The Rookery

My very favorite moment as a teacher is when the room is a maelstrom of varied, intense activity and I am utterly tangential to it.  The students know what they are about.  They have made their plans, they have learned their stuff.  They are on a mission.  Sure, they need me to fetch something from the basement or to spell something when Google Docs spell check has failed them.  Sure there are messes and missteps.  But, it's their show.

That's how I felt this week watching the honors and fourth grade projects.  These kids knew their topics so well they were able to transfer their work over into an all new medium in just four days.  And here's the thing – by in large, they did it without me.  Once they knew the tools, once they had mastered juggling multiple tabs, once they knew the keyboard controls…they were off.  They did far more than I was expecting and far more than I thought they were capable of.

And that's saying something. They are truly rising to the occasion in ways I couldn't imagine.

Parents are often surprised at conferences by what their child is doing and, more often, how they are able to talk about it. I know that kids present differently at home – school is their "work" after all.  It's not infrequent that a Heron will bring up at meeting, "My parents couldn't believe I could do this by myself" and the other kids and I will nod.  Home is often where we grow up last. But I feel like the Herons are rising in this unique moment and are working to be as independent as possible. 

In the "How I was helpful" area of their daily work record, kids list doing things without being asked, figuring out things on their own, not whining…And then I'm getting e-mails asking questions and suggesting things we can do.  Kids who say, "I set an alarm so I wouldn't miss our meeting."  And, most exciting for me, kids are starting to take off on projects – sending coded messages I haven't required, running with ideas and taking them to the next level, suggesting "our next theme" or, just recently, military jets, peep social media and Peep-azon delivery business for Village.

If this doesn't sound like your kid…perhaps it doesn't sound like your kid YET.  Can you make yourself less available?  One of my favorite ways to increase student independence is to look really busy or have a long line of others who are getting help first.  Try setting a time when you are available for help – 10 minutes in the morning or 10 minutes in the afternoon.

Ask 3 before me.  Remind your child that they have resources to figure things out.

1. Did they go to the morning explanation meeting?  If not, did they watch the explanation of the day on Herons at Home?
2. I'm in the Zoom Room all morning and much of the afternoon to explain things (and I'm really lonely…) have they checked with me there? 
3. Have they put a note in the stream for their peers to answer (there have been many tech issues that I don't know about until they are solved by the students.)

If your child is getting done too quickly or not taking advantage of extension work*, maybe let them be bored (but limit their options when they aren't doing school work during whatever your school hours are.) Setting up a household routine with clear rhythms can help your child feel more at ease and less inclined to rush.  Know that, if your child isn't doing the work I expect, I'll work with them first and if they need local support, I'll be in touch (usually via a cc on an e-mail I sent to them.)

But really – let's take a moment to marvel.  Our kids have just done the equivalent of getting a new job.  They have had to learn all new ways to work and learn.  And really, they're rocking it, all of them.  I couldn't be more proud.

*There are some really great things to beat boredom at our 4/5 Reading Room and 4/5 Math Circles.