New Year - New Connections

One thing I always loved about being an educator was the gift of two New Year’s.  There is the Fall opening; the fresh start that only a new school year offers.  And, then, there is the January New Year that the rest of world enjoys; the chance to reflect, pivot and move forward.  

As our learners spill back into our schools and classrooms, it’s a perfect time to reconnect,

reflect and chart a course for the next span of learning.  

Here are some ways to connect with your learners:

Reconnect your learners to Each Other:

Whenever a community reconvenes, it is important to set aside time to rediscover who we are.  Over the break, we all had a chance to rest and grow.  Our experiences make us slightly different than we were two weeks ago.  Provide opportunities for learners to share their experiences but be careful of sharing about items or experiences that highlight differences in individual’s holidays.  Topics such as “what was the most challenging thing about your break?” or “how did you deal with boredom over break?” allow every learner an entry point.  Whereas “what did you get for Christmas?” or “where did you travel over break?” can have the unfortunate effect of shining the light on glaring differences of individual children’s experiences.

Reconnect your learners to their Purpose for Learning:

What is your purpose for going to school every day?  Do you know what your learner’s would say?  We know that motivation and effort are directly tied the purpose behind what you are doing.  Have you ever coached learners to think about the mission of your learning community’s work or the vision for what they want their classroom to be?  

Engaging in these conversations can be very powerful for helping learners find THEIR purpose for schooling.  You may find that not everyone is working for the same reason!

Reconnect your learners to important Agreements and Procedures:

Often, in the week before any break, teachers mention additional challenges in keeping learners engaged and focused on learning.  The break in the action allows teachers to rest and rejuvenate and learners to catch up on sleep, family connections and probably some TV viewing.  It is important to keep in mind that, by nature, the expectations at home are different than those that that support the learning experience.  A new year provides a perfect opportunity to redevelop classroom norms and even relaunch some workshop routines.  Most importantly, don’t forget to reconnect learners to the mindsets that support learning.  Provide opportunities for learners to explore how flexible thinking, empathy and optimism shape their learning experience and contribute to developing a growth mindset.

Reconnect your learners to LEARNING:

Jump right in!  While it’s important to make time and space for reconnection, these conversations should be embedded into planned learning experiences.  Establish the need for learning by engaging learners in rich learning experiences on Day 1!  Don’t wait for reconnection and relaunching...make it a part of how you do business.  Make inquiry and design thinking span across the learner day and you are establishing a community that is committed to investigating the world around them.

Happy New Year!  Enjoy this time with your learners.  Enter into this time with a sense of wonder as you rediscover who is in your learning community. Happy connecting!