My friend @kruu_justin recently posted on Twitter about dealing with "problematic adults" and "meeting them where they are at" which meant they had to "sacrifice [their] humanity". These statements have really stayed with me and my need to share this blog post has intensified since beginning to read, "Team up! Speak up! Fire up!" by Audrey Cohen, Andrea Honigsfeld, and Maria G. Dove.
I was barely 16 pages into Team up! Speak up! Fire up! when I read this:
This quote made me reflect on times when I have become silent during a conversation. I thought about times I have held my tongue for fear of being wrong. There were times I held my tongue for fear of starting a fight. There were times I held my tongue because I wasn't thinking or processing fast enough to continue a conversation.
The "Speak up!" element of Team up! Speak up! Fire up! is all about using your voice and participating in conversations. Pages 17-18 explain four types of conversations. I have summarized my understanding in this diginote:
This year, I have really been intentional about cultivating relationships that enable confidential conversations. I have been able to bring systemic issues to my administrators. And odd as this may sound, my Twitter network is often a place where I feel safe to have "confidential" conversations because I feel comfortable thinking out loud and putting my thoughts into order. This blog is a bit like that, too!
This year I have also found opportunities for compelling conversations. Mostly notably, my advocating for a name change from ELL (English Language Learners) --> ML (Multilingual/ Multicultural Learners). I went so far as to email my ministry of education, and push back on their reply. My school has been very receptive to the new label and I continue to have compelling conversations with colleagues in my department.
I've not had much success with coordinated conversations. I think I have struggled to collaborate on a larger scale so my opinions tend to not get a lot of traction on a larger scale. I am REALLY feeling successful at my school so I have been content to grow and develop at this safe and supportive level.
Courageous conversations have really surprised me this year! Not so much by "speaking truth to power" but more a case of occasionally not holding my tongue. I approached a colleague about something that was said that didn't fit with an asset-based mindset. I brought it up through an email, and in retrospect, in person would have been clearer, but the conversation was still had! I also pushed back on some traditional thinking after doing a bit of research to be certain I could hold my own in a conversation that was going to have differing opinions.
So... wow... I am really pleased with my developing conversational skills! I am feeling more comfortable and more willing to meet adults wherever they are at and then gently lean on them until they get somewhere else. I know the conversations will get more challenging as I interact with people I don't have foundational relationships with, but I also know the conversations will be rewarding, meaningful, and satisfying.
Comentários