Positive Collective Memories

Apr 7, 2024

As we move into the final months of the school year, now is a great time for educators to celebrate successes. However, the problem with trying to do so is that we don’t always see the results of our labor right away. Oftentimes our efforts are laying a foundation or simply adding to the work of other teachers. And since our end goal is to develop well-adjusted educated kiddos who can transition into adulthood as productive citizens, it is our cumulative work that makes the biggest and most lasting difference.

Speaking of kids transitioning to adulthood, my wife and I got to spend time with my oldest son this weekend in Dallas, Texas. Really, it’s an extended weekend since we are in a prime solar eclipse viewing area, and thus, sticking around ‘til Monday. However, our main reason for the trip is because my son and his wife hosted their first crawfish boil for friends and family. Happy day.

I love crawfish. They were a staple in my diet from my youth through college. Funny – I don’t remember past individual crawfish boils, and there were many, but my unconscious collective memories of them are very positive. I think this is what we want to accomplish with our students – working together to establish positive collective memories.

Teachers, the students you’ve worked with this year might still have academic or behavioral concerns come the end of May, but if you’ve added positive experiences to their collective memories, I choose to think your efforts will pay off long after they have left your classroom – and that is success worthy of being celebrated.

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