Friday, March 27, 2020

More than Brick and Mortar

Schools are more than the bricks that hold them up.  They are more than desks, chairs, and papers. Schools are more than the curriculum, the whiteboards, the technology.  Schools are not just brick and mortar.  They are so much more.

Schools are the people that move about the halls. They are the energy that is derived from the sheer force of the people that inhabit that space for eight hours a day.  Schools are living, breathing entities that are the life-force for so many people, young and old.

Schools are the sounds of laughter, of play, of excitement.  They are the sounds of frustration, anger, and anxiety.  Schools are the sounds of acceptance, of accomplishment, of success.  Schools are the sounds of kids and adults coming together with one common goal.

Schools do not live within four walls... they have a much greater reach.  Schools are places that people remember forever, whether good or bad.  Schools influence people for lifetimes.

Today, schools are living rooms, dining room tables and playrooms.  They are still filled with learning, frustration, acceptance, and joy.  The outside shell may be different but the mission and purpose of school is still the same.  Schools are for discovering new things, charting new paths and finding your purpose.  Schools are the people inside of them, doing the best that they can at any given moment.

So, ask yourself today...What is my school like?


2 comments:

  1. Our schools have been on Spring Break this week. Starting Monday, we will take on one of these new formats and embrace remote learning. It will be an adventure for all of us.

    PS. You forgot to leave a link to this post in your comment on the TWT page. You might want to go back and reply to the comment Kelsey left for you. Don't worry, we've all done it before.

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  2. I think schools are composed of environments, as you suggest. Schooling is interactive. I'm retired. I will get to visit the class I volunteer for in an online lesson.
    I think the strongest part of your piece -- which might be a line you'd consider lifting and writing to -- is "Schools are the people inside of them, doing the best that they can at any given moment." It felt like you wrote for awhile and then came to a live nerve.

    ReplyDelete

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