TL;DR:

• This year is hard—sub shortages, dysregulated students and adults, and behaviors have made this year harder than 2020 or 2021.
• Growth happens when we are uncomfortable.
• Many are making decisions based on emotions as part of a trauma response.
• Teachers need to focus on how to accelerate the learning of their students.
• Give students ownership over their learning and allow them choice.

Difficult Years in Education

I am finishing my 20th year in education, and this has been the most difficult year yet! This year has been harder than 2020 or 2021. As a building principal, this year has been challenging for many reasons. At my school, we have dealt with sub shortages, dysregulated students, dysregulated adults, cyberbullying, vaping, and many, many more issues have continued to distract from the important work of teaching and learning. 

Our brains, and our students' brains, love voice and choice! Learning is accelerated when students take more ownership of their own learning. Click To Tweet

Growth Requires Grit

It has been a hard year; however, growth happens when we are uncomfortable. The pandemic has forced us to think about education differently. Now that we are moving out of the pandemic, people want to return to normal. People want to gain some control and certainty in life where it has been absent for more than two years. Growth requires grit, ingenuity, and collaboration in education. Throughout the pandemic, many have said that we are better together. That is a certainty, and we must collaborate to find our way forward…better than ever! Our first step is to understand where we are right now. 

Trauma and Brain Science

Brain science shows us that the pandemic has led to trauma responses. Student trauma and adult trauma. Individuals are living day to day under a great deal of stress and trauma. Unfortunately, few understand that they are living their lives in a fight or flight mode. Decisions are being made by individuals employing their downstairs brain, the limbic region, and the amygdala.

The downstairs brain is also the part of the brain responsible for emotion, and a fight or flight response. Decision-making, therefore, is being made out of emotion. We all know that we don’t make our best decisions when we make them out of emotion. We need to find ways to return to making decisions with our upstairs brain, the prefrontal cortex responsible for planning, organizing, and learning. When we make decisions using our upstairs brain, we can be proactive. This is why social-emotional learning is so important in accelerating student learning. 

Learning Loss vs. Accelerated Learning

The term “learning loss” is frequently used about student learning and the pandemic. I would argue that learning loss is not the issue. Students are where they are in their learning journey. It is the job of the teacher to meet them where they are. At present time, educators should refocus time, resources, and instructional strategies to accelerate student learning. Acceleration is defined as a change in speed or direction.

This may require educators to increase speed, decrease speed, or change direction. Teachers must identify accelerants to diagnose and intervene in improving student outcomes. A key element to accelerating student learning is continuous evaluation and improvement. Creating systems of support to help students understand expectations, diagnose misconceptions, and advocate for what they need to take the next learning step. 

Student Ownership in Learning

Our brains, and our students’ brains, love voice and choice! Learning is accelerated when students take more ownership of their own learning. It is important for our students to know the learning objectives and success criteria. Students should be able to answer the following questions: 

1. What are you learning?
2. How will you know you’ve learned it?
3. What is your next learning step?

Learning is a process. Student ownership is essential for success!! Shift the lift so that your students are part of this process!

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Enjoy the Journey

As we finish this school year, I want to encourage you to reflect on ways to accelerate your learning and your students’ learning. Where are you in your learning journey? Where are your students? How can you help your student make decisions using their upstairs brain rather than their downstairs brain? How are you diagnosing, intervening, and evaluating in your classroom to accelerate student learning? What is working and what is not working? How are your students intervening and evaluating their learning? What is working and what is not working?

Reflection is a powerful tool for improving student outcomes. Our jobs have been hard, but our jobs are also VERY important! We have overcome and accomplished much in the past few years! We grow what we focus on….focus on the positive and enjoy the journey, my friends!! 

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About Brandi Kelly

Mrs. Brandi Kelly is currently a Middle School Principal in the Sangamon Valley School District. Sangamon Valley Middle School is a small middle school in Illiopolis, IL west of Decatur, IL. Brandi began her career as a school social worker in the Effingham School District. She has served as a building administrator in three districts to date: Ramsey School District, Mt. Zion School District, and Sangamon Valley School District.

Brandi has been in the field of education for 20 years and has served as a building administrator for 9 years. Her goal is to build teacher and student capacity by providing tools and strategies that empower and inspire others toward greatness!

Brandi believes that everyone can learn and has the potential for greatness. Relationships are incredibly important to the learning process. It is necessary for educators to invest time in students to build relationships in an effort to maximize their influence and impact.

Brandi is a wife and mother of two children. She is passionate about learning, growing, and inspiring others to do the same. She is an inspirational educator and leader and works diligently to empower others each and every day.