So we just recently returned from our annual Week Without Walls trips as a Middle School division, and as always it was an incredible learning experience for our students. We saw them struggle, grow, change, and thrive as they were constantly pushed just a little bit out of their comfort zones, and I know that this will be a week that they will positively remember for the rest of their lives. I personally love these trips for a multitude of reasons, and as much as I love watching the kids explode into themselves over the five day experience, I have to admit that I love watching our teachers working to support the students just as much. 

I had the privilege of taking part in one of the trips this year, and I was reminded once again of how many interchangeable hats great teachers need to seamlessly wear, as they give everything in their power throughout the week to be the change agents that our young students need them to be in their lives. I purposely watched our teachers over the course of the week, knowing that I would be amazed and inspired by their effort, care, compassion, work ethic, and love that they give to our kids without pause and at every turn…and you know what, I was right, and it was beautiful. Watching them over the week was a moving and emotional experience for me as a fellow educator and as a leader, seeing first hand what a difference a great teacher can make in the life of a young person, even in just a relatively short amount of time. 

I saw teachers as surrogate mothers and fathers, as they stayed up late to deal with homesickness, night terrors, tummy aches, bathroom issues and bug bites. I saw teachers as counselors, dealing with the inevitable relationship drama, roommate issues, and getting kids to believe in themselves as they struggled initially to take risks. I saw teachers as nurses, helping to patch up skinned knees and to secure twisted ankles, and I saw teachers as role models and mentors as they often stepped out of their comfort zones themselves just to show a student that it’s safe to take a risk that they were feeling a little unsure of. 

I witnessed teachers on a daily basis being advocates for kids, helping to add experiences and activities to the program that gave our kids more choice and agency, and I saw teachers as leaders, taking charge when they needed to, and holding students accountable for their actions when necessary. The other thing that I was reminded of during the week, is that on an intense five day experience like this it’s much easier to see all of these great teacher qualities on display, because we are all working together so closely both day and night, but the reality is that great teachers wear these interchangeable hats in the less intense and quieter moments of a regular school day too, all the time, and in many cases without the proper recognition. 

All in all, it was amazing to see how seemingly effortless it was for our teachers to step into these roles, and to wear these different hats so to speak so easily, and after reflecting on it over these last few days, I’m now even more resolute in my belief that great teachers are the most incredible human beings on the planet…truly. These Week Without Walls trips are wonderful in so many ways, but they are exhausting as well, and at the core they highlight all that is good about education from both a student and teacher perspective. They push and challenge kids through experiential learning, they bond divisions together, they foster deep and lasting human relationships, and they develop an important sense of self esteem in our kids. They also create opportunities for students and teachers alike to showcase the best of themselves, and to find success outside of the classroom walls.

These past trips were no exception, and as exhausted as I was when I returned home from the week, part of me wishes that we were shortly heading out again. Thank you teachers for being who you are for our kids, and for our community, and please know that those many hats that you wear are indeed making a difference. You are indeed changing lives, and in so many ways changing our world for the better. Have a wonderful week ahead and remember to be great for our students and good to each other.  

Quote of the Week… 

Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher

-Japanese Proverb

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