Great Video about Student Relationships
A plant that takes 14 years to bloom can teach us about relationships with kids and its story is perfect for professional development
Videos are a great hook for large group professional developments, such as a school staff kickoff at the beginning of the year. As great as they are, some videos make the rounds and get more play than a Katy Perry song about having fun. The lesson we can all learn about leadership and starting a movement from Crazy Dancing Guy is a good one, and it also may not be the best lesson to keep teaching if most people in the audience have already seen it multiple times.
One of my favorite messages of recent years is the importance of building relationships with students. And one of my favorite videos to show for this is a 6 minute talk by Trevor Muir (@trevormuir on Twitter). Check it out (above) and see for yourself!
The talk-as-poetry-performance contains 3 acts, each engaging and powerful. The first is a narrative about a young man who is going through major family trauma and teachers at school who don’t take time to know him and understand his situation not helping. Next is a young woman dealing with struggles that include an eating disorder and, again, teachers who exacerbate the problem by thinking it’s about them as opposed to seeking to understand and support the student.
The final act is about neelakurinji, a plant that spends its first 14 years spreading roots underground. Above ground, it looks like a nuance and unattractive bramble. At 14, it finally blooms and is beautiful. It’s a perfect analogy for educators, especially 8th Grade teachers.
It’s a lovely video that is brief and poignant. And every time I’ve shown it, it gets applause.
At the time of this post, it only has 3255 plays on YouTube, so presenters have a window before it reaches Crazy Dancing Guy status:)
What are YOUR favorite videos to show Teachers around a message or lesson? As always, your response posts are valued and appreciated.
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