How to kick-start the new school year

This week a friend, actually not so much a friend but someone I have developed a repour with on an over forties mums group site, gave birth to her first child. Tragically this little baby sadly left this earth just forty eight hours after her birth. The news is even sadder knowing that her mum and dad had endured thirteen years of IVF treatments before her mum finally became pregnant with her. This devastating news has haunted my thoughts ever since the post came up on my feed. Likewise, the image of her sweet baby face captured on a photograph is etched in my mind forever. Ten years ago, I had a stillborn child myself and any news about a baby dying cuts deep; a wound that has healed over time tears open a just little.

If you are reading this, you are probably wondering what on earth this has to do with kick starting a year off well! The point is, as an educator we may not know what a student, family of a student, or colleague is going through during any given time. If I was teaching this week, I would find it very difficult to keep it all together; I’m pretty sure I would come across as being distracted and distant.

We live in a wonderful glorious world, but sadly tragic occurrences and events do happen. It’s a part of life. Even when events don’t affect us directly we are often bombarded with information which at times could cause trauma, especially in children. Just take the news seen on television for example. Yet, as an educator we are placed in a perfect position to support students and families, and in doing so we may also benefit from the connections we make. Therefore, the most important kick start to any year as an educator is, wait for it, GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS! Do whatever it takes to build positive relationships with them, do whatever it takes to get to know their families too.

It was community support and friendship that helped me during those dark bleak days following the loss of our little boy Sam. The community that surrounds the family who lost their little baby girl this week has already banded together to provide them with much needed support too. A classroom of students makes up a little community as does the whole school. So, let’s make the most of the year and develop the relationships within our classes and school. Then and only then, we will be able to differentiate learning environments and pedagogies to include all children. Additionally, we will be more likely to know when students, colleagues and families need extra care and support during darker times.