Thread by @REI_BJP

They keep telling us, why won’t we listen?

I was caught a bit off guard at the Zionsville Seniors night for the woman's soccer team. It was a beautiful event where the seniors were introduced along with their families.

Each senior provided their college or next step after high school, a favorite quote, and their most memorable soccer memory. They then played recordings from old coaches, friends, families, neighbors, and anyone else. Some were brief, while others were longer and hilarious.

What stood out to me the most was our kids' memories, the values they hold tightest, and their impact didn’t include any scores. Many groups have been vocal about focusing on core academia, stopping with all the emotional and feeling stuff, and getting back to educating.

Yet when asked about memories, not one mentioned a single statistic; only one said the outcome of a game or season. It was meals with teammates, moments of connections, or a moment of togetherness. Not one single stat.

The recordings were about the person they had become, their growth, and the amount of heart and courage they showed. Not one mention of grades, awards, and nothing about being better than others.

The thing valued the most is how you treat others and think about yourself. So how does the youth tell us what matters, and we seem to agree, yet here we are arguing over academic excellence and how social and emotional learning should not be schools' priority?

Perhaps it is the most critical backdrop to academic success. These kids have played soccer and set themselves up for the next stage, all while missing half of their high school due to covid. Did their academic rigor allow this?

Perhaps it is the most critical backdrop to academic success. These kids have played soccer and set themselves up for the next stage, all while missing half of their high school due to covid. Did their academic rigor allow this?

Or is it more likely their confidence, support, and commitment to each other? Perhaps we need to start with healthy adults and work our way backward.

It reminded me of a quote in The Book you wish your parents had read.
“We want our children to act with consideration and empathy toward others rather than being motivated only by the narrower ideas of punishment and material reward.”
― Philippa Perry
#indiana #kids

@UnrollHelper