Tuesday, January 10, 2017

What Running has Taught me about Teaching

Everyone needs a motivator.
This weekend I ran the Extra Yard 5k, a race benefiting the Extra Yard for Teacher Initiative through the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. There was one moment in particular where I just thought, "What if all of life was more like this?" I was about a half mile from the finish line, and three police officers from the City of Tampa stood on a corner clapping and cheering us on. They were smiling and watching us as individuals, tailoring their messages to each of us running. I was moved in thinking how our students need that type of support from us as teachers. They need to be validated as individuals and supported in their personal endeavors whether they are the best and brightest or someone who struggles with every single lesson. I felt like these (strangers) police officers truly wanted me to run my best race, and I wish that my students would have that experience every day in every class.

We're all in this together.
It's only now after a year of training, as I prepare for my third half marathon, that I dare to call myself a runner. As I read through running blogs and posts on Pinterest, I see so much about how the running community is one of great support and encouragement. The more races I run, the more I learn this for myself. There was a little girl, maybe five, running with her dad. I came up behind them just as she said, "No more running. We have to stop." At the same time as her dad said, "OK, we can walk," I ran beside them and said, "You're doing a great job!" The running community has taught me how important it is for us all to help each other. Some days you will be the one who needs to go slowly. Other days, that will be me. Regardless, we stay together until the end. We start together and we finish together.

You'll have good days and bad days.
I ran the best race of my life on Saturday. A freezing (literally) morning on a flat course lends itself to the ideal race, but my time was over seven minutes faster than my previous PR. That's an insane improvement for a 5K. As excited as I was (and believe me, I was excited, I cried), I know that the next time out I probably won't run as well. Such is life. We want continuous improvement, we strive for continuous improvement, but for every good day, there is also that bad day. The same is true in class. Right now my students are working with exponents and (to my delight) thriving! We are rolling with these conditions for as long as they last. At the same time, I know that the rest of the year will (sadly) not be like this. There will come another day, topic, or concept, and again they will struggle. Remembering these races and good days helps us power through the darker times.

You can do hard things.
This is undoubtedly the biggest lesson of my life. I have never considered myself a runner. I quit Couch 2 5K seven times before finally completing it. Many of the students I teach feel the same way about algebra as I do about running. Defeated.  Math always came easily for me, so it's sometimes hard for me to identify with their difficulties in class.  But my struggles each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday remind me to be patient and encouraging with them in the learning process. I understand what it's like to feel like you can't do something and will never be able to. I know the frustration of watching others complete a task that you cannot. I am ever reminded of the growth mindset, to change my internal dialogue from can't to can't yet.