I saw this on Facebook this morning; it was a post on our school’s PTO page. I smiled at the reference to the song, "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen, but then it hit me. This is real for our military families. Until I became the principal of a military-impacted school, I had no idea how much we take for granted in our stable lives in our stable communities. Think about it; a family moves in to our geographical area; they have children who need to be registered for school. What if they don't know anyone yet? Who do they put down as emergency contacts?
Military families know that changing duty stations is part of their lifestyle, and although most have positive attitudes about moving every few years, it isn't easy for anyone. Just this week, two of our former DKIES teachers shared how challenging it is for them to start over in a new school in a new district in a new state and in a new grade level. They are considered probationary teachers again even though one of them is in her 16th year of teaching. They shared that they missed the aloha spirit they felt at our school as well as the grade level colleagues they taught with. My heart ached; I wished I could give them a big hug. So I did the next best thing. I messaged them and told them I knew they would be fine, that they would persevere, and that they would contribute positively to their new school. These teachers as well as many other military spouses who taught at our school were assets to our school community. I loved hiring these military spouse teachers! They knew what it was like to be the “new kid on the block” and they welcomed transitioning students with empathy and helped them to feel a part of their classroom `ohana. More than that, though, we had opportunities to share and learn from each other. I embraced this mutually beneficial relationship in my years as a principal.
One positive outcome for these military spouse/teachers is that they are able to work under different principals and with different colleagues. They learn to adapt and to make the best of a challenging situation, and in the process, they create their own set of core values about teaching and learning that become part of who they are as educators. I have suggested to several of them that when their husband retires from military service, they need to settle down and pursue their dreams. Hopefully, some of them will take my advice and go into administration. And hopefully, the experiences they gained while at our school will help them to lead with aloha.
Just as I believe that our students are ambassadors for our Hawaii schools, I also believe these teachers are ambassadors as well. That teacher with 16 years of experience? As a special education teacher, she had the opportunity to be trained in the use of a multi-sensory reading program while she was at our school. She shared that even though her first day was rough, she knows that she brings something to the school because her new school has adopted that program. The other teachers were so excited to have someone on staff with experience! When the other teachers looked at her gratefully and asked where she was trained, she proudly said, "Hawaii!" Yes! She is already making a positive impact!
#leadingwithaloha
One positive outcome for these military spouse/teachers is that they are able to work under different principals and with different colleagues. They learn to adapt and to make the best of a challenging situation, and in the process, they create their own set of core values about teaching and learning that become part of who they are as educators. I have suggested to several of them that when their husband retires from military service, they need to settle down and pursue their dreams. Hopefully, some of them will take my advice and go into administration. And hopefully, the experiences they gained while at our school will help them to lead with aloha.
Just as I believe that our students are ambassadors for our Hawaii schools, I also believe these teachers are ambassadors as well. That teacher with 16 years of experience? As a special education teacher, she had the opportunity to be trained in the use of a multi-sensory reading program while she was at our school. She shared that even though her first day was rough, she knows that she brings something to the school because her new school has adopted that program. The other teachers were so excited to have someone on staff with experience! When the other teachers looked at her gratefully and asked where she was trained, she proudly said, "Hawaii!" Yes! She is already making a positive impact!
#leadingwithaloha
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