Making Values Visible

Last week I was the Middle School rep on the Strategic Planning Task Force for our school. The SPTF consisted of representatives from all stakeholder groups: school board members, administration, teachers, parents, and students. As a group, we reflected on our school's mission and belief statements, identified values, and wrote strategic goals with indicators. 

Conversations were rich and varied as we each approached the tasks with our own biases and perspectives. Amazingly, there was very little bickering about what is important to us as a community. I found this to be a positive sign that we have a shared view of what our school wants to be, and that we are consistent in moving toward that vision. 

Today, I read a blog post by Christopher Lehman, a member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project of Columbia University, called "Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve (and Walls and Actions and)" (Feb. 10, 2014). In this post, Chris challenges us to take a critical look at our school and see if what we value is reflected on the bulletin boards, in our teaching, and in our communications. He specifically suggests:

"Step back and take a look:

• When you look around your classroom, what do you see the most of?  Is it what you value?

• When you look through your students notebook and folders, what does their work say to you? Do you see evidence of why you are an educator? Evidence of why you love what you teach?

• When you walk through the hallways of your school, what do classrooms and displays have in common? Can you see the heart of your community or is it unclear?

• If you talk with your colleagues, is your community’s heart visible in conversations?"

Lehman's challenge made me connect back to the Strategic Planning conversations and wonder: If I were an outsider taking a tour around our school, what values would I see reflected? Would I be able to see the same things that the SPTF identified? So I took a look.

The walls of my classrooms display lots of books. One bulletin board is devoted to book recommendations from other students and me. Shelves hold books both spine out and face out, and book holders display recommended books on tops of surfaces. Signs promoting themes, genres, and lifelong reading surround these displays. I think it's obvious I value reading.

Another bulletin board displays anchor charts from our current English Language Arts unit. These stay up throughout the unit because students refer back to them for strategies while they work on their personal projects. Surrounding these charts are signs with the enduring understandings and essential questions for the unit. This board shows that we are a community of learners and that learning is a process. 

A third bulletin board holds posters, vocabulary words, and a timeline for Social Studies. Enduring understandings and essential questions are posted alongside the visual display. The most interactive piece is the timeline, to which events are added as students learn about them. To be honest, this board shows that I have materials related to the topic, but it is mostly a display for decoration more than anything else. Perhaps this board shows that I value a decorated classroom!

As I walk through the hallways of the middle school, I see a lot of photos of students engaged in learning or service activities as well as displays of student work. I see posters advertising upcoming service initiatives. I see announcements and schedules. I see art projects and the student newspaper. I see recycling bins and trash cans. These displays reflect our community's focus on student learning, service, and the need for middle school students to stay organized!

I feel pretty good about how our school wears its heart on its sleeve. Our building is old and not particularly attractive, but we know what we hold dear and we show that in our displays. We are proud of our students and their achievements. The SPTF identified areas for growth and improvement, and as a reflective and forward-thinking institution, we will meet our targets.

In the meantime, I need to re-think my Social Studies bulletin board!