They look at me with an expectation now. How will we be empowered today? I know they are thinking it, because I am. I can feel the anticipation oozing into the air. This energy is special, delicate and I embrace every second of it. When children know they have something to offer, we need to hug their spirit and do so impulsively. It may just be the most important thing we teach.
This year I have worked hard to blend SuperYouFUN lessons, aiming to capture the essence of each through digital learning. As a new technology integration specialist, my mission is to give each student a voice. Whether snapping pictures of their superpower poses or “chatting” about what makes them unique, my goal is that each student will be heard.
With an energy similar to what my class felt last year, second and third graders sprint to their devices ready to go. Yet, there is a difference. Much of the motivation comes directly from the fifth graders who helped ignite this superhero movement. One day they were living it and the next, teaching. Hundreds of students want to be just like them.
What’s difficult for me to believe is that it goes well beyond my district. Opportunities for students to empower each other one could argue is what makes SuperYouFUN stand out. Never did I imagine, however, my SuperYouFUN graduates reaching kids they have never met. All over the country, it’s happening.
Two summers ago, they fell into a list with “Room 202” at the top; one group of fourth graders who had no idea what they were in for. Neither did I. Gracefully accepting every challenge throughout the year, they exceeded an expectation none of us knew existed.
One video after another, the SuperYouFUN team was able to capture our experience as a class, team, and family that together found their superpowers and most certainly used them. These students; they are my champions. They win every day taking the biggest risks of all. They strive to be who they are and to positively impact others.
Here you can see what students accomplished resonating with educators who witnessed their incredible superhero performance. And this was just the beginning.
That hundreds of schools are now able to learn from their bravery is almost too much for me to grasp. When I wrote “Passing the Mic,” I knew I had found something special in letting people in. My students reaped the benefits. Now the doors at “Superhero Headquarters,” where digital learning fuses with self-discovery and empathy, stay open for them.
Several colleagues, friends, family members, and even educational icons have been role models to me, champions in every sense of the word. They have led me to become the person I want to be and I work hard at it with their continued support.
I believe this ability to lead and support starts when we’re young. There is a champion in every kid waiting to come out, to be present for others in his or her own way. I’ve learned that part of our job is to let students know it exists and most importantly, that it’s okay to fly with it as the superheroes they are. You never know. The children you teach could one day end up teaching the world.
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