Making a Difference

This past week, I was privileged to observe some of the 9th and 10th grade learning exhibitions at MHS.  Simply put, I was blown away.  It was humbling to watch students, their families, and their teachers speak so honestly and candidly to one another.  The word I kept coming back to was beautiful.  I was witnessing such beautiful moments.

One in particular involved a student who shared how a Science teacher at MHS allowed a cartoon to replace the traditional lab report.  This student was able to articulate the lesson through the frames of a cartoon because of his passion and skills for artistic expression.  It was compelling to listen to this young person describe how he became a better learner, by articulating how he learns best.  The fact that this was validated by his teacher, is a testament to the commitment to of the educators at our high school.

It was a wonderful conversation that included his parents and teacher.  During this conversation about how this young man learned more about himself, the parents shared how much better they are all getting along at home.  The fact that teachers at MHS were meeting this young man's passions in his classes, was changing the family dynamics at home.  It was a spontaneous moment that really captured the heart of what we are trying to do with Personalized Learning Plans.

Our teachers are making a difference - not just in the lives of our students but in the lives of their families as well.  It may be subtle but the ripples are real.  The happiness in the room was palpable.  In front of me was a young man, proud of the fact that he was able to more deeply understand a science concept because a teacher chose to honor his artistic ability.  At the table sat a teacher proud to highlight the growth this student has made.  Next to her sat two parents whose family dynamics improved.  All because a teacher chose to meet a student where his strengths are.

It would be easy to dismiss this as a one-off, something that is only happening between this student and this teacher.  It simply is not true.  We are working hard to help students understand better how they learn, identify transferable skills and document their learning.  Our teachers, PK - 12, are committed to making a difference in the lives of our students, and as I saw this week, their families as well.