Buyer’s Remorse

Have you had it? A car? A house? A president…?

Some of my students have recently experienced it by requesting to change their seats, aka their neighborhoods. We reflected on the purpose of our groups/neighborhoods and what they had originally said they wanted and needed. We then experienced a question storm, where they blasted their neighbors with how to improve their current groups. When the storm subsided they reflected in writing about what they wanted and needed from their neighborhoods and whether they wished to stay or go.

Very few remained in their homes. I was proud that I’d at least constructed a few neighborhoods who were cooperative, productive and happy. The vast majority desired something different, with more square footage and a few more bathrooms.

Moving Day arrived full of hope and promise. Followed by awkward glances. Fidgeting. Uncomfortable forced discussion.

Could it be that they regretted buying their new homes? Might they have been a bit more supportive, outgoing and involved in their old neighborhoods?

How often does my neighborhood interaction go beyond a simple gesture? Do I greet the new neighbors with a fresh baked pie or cookies? No, I have no time for that. I only bake once a year; massive amounts of pumpkin bread every fall for friends and family. I completely stopped planning the annual block party. Therefore I’ve created no opportunity to meet the new neighbors who have moved in over the last 5 years.

There it is — Epiphany! Love those.

It’s not them, it’s me! And it’s not necessarily the students in the old neighborhoods who were the problem, it was my lack of providing time and opportunity for them to connect and grow and thrive.

So we’ve moved. We made our decision. Although remorse may linger, the only thing we can do is embrace the situation. It’s a fresh start and we need to make the best of it.

I will strive to slow down the pace. Take the time and provide the opportunity for students to explore and express. This was already my plan from my Teacher’s Workshop, but I fell right back into my old habits. Yes, I will lose content in the process, but what have I gained if we’re flying through it without written reflection and discussion? Students will retain and understand what we cover at a deeper level if given time and opportunity.

Great, I’ve reminded myself of the problem - our neighbors are strangers. Now, what is my solution — bring back the Block Party! I purchased beautiful journals, each representing a theme of U.S. History and had fabulous success the one time I used them. I refuse to have Buyer’s Remorse! I pledge to take the time to have students read the words of their classmates and continue the dialogue with their own written reflection, connecting the themes with the content we are discussing.

It is even more essential today in our increasingly fast-paced world that that these skills of inquiry, reflection and communication are developed. It is imperative to our world that our students can build neighborhoods, instead of walls.