Jordan S. came up to me at work today and said, "I'm done being negative. There's just so much right now. I'm doing the best I can, and it's so easy to think that I didn't reach kids; but I am making connections and that's got to be good enough."
I reassured her and validated that the hybrid situation makes it so hard to teach well and get the kind of feedback that we need as high school teachers.
Meanwhile, Jennie recently was given the task at work to contact parents for four hours to make up for contractual parent teacher conference time. She was frustrated by the task, and the big brotherish request to record the parent contacts to the minute. She said that she had already contacted the parents who were missing work and often it was frustrating because parents often made excuses for kids, or were caught between teacher and untruthful kid.
I quipped that she should only send emails saying good things. And that's what she did -- contacted parents not just about good grades, but kindness and humor and good conversation. The effect was immediate: many many appreciative emails back FROM parents in response.
So, I suggested to Jordan that she do the same. She liked the idea and said that it would make her feel good to remember the small good things and that maybe she'd hear back from parents. I added that it would also be a virtuous circle: you'd feel good writing it, parents would feel good and probably send a nice note back (which would make Jordan feel appreciated), and the parents would probably say something to their kid, which might very well make the kid more engaged or attentive. Lots of little bursts of endorphins.
Sure enough, Jordan too reported back to me (in a little thank you email!) that it worked -- she felt good writing them and she had immediate positive responses from parents.
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