During the last year, I’ve written extensively about using American Sign Language as a versatile strategy to support learners in an early childhood classroom. I value ASL as a way to promote connection and engagement with young learners. But I also love supporting teachers! Collaboration and engaging in supportive communities enrich our collective strengths and teaching practices. 

Being a brilliant teacher goes beyond simply teaching concepts. To inspire and engage the learners we work with, we must connect with them first. From my perspective, a critical element of success for students and educators is building a collaborative community of practice at your school site.  I am an advocate for engaging in reflective practice. There is no growth without reflection. And who better supports reflection than colleagues working through similar challenges and experiences?

To connect effectively with students, we must reconnect to our strengths, build our self-efficacy and resilience, and stay true to our purpose for teaching and learning. However, doing this while experiencing stress, feeling burnt out, or lacking support can be challenging. Education can build bridges; we must identify creative ways to support social-emotional skills for ourselves and our learners. My goal is to inspire brilliant teachers and keep them connected to their passion.

So, in the spirit of reflecting, write down your thoughts on the following questions:

• What does connecting with learners, colleagues, families, and the community mean?

• What does it mean to connect to your inner strength and resilience?

• What does it mean to connect to teaching and learning in meaningful ways?

• What does connection mean to you as an educator? How do you support it in your classroom and your school building?

Now, find a trusted colleague or friend and share your thoughts. Build a community of collaborative practice and share your experiences, challenges, and successes! Maybe even start a book club. Don’t forget to celebrate the small wins! They are equally as important as the big ones!

Here is one of our favorite book recommendations to support the ever-growing knowledge of child development, teaching, and brain science.  

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