In elementary, we spend time during the beginning of the year setting expectations and norms to build a healthy and welcoming classroom community. Best practice tells us to continue to reinforce these norms throughout the year—not just in September.
We often focus on oral communication early on, particularly active listening, as a means to ensure all voices are heard and valued. But did you know that the Ontario Language Curriculum doesn’t actually define “active listening”?
Here’s what it does say:
Effective Listening Skills B1.1use effective listening skills, including listening attentively and asking relevant questions, in formal and informal contexts, including conversations and classroom activities — Grade 1, Ontario Language Curriculum (2023)
It does not define “active listening” as eyes on the speaker, mouth closed, hands in lap, sitting criss-cross with a calm body. Yet, the number of posters, anchor charts, classroom displays, and behaviour expectations across classrooms that frame it this way.
Some Considerations — Thinking Critically About Listening Norms
Let’s consider a few things. Are the ways we define and assess listening in our classrooms actually inclusive? Are they developmentally appropriate? Are they culturally responsive?
Here are a few questions to reflect on:
1. Do students need to look at the speaker to listen?
2. How are students sitting?
3. How are we measuring listening?
4. Are we privileging dominant cultural norms?
Instead of teaching a one-size-fits-all version of active listening, we can:
Model and co-create with students what listening looks like, sounds like, and feels like—acknowledging that it may vary by person
Encourage self-awareness: “What helps you listen and focus best?”
Prioritize authentic communication over performative behaviour.
Final Thoughts As educators, our role is not just to teach curriculum, but to teach it in a way that honours identity, culture, and individual needs. Let’s move beyond posters and routines, and into a more inclusive, responsive approach to oral communication and classroom participation.
April has left behind a warm May and when the sun isn’t shining, it’s been cool cloudy Khandala (please look it up) weather. There have been many things to go at work and much time to play: both aspects a reflection of the privilege one takes for granted when one gets to being in a certain place in a certain way. There’s that Standard North American Family * shelf on which one lives.
Before Work, I Play
When I first started teaching in 2004, I began at an early start school so I’ve been in the habit of waking early. A huge help with meal prep and a quiet cup of coffee when raising young children back then. Nowadays as I’ve got more time and less mothering work to attend to, I look around and I peer. There are many thoughts running through my mind that my botany courses do not explain anymore as this is a connection that goes beyond scientific knowledge and leaf identification skills.
“There you are!”, I whisper
“You came back after the winter”, I say.
“Oh my goodness. You’ve got many more little ones along the fence now!”, I celebrate.
Looking Down and Planning Up
Just as one indulges people in one’s life they reciprocate as well. When they were younger, my children would remark when I’d walk about in early spring on this space or elsewhere: “Mamma is peering at the ground. Something is growing there”. I do this in every area of my life. I peer and I wait patiently.
I also work to create conditions that will allow that which is growing to thrive.
Transferable Skills: The “Remember-When Mindset” (Karnad-Jani, 2025)
Recognizing potential and creating conditions for growth and thriving is a skill. We can learn it. We can practice it with critical and kind friends and colleagues who know the heart and art of teaching and learning.
I work hard to strengthen the skills in in one area of my life so that I can use the “remember when? mindset” to support myself and others in another area. I am sure there is a theory for this somewhere and a fancy name in a book, but to me, it means noticing that something is sprouting and how when I and you create conditions for roots to go down and stems to grow upwards the young seeds become plants and the seedlings become shrubs and trees.
Let’s Grow Something Together: The Sunflower Lesson
A few weeks ago, I planted sunflower seeds outside but brought them in on the mid-May long weekend due to the cooler temperatures. I noticed on Saturday that sunflower seedling had flopped. I gently poked in a wooden stick beside it and on Monday I notice that it doesn’t need it anymore!
Sunflower Seedlings On Their Own
What does that tell me? Scaffolding and support to those who need it, allows seedlings to strengthen without expending energy to prevent bending or breaking. I take this insight with me into all areas of my life and also sharing with you, my fellow travellers.
Sunflower Seedlings After Support
With You, In Solidarity
Rashmee Karnad-Jani
The Standard North American Family, says Smith, is an ideological code that informs the biases by which we see particular families as deficient because the ideal of SNAF is a two-parent, heterosexual family where the father’s work allows the mother to attend to the children’s schooling and educational outcomes. It is also important to notice that race is a critical intersection within SNAF (Karnad-Jani, 2021).
My positionality: To preface this post, I am engaging in this work as a co-learner rather than an expert. As a racialized woman and a life-long learner, my role as an anti-racist teacher involves knowing the students and families in front of me to create equitable learning experiences to ensure students feel a sense of belonging and community. This means doing the heart and hard work of learning and unlearning.
Indigenous Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is not simply about bringing in diverse texts and learning about holidays. It begins deeper—with our mindsets as educators.
Equity Habits of Mind are the intentional ways we reflect, question, and respond in order to create inclusive, belonging and affirming learning spaces. These habits help educators not only recognize inequities but also take meaningful steps toward disrupting them as part of anti-oppressive work and teaching.
In this series, I will explore some considerations and shifts to take as you move towards incorporating anti-oppressive work in your practices.
Please note that this is not a checklist, nor can it be. Cultivating these habits takes time, and can transform teaching into a lived commitment of anti-oppressive teaching. There is a commitment to having brave’ critical conversations, being uncomfortable and lifelong learning and unlearning.
Shift # 1: Self-Reflection – Inward Work
It is vital that we seek to better understand ourselves, including identity and positionality, as we engage in the work of Indigenous Education, Equity, Inclusion, and education. This includes critical and ongoing reflections on power, privilege, build spots, and more. While this is vulnerable work, it should be recognized that discomfort is necessary for growth. Some questions include:
What assumptions am I making?
What privilege do I have?
Whose perspectives am I centering?
How does my identity shape my thinking?
What do I need to learn ?
Using a graphic organizer like the one below, can also help guide your thinking in understanding privilege. Known as the wheel of privilege and power, the closer you are to the centre, the more privilege you have. By understanding our privileges and unconscious biases, it helps us to identify where we need to shift our thinking as we become more capable of seeing the systems and structures that perpetuate inequities.
Photo retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca
Have you tried this ? What did you notice? What do you wonder? How this impact your ability to build relationships with students and understand their needs?
As I composed this piece in the last weeks of December, I was aware that it has the potential of being more than a 2 part piece. I continue to notice questions in everyday professional spaces. Questions asked around me stand out because the language that goes from seemingly innocuous talk to formal texts that in turn guide trajectories of educational work and the outcomes for students.
If those outcomes unfold on paths of equity and social justice, I always look deeper for the driving gear: who is the person – parent, family friend, educational worker or combination of all three or more who have made it their mission to ensure that that student achieves their fullest potential.
Also, sometimes the topics I write about invite readers to take a deep and honest look around so that we can be authentically inclusive in our professional practice towards all with whom we interact. A twinge here and there is therefore okay, it helps us sharpen out growth mindset as ETFO members.
Some Spaces Are Special
A Special Park Bench (Karnad-Jani, 2024)
Notice this beautiful bench situated along the walking track around the cricket pitch beside the school with the gorgeous sunrise where I worked for 14 years. In 2018, after considering many factors, mostly around breathing room and well being, I had decided to move to another school. But I still walk here every season as long as the paths are ice-free. So it was that one late summer in the last week of August, shall we say, I met up with a former student now an educator who wanted to talk through some career decisions.
Such walks are mutually supportive as I can give back to the communities of practice that steady me and another educator can have an unconditional space to air their ideas and possibilities. We walked a few laps and sat down to take in the view. A warm breeze was blowing and I was thinking of 6 students in my last three years at this school with whom our team used to walk this track daily for our observation skills, social skills, and conversational and communication goals with our flip and talk books etc. One student had clearly described this very bench as “A park bench is like a chair that’s outside. It is longer than the chair inside our class and you can’t pick it up.” How delighted we were at this description! It is one of the special memories of that time
What are YOU doing here?
Just then, someone I knew from years ago stopped in front of me and demanded, “What are you doing here?” and without waiting for a response, walked on. My walking companion was as startled as I was at this interaction if one could call it that. “What was that, Ms. Karnad-Jani? They did not even wait for a response.”
My heart beat quickened from past memories of having faced this question in various spaces.
Deep breath in. Look around. Exhale. I was glad I was in a beautiful space outside that helped me compose myself. We walked some more and that was that.
I have thought about this question often as it appears in our lives in many ways.
When one is asked “What are YOU doing here?” we can claim space individually and collectively to support one another when this question comes up that may challenge our very presence in some, many, any spaces.
Also, always consult and implement the guidelines outlined in ETFO’s Terms of Use when using any published materials in professional learning and elsewhere because all of us who write academically and professionally work very diligently to think about the ideas we share with you.
Shifting to an Asset-Based Lens to Support Student Identities
January is a busy time of the year for many educators: collecting various forms of data, reviewing grade books, collaborating with families and colleagues to write Term 1 report cards and goals for Term 2 IEPs (Individual Education Plans). During this time, it is important to reflect on how we communicate about learning. Language plays a pivotal role in this process, and adopting an asset-based approach is key to maintaining high expectations and supporting students’ identities.
The Ontario Ministry of Education’s Growing Success document encourages educators to adopt an asset-based approach when describing student strengths and areas for growth. This practice shifts the focus to potential, emphasizing the learning and progress.
Examples of shifting language
Instead of saying…
This student is weak in identifying numbers to 20
This is a Level 1 math student
This is a Spec Ed student
This student cannot speak English
Shift to say …
The student’s learning of identifying numbers to 20 is emerging.
This student is currently demonstrating a level 1 in number sense
This student has an IEP
The student is building their English proficiency
The Impact of Language on Identity
Notice how what we say can also indirectly impact a student’s identity?
What we say about students—to families, colleagues, and the students themselves—shapes their identity as learners. Asset-based language communicates that we believe in their potential and growth. Having brave, critical conversations with colleagues about this shift is challenging. However, this shift in practice helps ensure that all students can achieve, regardless of their starting point or identity.
In this series, I will discuss Co-Teaching as a way to support student success. I do recognize that MLL support models look differently across the boards, which means not everyone can access this model. As you read this series, I hope you consider other colleagues you can work with (e.g., grade teaching partner, SERT). I have seen that MLLs thrive when a model of team-teaching is provided. They deserve a model like this as it is a powerful way to ensure equitable learning outcomes.
An Overview
Collaboration takes place where members of an inclusive learning community work together with the purpose to support student success in the classroom. Through teacher collaboration and co-teaching practices, a variety of studies have reported increased student achievement in content areas and improved sense of belonging in the school community. Key outcomes for teachers include enhanced peer support, authentic job-embedded professional learning, and shared ownership of all students . There are principles of teaching co-teaching to consider while collaborating: time gifting, communication, control surrendering, perspective seeking, relationship investing.
The Collaborative Cycle
While defining collaboration and coteaching, it is important to note that it is a process, not an event. Honigfeld and Dove (2017) describe the collaborative cycle as Co-plan, Co-Act, Co-Assess and Reflect. It is similar to the Plan-Act-Assess-Reflect cycle, but the difference is that it is done in collaboration. Teachers need to engage in allparts of the collaborative cycle in order to ensure successful outcomes for students.
Retrieved from ETFO Article resource: Supporting Multilingual Language Learners: Collaboration and Co-teaching
Co-planning: This part of the cycle is considered the most important aspect, and is often overlooked. It is recommended to avoid low-impact co-planning (e.g., today’s lesson, tomorrow’s lesson, one one graphic organizer). To work towards high-impact co-planning, where each partner is seen as an equal, it is recommended to focus more on unit planning, student groups, assessments, extension activities, curriculum mapping and lesson and language sequencing. Developing an ongoing document, such as a unit plan organizer, can help work towards high-impact co-planning.
Some key questions to consider during co-planning
What are content learning goals? What are the language learning goals?
Both the content teacher (classroom teacher) and resource teacher (MLL Support Teacher) bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to co-planning. Below is a list of some of the skills (not comprehensive)
Content Teachers
MLL Support Teachers
Set content objectives and learning cycles
Knowledge of the MLL learners, including their STEP levels and background history (with a focus on strengths)
Curate Resources, and knowledge of curriculum content
Scaffold access to resources, including technology
Create content specific success criteria and assessments
Differentiate content, process, and product in linguistic and CRRP lens, while advocating for identity affirming interactions
Co-Teach: There are many models of co-teaching. This is time to identify co-teaching models, considering the learning environment and learning goals. The most common models includes:
Team Teaching: both teachers providing instruction at the same time
Lead support teaching: one leads, other supports instruction
Parallel Teaching: two teachers providing instruction to two different groups at the same time, process might look different although content may be the same
Station Teaching: students in small groups, multiple stations, and each station has a different task, each teacher manages their own station
Co-Assess: Assessment is usually established during co-planning; therefore both teachers share the responsibility of assessment (e.g., rubric, success criteria, observation log). It is recommended to also create a reflection collaboration log to record reflections during the co-teaching experience.
Co-Reflect: During the co-reflection meeting, teachers should discuss successes and refinements by using the assessment as their guiding tools. This will in part support the next co-teaching cycle to be more successful.
In 2022, I started to build my co-teaching capacities as a means to improve outcomes for all students through my role as an MLL support teacher. In Part Two I will share my reflections, including the benefits, and advice of how to get started !
December-January… Although in many cultures the New Year is celebrated at different times, when one calendar year makes way for the next is a time when many of us look back and look ahead.
This is therefore a short reflection of the heart strings that are carefully tied around the gifts we bring to others and those that we receive.
My Writer’s Portfolio
Some Gifts I Have Received
The beautiful embroidered portfolio in the picture above is a recent gift from a dear friend who addresses me as “Rashmee Jaan”. How light my daily concerns feel when I hear those words! The pencil case is a gift from a former colleague who had one made for each member of our team when she left to go to another job. It’s a special and precious gift because I can’t buy such items with my name on them in shops . What made this gift extra special is that this colleague shared that she remembered this reality mentioned by students when she worked at a high school. That was special: When people remember these stories, they see a connection in experiences that help them see the humanity of others in deep and lasting ways.
An elastic band given by a Grade 4 student when they finished their Empower lesson in a room where I waited quietly for their teacher to finish.
A thank you message on a heart cut out from Good On One Side Paper in a Grade 5 classroom by a student with whom I sat when she had some math questions to finish.
A pinch of sand from that first trip to the beach, here.
A pressed flower from a plant the class grew from seeds.
The Secret Ingredient
Many gifts and moments appear in our busy lives on gossamer threads of vulnerability from the gift giver who wonders “is that too small, too silly, too simple?” It isn’t. It’s perfect. It’s exactly what I need to think of when things feel monumental and much bigger than I can ever solve. I know you think that too when things are left on your desk, pressed into your hand and brought to your classroom door. What appears as “ oh one more mug” to a dismissive heart is an overflowing of friendship, familial respect and care.
We don’t have to always bring material gifts to people that cost an awful lot of money. The economies of the world are so arranged that sometimes the currencies of the places from where these gifts may have come from don’t always “measure up” in monetary value when measured through the gaze of the western world.
How Do I Continue This Practice?
I recently gifted a large perfectly intact sycamore leaf in a plastic frame for a sweet child who like me, likes to collect leaves when he is outside with his mother, who is my friend. On the last Friday of the work week before the winter break this year, I held up my palm filled with a few glass beads and marbles and a smooth rock (I carry them in my jacket pocket). I offered these simple items to a friend who always saves a seat for me at our monthly meetings. Sometimes, we have assigned seating but we always find time to connect. “Take one,” I said. My colleague selected a shiny multicoloured marble and I was glad. She is scheduled to present an important topic to many teams in the organization soon. I want to continue the connection because I want her to know I am thinking of her on those days when she may feel wobbly.
Here is a practice that I have let go. I do not fix a value to the gift, which is a huge life lesson in a world filled with price tags.
When we offer these gifts to people who matter to us, let us not say “it is not much” because it is more. These gifts we bring and the ones we receive are a lot more than monetary value.
Let’s keep our hearts open. That’s how hope gets in.
We’ve moved on from November and it’s the last month of the year already. While the countdown for the winter break has begun in many minds, there are some things that catch my attention and I want to share some of them with you.
In our everyday spaces, we connect with, notice and wonder about things, and people all the time when we see them. Sometimes we ask questions and at other times based on what we think we know, we decide a response. I am sharing some questions that I have been asked in the past months that keep me thinking about their importance.
Winter Sunlight (Karnad-Jani, 2024)
Who are you?
As the range where I collaborate with colleagues is K-12, I have the experience of meeting students who aren’t yet four and older students who call me Miss. When I enter a classroom or wait outside, students either ask me directly who I am or their eyes do without words. When invited by my colleague in the classroom, I introduce myself: “My name is Ms.Karnad. I am a teacher and I’m here to learn with you”.
Do you miss that?
The questions I receive are heart warming and they open my mind to all the things children think about.
Often I join children at their tables to work alongside. In a Grade 4 class a student asked me “Do you go from school to school because you don’t have your own classroom now?”
“Yes”, I said “That’s correct”.
“Do you miss having your own students?”
I replied in the affirmative.
“What is the first thing you will do if you have your own classroom again?”
I’m still thinking about that one.
Do you speak Farsi?
In a Kindergarten classroom recently, a student asked me to join them in play. They were gathering leaves to fill a small red cup, a blue teapot and a star shaped baking dish. I was instructed to guess how many scoops of leaves went into each one and I think I did rather well on that task. Then another student joined us and in a clear voice asked me “Do you speak Farsi?” I replied that I didn’t but I understood some words. “Come back and I’ll teach you some more words” she said and I’m looking forward to that. How wonderful it is when children say to the grown-ups in their lives “I will teach you”. What a promising world this will be!
Can you help me?
At another school when I was planning a pre-collaboration visit and standing by the door as it was a rather busy time, I felt a tug on my wrist. Looking down I saw a student who wanted me to walk with them. They began leading me by the hand to another space and pointed to a shelf higher up. “Show me”, I said pointing to the visuals as I had seen a choice board displayed prominently with large pictures for easy access (for visitors like me also). The student showed me the picture of their preferred item and I helped get it down for them. A friend joined in and they tugged my hand to sit also. Building with multicoloured magnetic shapes that morning was a lot of fun.
Do you know where you are going?
As we approach the end of the year and the start of a new calendar year, it is these simple heart-touching questions that point me to where I am going. Immersed as we see in the complexities of the work and the world, this simplicity is the gift that allows me to stay in the moment and touch that glimmering droplet of joy.
I see you
Many years ago, I was a Grade 7-8 teacher at the school with the beautiful sunrise. As I’d walk to the workroom downstairs on my prep, I’d pass an empty kindergarten classroom. Every day a rotation of women-mothers, aunties, grandmothers – and children would come in and attend a morning run by an Ontario child care programme. The women would sit cross legged and the children would sit in front of them. The service provider would play some songs while the women and children waited, listened and participated. It becomes clear for those of us who know educational pathways in Ontario that this was a school readiness programme for pre-kindergarten children.
In the early days, there would be hesitant little people being encouraged by the women and as time went by the children would begin to sing. As the workroom was nearby, I’d hear the voices change from whispers to hesitant voices to the silver sound of enthusiastic singers.
When they’d come in for their learning, the women and children would line up outside the room. On the wall, up high, were Grade 8 graduation composites. One day as I was walking by, a child was pointing to a picture here and a picture there. As his Amma smiled at me I stopped and listened alongside. “Anna (elder brother), Akka (elder sister)”, he said. They were his cousins, who had graduated from the school, I learned from the child’s mother.
As I was about to leave, the child pointed at someone else in the frame and whispered to his mother. I asked “Who is it? Whom do you see?”. The little one smiled shyly and pointed to me. His Amma said “He is saying, I see you”. Yes, I was there too and the child had recognized me from my tiny face in the large frame.
Now these photos have been moved to a connecting passage between the old wing where I started working and the new wing that we saw being built from my Grade 7-8 class. That moment stays with me years later.
I see you.
Such an important thought. I want to make sure everyday that I too see you, students and colleagues. That’s a great place to begin.
In the realm of education, embracing diverse cultural perspectives not only fosters understanding but also cultivates excellence. Each cultural group brings unique experiences, wisdom, and contributions to the society we all participate in. As educators, we should seek to delve into the pursuit of excellence within diverse cultural groups, emphasizing their rich heritage and the invaluable insights they offer to educational discourse. Thus, incorporating learning about ‘Black History’ within Ontario’s curriculum in grades 7, 8, and 10 is a step in the right direction.
Many cultures epitomize resilience, creativity, and innovation. These tenets have reshaped history and inspired generations. Educators committed to excellence incorporate the achievements and struggles of diverse individuals into their curriculum, especially cultures and narratives often left untold or intentionally omitted. By highlighting excellence areas like literature, music, art, and activism, educators empower students to recognize their potential for greatness while understanding the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity.
For example, Indigenous cultures epitomize a profound connection to land, community, and tradition. Indigenous peoples have preserved their languages, ceremonies, and sacred practices despite historical injustices, embodying resilience and strength. In educational settings, excellence is found in honouring Indigenous knowledge systems, environmental stewardship, and cultural revitalization efforts. Educators committed to Indigenous excellence engage with Indigenous elders, integrate Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum, and foster respectful relationships with local Indigenous communities. By recognizing and celebrating Indigenous excellence, educators instill in students a deep respect for Indigenous cultures and inspire them to become allies in pursuing Indigenous rights and sovereignty.
Similarly, Black history encompasses a tapestry of civilizations, philosophies, and innovations that have shaped human history. From ancient wisdom to modern advancements, Black cultures have made indelible contributions to science, technology, and the arts. In educational contexts, excellence in Black heritage is celebrated through exploring classical literature, philosophical teachings, and artistic traditions. Educators committed to teaching about Black excellence promote critical thinking, cultural exchange, and global citizenship by engaging students in dialogue about Black history, contemporary issues, and cross-cultural connections. By fostering an appreciation for Black excellence (which is woven into the very fabric of North America), educators prepare students to thrive in an interconnected world and embrace diversity as a source of strength and enrichment.
Diverse heritages embody legacies of faith, scholarship, and cultural exchange that span continents and centuries. From the golden age of civilization to the present day, many cultures have excelled in fields ranging from astronomy and mathematics to architecture and literature. In educational environments, excellence in these varied heritages can be upheld through the exploration of art, ethics, and intellectual traditions. Educators committed to teaching from a lens of excellence foster an atmosphere of inclusion, dialogue, and mutual respect by promoting intersectional understanding, challenging stereotypes, and addressing phobias that stem from biases unconsciously developed through deficit teaching. By embracing contributions to human civilization and presenting intentionally diverse representation to all students, educators empower students to recognize the interconnectedness of cultures and appreciate the richness of diversity in all its forms.
In pursuing educational excellence, embracing diverse cultural perspectives is not just a choice but a necessity. By celebrating the excellence inherent within all cultures, educators enrich the learning experience, inspire critical thinking, and foster a sense of belonging among students. Through dialogue, empathy, and a commitment to inclusivity, educators can cultivate a generation of leaders who appreciate the value of diversity and strive for excellence in all they do.
“If we want to create change in Canada – if we want to have more people from communities who aren’t only represented – the answer isn’t to move towards tokenization and propping people up. The answer is to give people the tools to prop themselves up.” – Sarah Jama (Sarah Jama is the co-founder of Disability Justice Network of Ontario).
“Black history is not just for black people. Black history is Canadian history.”- Jean Augustine (First Black Canadian woman to serve as a federal Minister of the Crown and Member of Parliament).
My students and I didn’t know a lot of things when we started this year. We didn’t know that we’d be climbing literal, emotional, and metaphysical mountains. How could we? I am sure that each of us experiences a similar version to this expedition too.
There we were; 26 individuals together for the first time. We set up base camp by creating a student centred learning space that valued community, kindness, encouragement, and hard work. We focused on sharing our strengths and areas where we wanted to improve our footing in order to ascend the mountain(s) we were preparing to summit.
“You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen.” – Rene Daumal
Image from Simpsons S9 E201 5F16 first aired March 3, 1998
oxygen and sherpas please
Each year, we start at the bottom to get to where we are now; by the looks of the mountain still towering above us that is May and June, we have a lot more to climb. There may still be some distance to cover above, but I think it is a great time to look down to appreciate how far we’ve climbed. I think that this perspective will provide us some of the necessary extra strength/motivation to finish what we started in order to reach the top.
My grade 6s and I are eight months into our ten month journey to the summit of Mt. Grade 6*. We have grown in stature, in perspectives, in strength, and in skills. We have lost our way on purpose and along with those sideways steps, and circuitous routes, we have also left behind some of our worries about participating and presenting by better knowing ourselves. We have camped on lush warm plateaus while gaining the confidence and capacity to go higher.
We have built bridges over dangerous crevasses of fixed mindsets and self doubt too. We have shared resources and experiences. We have picked each other when there was a slip or slide backwards. We made sure our ropes, pitons, carabiners, and the rest of our gear is safe and strong. We packed enough provisions for everyone to make it to the top and back down again. We have accepted and carried our share of the load.
We have laughed, discussed tough topics, dug deeply into equity and inclusion, tore up tests that didn’t go well, restarted lessons, disagreed, reviewed past lessons, re-reviewed past lessons, learned new concepts, reviewed new concepts, re-reviewed new concepts, shared life tips, played outside, and so much more.
There have been moments when the distance between those at the top of the climb were setting up new base camps while others were still climbing. We learned to wait for each other; to make sure that everyone was accounted for on the trek.
We started from the bottom and we can almost see the top. There is still a lot of climbing ahead, but what a view!
