The school year came to a close and while my kids love the idea of freedom, being bums in the morning, and nonstop outdoor playtime in the summer, it was interesting to see how sad they were for their final day. They genuinely enjoyed their teachers and the environment their educators created for them to be challenged and grow. While I’ll always be grateful for what teachers do to help kids learn more of the traditional school elements of math, science, reading, etc., there’s an extra appreciation for what I see teachers doing to develop skills that make a widespread positive impact.
Regardless of the organization you work for, there’s an element of needing to be technical experts in your industry. But what sets apart a good organization from a great organization isn’t so much the technical knowledge but the ability to continue to adapt and evolve. Whether it’s adding additional revenue streams, meeting clients and their needs in a unique way, or expanding the communities the organization touches, there’s always a need to adapt and evolve. As I see more and more need for this skillset, I can’t help but be thankful for the educators that understand how to challenge kids to grow and be able to take on the diversity of experiences life will throw at them in the future.
There are a couple of examples that stand out for me this year that helped propel my kids and their development in being able to adapt and evolve.
The art of influence:
One of my favorite projects my 3rd grader worked on this year was exploring the accessibility of playgrounds. This exploration opened the door for a world of different discussions starting with what are disabilities, why someone wouldn’t be able to use certain playground equipment, and how playground equipment can be built for inclusivity. It was fun to see the dots start connecting on the importance of understanding what others might have to go through to enjoy the fun of playgrounds. My 3rd grader’s teacher was creating an environment to foster empathy and have the kids spend time learning the challenges others may have to go through.
Not only was empathy nurtured, but the teacher also took an extra step and challenged the class to see if they could influence the city of Des Moines to look at the playground near their school to make it more inclusive. The kids had to consider how to write a letter positioning the needs, pain points, opportunities, and benefits for the community. The inclusive exploration gave them the chance to practice articulating their influential points verbally and ideas on how to make a positive impact and change. Building empathy and the ability to influence are two of many key traits to keep challenging kids with to prepare them for the constantly changing future they’ll embark on.
The power of leadership
For my 1st grader I loved seeing the growth in reading and math, but my favorite of her developments was thanks in large part to how her teacher empowered the students to practice leadership in their own authentic way. Something as simple as earning the opportunity to be a line leader, rotating tasks of accountability each day, partnering her up with someone that may be feeling a little behind so she could help them are just a few of the challenges that provided my daughter space to test her leadership skills. All intended to put kids in a situation for them to practice and build their authentic approach to being a leader and making a positive difference.
As a leader that’s been through the hiring process many times, technical strength and capability will always be important but what trumps this often are the skillsets needed to be someone that helps propel growth and evolution of the team. The earlier these skillsets are fostered and challenged, the longer the runway to practice and build these skillsets there will be. Adapt and evolve will continue to be key attributes of success and cheers to the teachers that foster an environment for these kids to grow these skills!