the kids are consistently posting pictures of on Instagram. His voice cracks when he tries to be stern and he sweats like he's never seen the summer. The kids don't take him seriously, despite how seriously he takes this position. He and I differ a bit on our ultimate goals for the students, his looking a bit more like a quiet and uniform classroom, mine looking a bit more like an engaged and high-energy classroom, but despite our slight disagreements, we do what we can to make learning work for these kids; to work together to be a part of the solution.
For the student who said he needs to "move to focus", we let him run a lap around the classroom between successfully solving math problems. For the girl who nearly got suspended for being unwilling to take her hood off, we inquired as to why, learned that she was embarrassed that her hair wasn't done, and made her a deal that I'd do her hair after school in return for a class period of full attention. For the kid who never brought his work to class, we discovered the bottom of his backpack was broken and that it wouldn't hold anything anymore. We hot glued it back together and he immediately changed his game. For the girl who can't multiply and strategically draws and then counts up to hundreds of tally marks, we taught her the 9s trick with her fingers, and then implemented a group wide Times Tables challenge with a goal of beating your own best score each class.
We easily could've told the boy that runs laps to "sit down and pay attention". We easily could've told the girl with the hood to "stop being stupid and take your hood off." We easily could've scolded the backpack-less boy for not bringing his work to class, and we could've easily interrogated the girl that tallies as to how she made it this far in school without knowing how to multiply. We could've then stuck all these kids in one classroom and given them a lengthy and hopeless speech on how dull their futures would be if they kept up this behavior. But we choose not to be part of the problem. We choose to use the power we have, though often limited, to be a part of the solution. All it took was a couple of braids, a hot glue gun, a fake track around the perimeter of the classroom, and a tiny little multiplication trick to get these kids back on the right path. A dose of creativity and a commitment to contribute to the solution.
I leave every single day from this middle school (except today... home sick with the flu) with a blatant reminder to be part of the solution - anywhere and everywhere. This invasive life lesson has translated into many of the "problem areas" of my life, examples being my health, my low levels of discipline, my laziness, my horrible "out of sight out of mind" mentality that negatively impacts most of my relationships, and so on. I've started using the same tactics I do with my students to get more potential out of myself - I cut deals with myself, entertaining strategies I formerly would've considered "ridiculous", and don't take "no" for an answer when negotiating with my own excuses. In just the month and a half that I've been here, I've seen changes in me and my life that even I find personally impressive and something to be proud of. Choose to be part of the solution in your own life. It makes all the difference.
FEEL GOOD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK
1. My sister came to visit me for an entire week. We explored a lot of cool places, had a lot of good conversations, and finished an entire Netflix series in our spare time.
2. We got invited to a random Dominican family's Super Bowl Party by a mutual friend of ours. We showed up to a house full of strangers/Falcon fans, but needless to say, we had a great time, met lots of cool people, ate great food and walked away repping New England harder than ever.
3. Got a visit from my great college friend, Chayna. Granted I had the flu when she came, she was still willing to donate some hugs and sit next to me in the shade to catch up.
4. I'm reminded every day how grateful I am to have the roommate I do. We also got news that we're about to have a new roommate, and she's bringing a toddler! SO EXCITED.
5. Got asked to be a Maid of Honor for the first time in my life. We used to clown around (as seen below), and now she's getting married while I'm still making shower curtains out of recycled plastic. Someday it'll be my turn, but not today!
3. Got a visit from my great college friend, Chayna. Granted I had the flu when she came, she was still willing to donate some hugs and sit next to me in the shade to catch up.
4. I'm reminded every day how grateful I am to have the roommate I do. We also got news that we're about to have a new roommate, and she's bringing a toddler! SO EXCITED.
5. Got asked to be a Maid of Honor for the first time in my life. We used to clown around (as seen below), and now she's getting married while I'm still making shower curtains out of recycled plastic. Someday it'll be my turn, but not today!
Tune in next week to see what I've been inspired to do in my post-influenza life, to find out what I've learned from living with a 2 year old, and to see who my next Miami visitors will be!
In the mean time, be part of the solution and make it a great a great week!
In the mean time, be part of the solution and make it a great a great week!