Practices that We Inherit

 We inherit a lot in our schools. I follow a lot of educators on social media, and each August, I always see Instagram Stories or Twitter posts about a young teacher who inherits a classroom from a retired teacher. And usually, there is a lot of stuff left behind for the young teacher to sort through! Many times, there are lots of gems to be found, and other times, the recycling bin remains full for weeks as the new teacher finds items to discard. 

Discarding what is no longer needed, or perhaps no longer relevant, or perhaps no longer desired- can be a really wonderful process. Decluttering has been a whole movement in recent years as folks discarded items that no longer brought them joy! 

It is easy for us to find physical clutter because it is visible to us. We can see that filing cabinets are full or that closets don't close all the way. But what about our practices? How and when do we get to declutter the practices that are no longer relevant, no longer needed, no longer desired? When new things are added to our plates, how do we decide what to discard? And most importantly, how do we discard them, especially when they've been part of our teaching days and teaching lives for years?

When we see that a particular children's book is receiving criticism, do we clutch it tighter to our chest, or do we analyze the concerns in an effort to learn more about the potential harm it has caused? When we hear about how harmful or damaging a practice that our school has used for decades really is, do we close our fists around that practice tighter because it's "tradition" or because "we've always done it this way?" Or, do we stop, pause, ask questions, and reflect? 

Do we even have time and space to do all the stopping, pausing, asking questions, and reflecting? 

It is healthy and good for us to be the one to ask questions in a staff meeting. If you can see that a particular resource, idea, practice, strategy, or tool can inflict harm on those we serve, please be bold. You may not be the only person who has concerns, but you may be the only person who is bold enough to address it. 

Addressing concerns does not have to mean a full confrontation. In fact, it's best to simply open a dialogue! As you reflect on your school or district culture, you might have to gauge when to best raise your concerns. Sometimes, addressing a concern or simply asking a question in front of colleagues will help push thinking forward. Other times, colleagues may feel attacked if asked in front of their peers. Regardless, find your moment, lift your voice, and speak your mind - especially if you believe that this practice or idea will be harmful to children or families that we serve.

"I know I'm new to this, but can you help me understand what prompted this change?" 

"What research supports this methodology?" 

"This feels uncomfortable to me because _______________"

"I can't put my finger on why, but I feel uncomfortable with this practice."

"Have we considered how this would impact _____?"

"Do we have our own local research that indicates that this is working?"

"Can we attempt our own action research by trying it this way?"

"New research suggests that this may be harmful to ________."

"I'm worried that this feeds a one-sided narrative."

"Have we ever tried ______? Can we try it this year?"