Educational Reassurance

No matter what our gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or age is, we all need some educational reassurance from time to time.  This week, my colleagues are venturing into this wide open world of Google Apps for Education (GAFE) and are required to develop their Google site (teacher webpage).  For some, it's no problem, Google how to do it, watch a how to video, read a quick PPT with instructions and they are on their way.  For others, it's a scary venture and they need some reassurance and for those I can completely relate.  Teachers and other educational professionals, in my own opinion, truly want to do what is right and meet those deadlines, but so often the procrastination is based in fear.  Why do something that seems so monumental that will be phased out in a couple of years?  How will this positively impact my students or families?  Why is this important?  I don't know how.  I don't want to waste my time going in circles or having to redo my work.  I've heard it all and said many myself.  So, it's my responsibility to reassure them that this is a good thing for them, their students, and their families.

I'm not saying it's going to be easy.  I'm saying it's going to be worth it.

But here's the thing...it's not just in technology that we need reassurance.  How many times have things been mandated or passed downhill in education with little instruction or explanation?  In my experience, many times.  Like it or not, as teachers, we should help not only reassure our students during times of change or difficulty, but we should also reassure each other and encourage others.  This should be modeled starting from the top down and hopefully will help to create a contagious, positive culture for any campus.  

Now don't get me wrong, we all need a time to vent and express our frustration.  We all can't have those happy personalities and roll with whatever happens.  But by the same token, we should also be cautious in our venting, because we have little people watching us.  We have others who follow watching us, and when they see me frustrated or any admin frustrated, then it can do damage to whatever the new initiative is.  

So, for those times when you {or I} have nothing positive to say, here's a great resource I discovered through TPT created by Jennifer Hanger.