One of the best parts of my job as a Literacy Coach is seeing teachers and students in action across our school site. I have the distinct pleasure of being in classes to witness, support, and learn from teachers and students everyday. Today I was moved to tears as I sat in an afternoon leadership class of 7th and 8th graders. They were exploring identity as they read Tiffany Jewell’s This Book is Antiracist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work and were preparing to write their own “I Am From” poems. Their teacher shared her poem as an example. It was posted in their class course and she gave students a few minutes to read and process her piece. This teacher’s life has been one with a number of roadblocks and she shared some of those in her piece.

I am from the pot of beans on the stove top

from gravel on the road and Los Angeles gutter water

I am from the vanilla scented candles

I am from the roses that grow in the cracks

The Cottonwood Tree whose roots are as shallow as my own.

Her poem went on to share about abuse, absent parents, blood and bruises and other parts of her life experience.

After students read her poem she used a cascading chat where they had one minute to type questions about her poem in the chat and then all press enter at the same time. Kids asked a range of questions including:

What did you mean by “The Cottonwood Tree”, what was the meaning behind it? I also wonder how and what made vanilla candles meaningful to you? 
 If you can answer this, How did all of that get you to who you are today? 
Since you grew up without a father does that mean that you had to take care of your siblings (if you have any) while your mom was at work ?
 Did you ever meet your dad? 
 Did you really have a rough life ?

She answered each of the questions students asked. When she finished she told them that through sharing her poem she wanted to share a bit of who she was and model being vulnerable, reminding students that they could do the same. She also shared that students should write the poems they feel comfortable writing, poems that best represent who they are.

Relationships between teachers and students are so precious. The laughs. The inside jokes. The shared experiences. The support. The love. It’s something I miss these days, as we work in a virtual school setting. This afternoon I was so grateful to bear witness to the building of those precious relationships. As I watched this teacher share a piece of her authentic self with students and then openly answer questions they had I knew I was witnessing the laying of the foundation of a strong class community and genuine student-teacher relationships.

Today’s class reminded me of how important it is that we, as educators, are authentic, vulnerable and real with our students, especially in these times. Not each of us has to have a hard life story to share with students. That may not be our experience. But we do all have the opportunity to be honest and vulnerable with our kids, sharing a bit of who we are, the parts that bring joy, and the parts that feel prickly and rough. By doing so, we create a space for our students to do the same, a space that clearly states, “You are welcome here. All parts of you are welcome here.” This is a message that is always needed but especially today. Each and every one of our students needs to know they belong. Sharing who we are, asking students who they are, and then listening to and believing them is one way to begin.