changing priorities

Last night, we showed a video of the IMPACT program to our school board. To my surprise, allowing the children to tell their viewpoint on the program was the most powerful feature of the presentation.  One of the board members was in tears and the audience's eyes were glued to the images of students painting murals, doing community service, leading creative projects and using technology. 

When I initially photocopied the handouts, a teacher snatched one from the copy machine.  "What is this?" she asked, as the General Inspector of All Photocopied Handouts.  "It's about our program."  She read through it and commented, "I've never even heard of this.  When do you guys find time to do this?"

The truth is that none of our teachers work more hours than the other teachers at school.  I show up at eight and leave at five - pretty standard, actually.  I'll occasionally grade papers at home, but again, that's also pretty standard.  Where we find time is in our shift of priorities.  For example, we have had not discipline conferences with parents.  Each of us makes one positive phone call per day and that has worked wonders on preventative discipline.  We conference with trouble-making students in the passing periods between classes or quietly in a corner during class. 

In return, our planning period is spent organizing the IMPACT activities and tutoring students.  We alternate who does the weekend activities, so it comes out to one or two weekends per person per quarter.  Now, in partnering with the Social Awareness Club, there is even more of a chance for collaboration of that type.  Instead of hanging out in the staff lounge before school or during lunch, we do book clubs, paint murals, design websites and create research projects. 

The point is not that we are great teachers or even that we work harder than the rest.  The point is perspective.  If we can remember to be student-centered and to begin with the notion that education must be meaningful, the IMPACT projects just sort-of naturally happen.