Learning to Fly

There have been times over the last eight years when I have wondered if I got a little carried away my last year in the classroom. My fourth graders grabbed the opportunity to transform into PIRATE learners who were soon deciding on superhero names to fit the unique strengths they would offer the world. Was it too much? Did it stay with them? Admittedly I worried that after so many years, some of my students might even think it was a little silly.

When you choose an unconventional path, you take the risk of living days, weeks, months, and even years sprinkled with judgement. Yet when we stay on the ground and stick with comfort, we risk missing a chance to discover what we didn’t know was possible. Here is what I learned recently at Hopkinton High School’s graduation. My students remembered. Their families remembered. All of it.

I had been nervous. I hadn’t seen these amazing kids in four years and for some, it had been longer. I was able to join a few former colleagues, scoring a seat in the second row, which honestly made me even more nervous. Yet as I watched each of my students accept their diplomas, a deep sense of pride captured my whole being.

What took place immediately after was nothing I could have anticipated. As I waited in the cafeteria, an hour of embracing students and families swooped in with laughter, tears, and hugs that I will remember for the rest of my life. Parents shared stories about the impact being a part of “Crew 202” still had on their children years later. I learned that having confidence to take risks (inspired by the PIRATE movement), spreading the “You Matter” movement (inspired by Angela Maiers), and unleashing their strengths (inspired by Lourds Lane) had indeed made a difference.

I discovered that at eighteen years old, my students were still talking about the music video Lourds Lane and Richie Calvache so brilliantly created and with innocent giggles, they spoke to me about their superhero names. I learned that as their friends watched them perform in the gym at the end of the year, sharing talents and announcing their superpowers, they eagerly wondered what is was like to be in our class. I had the honor of meeting two students who sat watching that day. We smiled and hugged. Feeling what it was like to experience our special event in the eyes of others was indescribable.

On graduation night, I had been tempted to wear my superman shirt instead of the black dress I chose in order to blend in with my former colleagues who were all in caps and gowns. I believe a part of me may always regret this wardrobe decision. What I will never regret is joining my students in an unforgettable journey, one that I know now was not a result of getting carried away, but rather one where together, we learned to fly.

Below is the music video mentioned above, one I will always hold close to my heart. The posts I write over the summer will be dedicated to lessons I learned from a one of a kind crew of now high school graduates and I could not be prouder to have been their fourth grade teacher.

It took one person to encourage me to write my first blog post and since then, I have decided to keep writing about anything I’m truly inspired by.  This led to writing a Lead Like a PIRATE series guidebook, Lead beyond Your Title: Creating Change in School From Any Role. My last crew of fourth graders will always remain the heart of every page.