SEL for Me, You, and Our Students Too

We have our words and phrases in this space.

Differentiated learning, formative assessments, SEL, data driven — they all have their place.

But when I sit quietly from my spot,

Quietly getting lost in thought,

I have to wonder if we are sometimes missing the big picture.

My mind always goes back to March 14, 2020, in the morning

When I flew back home from New York, to heed the warning.

There were four other people on this big airplane,

Social distancing was nothing to maintain.

I came back to my doormat with toilet paper and grocery bags filled to the brim,

And flowers and a magazine bought on a whim.

Love left by two people on my doorstep.

My mind then goes to all of the things missed,

Birthdays, gatherings, sporting events, too many to list.

The ability to see people’s faces and smiles,

Many shouted from the podiums and pulpits, tweeting their pleas, their disdain, their raw feelings across the miles.

People just longing for normal.

Longing for their grandma’s hug, their date night, their graduation,

But to bring it home to us — educators, students, parents — longing for education.

This country and our school houses came to reckonings in so many ways

Rooted deeply in not knowing what to expect in the coming months, weeks, or even days.

The toll of struggle abundantly noticed.

And make no mistake, we went home with heavy hearts before this pandemic.

Students’ well being, their struggles at home, and in their academics.

We know emotions and struggles are exacerbated now, it’s true,

But perhaps our best solution is more thought through.

We don’t have to operate the same.

The toll this time has took from our students, our families, ourselves,

Well it’s made me revert to books on my bookshelf.

My fingers always have a way of finding Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie,

And nestled in those pages is this savory principle: “Find someone to share your heart, give to your community, be at peace with yourself, try to be as human as you can be.”

What if we gave ourselves permission to be guided by these words?

What if a virus that abided by no human law

Also built a more resilient society, one that isn’t afraid of being raw?

That rawness comes in being more human to one another,

Whether that’s to our students, our families, or to someone other.

What if it caused us to realize we don’t learn unless we are cared for,

We aren’t safe, we aren’t capable, until we put those needs before,

Anything else.

We may have lost a lot and our needs may be great,

But the answer isn’t more of four plus four equals eight.

No, the answer is in systemically putting our own emotional health first,

On relying on our circles to dive in headfirst,

On being able to support students as they seek to understand

The why’s and how’s and their potential in this land.

And in doing so, maybe, just maybe, we give ourselves and them the permission to dream.