You know what’s the worst part about not having any power at the bottom of the power chain? Truly not wanting any power to begin with… well power in terms of how educational system is currently ran in our county. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to have power in the education world and why teachers choose to step out of the classroom and into administration positions. For the record- I am 100% not considering this at all… it’s just something that’s been on my mind lately. Is it for power? Power to make decisions? Power over others? A significant pay increase? Burnout from the classroom and needing a change? Would rather work with adults? Power for change? I have absolutely no idea.
I have advocated and failed about… 49 legitimate times this year. I have advocated and had a successful outcome… maybe twice? Taking the voices of my students and projecting their needs as loud as I can is one of my strengths. Appreciated? Nope. Necessary? 100%. Does that teach me that I don’t matter as a teacher, thus my students don’t matter since they are the only reason I’m speaking to begin with? It does. Do I let that stop me? No… but it changes my method, beats me down, and slows me down.
I don’t have any power in decision making outside of what I can control in my classroom. I thought my IEPs had power but… that’s a story for a different time. As let down as I feel on some days, I wouldn’t take the power they hold if my life depended on it. That’s not the type of power I think is going to change the world for our kids. The power I want is to not take things personally… even if someone else’s actions really are 100% personal… and respond in a way that values my integrity to my cause and their humanhood.
I don’t have this power yet-every day I’m working on it. I know what others say and do is a projection of themselves and their own realities… I’ve heard so many times (and even probably said it) that other people’s actions have nothing to do with us, so we shouldn’t take it personally. The thing is… sometimes it really, really is personal… and we do take it personal. I feel I shouldn’t have to apply the same behavior beliefs about my students to adults… I am wrong in that belief. I think I do. That is the power I want to have. Treat everyone like I treat my students… even if they never treat me that way in return.
That’s where I feel like people in power have gone all wrong. They’ve learned how to put up walls and not take things personally… because behavior isn’t truly a reflection of them, it’s a reflection of the other people, therefore their needs, feelings, ideas, and even feedback can be dismissed. The only way for people in powerful positions can truly change the systems and close the opportunity gap, is if they don’t take things personally, but can still act and make decisions with compassion that values the people under them– that is when systematic change can happen.
… ha clearly a lot has been on my mind lately … We’ve just going to start treating each other better. Myself included.
In some outfit news – – –
OUTFIT D E T A I L S
top: target kids (size L) | pants: h&m (size 2) | shoes: old navy-sold out, similar
OUTFIT D E T A I L S
dress: old navy (x-small p) | jacket: old-target, similar | shoes: old navy (size 7.5) | earrings: similar | phone case: forever 21
OUTFIT D E T A I L S
sweatshirt: j.crew (xx-small) | jeans: nordstrom, old – similar | shoes: converse
OUTFIT D E T A I L S
shirt: old navy (x-small) | jacket: old navy (x-small) | jeans: amazon (size 24) earrings: j.crew factory, old – similar
OUTFIT D E T A I L S
top: amazon (small) | pants: j.crew, old – similar | shoes: gap, old – similar
OUTFIT D E T A I L S
dress: old navy (x-small) | shoes: old navy (size 7.5)
with kindness | ashley