Why is it always so hard?
It feels like we are always struggling with the new stuff and with each other. Like there’s always something new and different. Like there’s always something changing. Big philosophical changes. Changes in cultures. New rules. New forms. New people. New procedures. New curriculum. It makes us all very uncomfortable and scared and angry. Why does it have to be so hard? Why can’t things just stay the same?

Here’s the thing.

We all want things to be better for our kids. I know you want that because I do too for my own child and for each child in our school and in our community.

Every educator i know wants that.

Every parent I know wants that.

We also, as human beings, want the comfort of sameness. We know how to deal with what we are familiar with even if it’s not what’s best. “Better the devil you know” goes the saying.

Maintaining the status quo at school is not what’s best. It’s not what I was hired to do. There is so much research – proof of what can be better. We have a much better idea of what matters in learning.

It’s hard because that means recognizing we need to change. That means we have to take time to understand these findings as parents and teachers. It’s much easier to feel angry – believe me, I know. I fall into that trap as well.

This work we need to do – to seek understanding – it’s good work. Rewarding and exciting, but it’s hard. There are misunderstandings and misconceptions and hurt feelings.

No one is saying that the ways we have been familiar with are all bad. However, we need to think about the why. Why have we always done things that way? There are good reasons for some things and we should keep doing those. If our only reason is “because we’ve always done it that way” then we need to stop until we find a better reason.

Theses are our kids. We need to do better than the status quo. We need to be brave enough to ask why and to do better. Why are things changing? The answers are interesting if you’re able to hear them.

Why is it so hard? Because they are our kids and just about everything I know about being a parent and a teacher is hard. Let’s work together on doing the good hard stuff.

I look forward to the hard conversations and coming to a better understanding of each other.

Please call or come in any time.

Stacy