I quit…. being the positive encourager.

I quit being the positive encourager. I have chosen to go to the dark side. I will allow my critical nature to fully take hold and spend my career calling out malpractice and positioning myself to take down every teacher employed to teach who fails to meet the basic levels of humanity needed to be an OK teacher. In my new role, I will spend my time networking, hoping that people will tell all they know about the roll the ball out and busy, happy good teachers. I will seek opportunities to shame, berate, and put people on blast. I will spend hours a day on social media and, more specifically, in Facebook groups that spew ridiculous pedagogy and content, arguing with the perpetuators and perpetrators. In my new role, I will utilize my service time to develop teams of evaluators that will go into schools, backed by parents and administrators, to evaluate and remove teachers from their positions who are unwilling to work to meet basic teaching standards.

           When I see inappropriate practices, this is how I feel sometimes. I want to give up or move to the dark side, but I firmly believe that war breeds more war, just like hate only breeds more hate. If we let our emotions of defeat run rampant, we scramble because we have no hope that Good and Love will prevail. So, though I get down sometimes and fall away from the 100% positive, I return to building. I come back to sharing, and I come back to celebrating because I know in the end, we will prevail.

Those of us that deeply believe that the work we are doing in schools has and will continue to change the world will hopefully and optimistically keep working overtime toward building the new way until every single child has access, because of who they are, to the knowledge, habits, skills, and disposition needed to enjoy all the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle now and for the rest of their lives. We will, like children, believe that we have the power to change the world in ways that make healthier and active options easier.

So, I will continuously go hand in hand with those who are willing to persist in resisting the negativity and hopelessness and instead, in freedom, dream of a day when all children, because of their identities in race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic status are recognized for who they are and are empowered to create a more healthy and active future for us all. As adults, we need to honor their desires to move and eat right and create safe environments that are rich with the opportunities to continue to develop their value of this lifestyle, as well as be tooled and emboldened to stand up for others’ health, leisure, recreation, fitness and connectedness.

I want to leave you with this “Wind extinguishes a candle and energizes fire.” – Nassim Nicholas Taleb. For our colleagues who have just had their spark ignited or have little flame left, if we come at them with overwhelming passion, the small candle-like flame struggles, whereas those on fire met with our wind are stoked, and their fire burns brighter. People at different stages need different fuel. Therefore, bring your flame closer to those still learning the strategies, methods, models, and practices so their light can grow. For those who are blazing…well, fan the flames to stoke their fire.

So…No, I don’t quit. As a servant of the field, I will stand firm and continue to advocate for and celebrate those doing the good work in our field. My challenge to you is to stay in the light and find ways to celebrate your wins and the success of the colleagues you know and even those you don’t. Be a force for Good, Stay hoPEful, and #StoketheFire for our Health Ed and PEople.

Check out this thought-provoking blog post from @kniper1: ‘I quit being the positive encourager.’ It challenges our perspectives on education and encourages us to stay hopeful, celebrate wins, and be a force for good. Let’s #StoketheFire🔥 #slowchathealth

Tweet

This microblog post was a featured post in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can search for all of the featured posts here. Please do follow each of the outstanding contributors on social media (including Dr. Bob Knipe, the author of this post) and consider writing a microblog post of your own to be shared with the global audience of slowchathealth.com

Pair this post with the following:

Teaching Reflection by Chris Walker

Happiness Factories by Phil Mathe

The Power of Meaningful and Joyful Experiences by Leticia Cariño

How to Facilitate Deeper Connections to Physical Activity by Jordan Manley

Have you read the latest Book of the Month recommendation?