On Running, and Educating

I stumbled for three steps, tried to keep running and continued staring at my GPS. Feeling like I had been punched by a prizefighter, my only thought was, “Get the group back home.” Then a more rational idea emerged. “You just ran into an iron street sign. Look up and take a moment to assess.”

Despite my efforts to plan a memorable day of running and learning, The Third Annual British History Half Marathon had taken a distinct change of course. What had started as a successful edition of a run that takes colleagues and parents on a guided history tour of one of the world’s most dynamic cities had turned into a dizzy, bloody mess. “Stitches?” I asked.

“Stitches,” came the reply. On my way to the hospital, I reflected on our running group. The values we hold ring true for me as an educator as well.

In our group, we include runners of any pace. In my classes, students have a wide diversity of abilities and must feel safe and allowed to take risks, so I work hard to ensure everyone can grow. As a sixth grade English teacher, building classroom norms and creating concrete examples of our school-wide learning habits are just some of the ways I build an inclusive classroom that supports the transition to middle school. My Adaptive Schools training has helped me as a colleague and a leader. As the co-facilitator of the sixth grade team, I nurture inclusivity to build a truly collaborative team that focuses on students.

Studying my running maps of Delhi and pouring over every detail is one of my passions. Taking the time to slow down my thinking has made me more reflective in my practice. As a member and facilitator of Visible Thinking groups, I have not only learned how to incorporate thinking routines in my own planning, but in my lessons as well. Reflecting on details and how they fit with the larger picture has taught me the importance of listening to individuals. Whether it is conferring with students during reading workshop, process planning meetings or taking the time to follow up with a department member, listening allows me time to collect the information I need to make reflective decisions.

The essential skill in our profession is the ability to build relationships. With students, this is my primary focus. In teaching and coaching, I have supported, encouraged and helped many students believe in themselves. Watching them move up to high school as confident young men and women has filled me with pride. International school teachers often assume many roles at once: teacher, coach, learner, colleague, friend, leader, team member. Keeping relationships at the heart allows us to juggle those roles effectively. My colleagues have demonstrated their trust in me by allowing me to serve as a Faculty Representative to the Director and School Board. In our running group, building trust has helped me make and strengthen friendships that will stay with me always.

Combining these skills and values can be difficult. However, as I tell my students, hard work is good work. I feel honored to have done good work in my career and I look forward to more growth. I have learned much about relationships, listening and building inclusive classroom cultures as an educator. Now I just need to work on watching out for those street signs.