Leading with Empathy

This sentiment got some great legs on Twitter this weekend and I wanted to reiterate its importance as we start back up with digital teaching and learning this week.

Relationships before Rigor.

How are you connecting with your students outside of office hours?

How are you setting up opportunities for students to connect with other students?

Relationships win above all else. Every. Single. Time.

Grace before Grades.

Our standards based grading system should allow teachers to make a fair and accurate judgement of learning based on the student's body of evidence through the first 8-9 weeks of face to face instruction. How can you practice grace and use the final 7-8 weeks to augment their already existing learning evidence?

What really is the purpose of "same day deadlines" right now? Grace. Live it.

Patience before Programs.

Thank you for being patient and helpful to students and their parents with the technology end of learning as well as the actual rate of work completion. Be patient during these first few weeks both of yourself and of your expectations.

Love before Lessons.

Are you able to offer afternoon office hours as well? We talked about 9-11 being the minimum expectation but with everyone on a new learning curve, are you checking back with students in the later afternoons of each day?

Thank you for leading with empathy!