If you and I have had any sort of interaction beyond a generic greeting, you’ve probably noticed I exhibit a heightened awareness of word choice.  If it’s any consolation, it drives my husband batty...and after 15 years of marriage he’s still working on “saying it right” and I’m still striving to “be less sensitive.”

Why is the precision of language important to me?  Because once we say something, we can’t take it back.  And, what we say...MATTERS.  While words may just be that...words, I contend that our words communicate messages capable of evoking a wide array of emotions.

As we embark on a concerted, gradual journey to increase personalized learning for children at Almond, students will be regrouped into a learning setting that matches their learning need and the type of instruction they will receive.  (You will hear more about this tonight - so I won’t go into detail here.)  Should I hear such words as...“slow,” “low,” “normal,” “advanced”...come out of the mouth of any child, staff member, or PARENT...it will take everything in me to maintain my calm.  Of course I will (maintain my calm that is), because I always do, and will use such a circumstance as an opportunity to introduce different terminology to talk about whatever it may be.

Consider this.  I am currently taking guitar lessons with my 8 year old daughter.  I am an experienced oboe player.  I have read music for decades.  I understand beats and rhythm.  After my first lesson, my pointer finger was raw from the strings and my brain full of new terminology associated with guitars that I had no idea existed (fret).  The chords are written in a fashion with which I’m not familiar and my fingers have to move in a way they haven’t before.  Alex has practiced every day since our first lesson and admonished me several times for not doing so myself.  Her next lesson was today (I was partying with all of you at Almond’s BTSN) and she’s so excited to show her growth and talent to her teacher.  

Shall I wallow in my limited progress?  Do I feel less than whole because my 8 year old is catching on more quickly than I am?  NO!!!!!!!  Why?  Because...I am me and she is she (how’s that for a sophisticated sentence).

We worry so greatly as grown ups about how our children will feel.  We should!  How is it though that they interpret messages that potentially can convey inadequate achievement?  Uhhhhhh, that would be from us!  They hear us.  All.  The.  Time.  Their ears are on when they’re watching T.V. and we’re in the kitchen chatting.  They take in every word when we’re venting with a friend on the phone while they’re in the back seat of the car.  They hear us.  All.  The.  Time.

Each and every brain that spends time daily on the Almond campus is designed like no other.  Unique.  An individual.  There are no two brains that are alike.  That means we all learn differently.  And...in case you haven’t already come to the realization, there is no “right” way for a brain to grow.

As you begin to learn more about our plan to enhance personalized learning at Almond, I beg you to ask yourself this.  Do I want my child’s learning needs to be matched with the instruction they receive?  If so, take all those words that you might have used that have a connotation of judgement, right or wrong, and eradicate them from your vocabulary when talking about children and school.