From the Desk of Mr. Brad Williams
The first week after a break feels longer than normal. Energy is a little low as students readjust to school hours. Engagement in class among students can be more challenging than normal.
I for one am happy to report that this was not the case regarding interactions with students this week. Yes, it seemed slower than normal but beyond that, I found students motivated to engage in the learning process by making positive contributions to the academic environment.
As both a teacher and administrator, I’d like to share some of these experiences from the past week:
- US History students had insightful and tough questions when discussing the Mexican-American War.
- Economics students made energized comments over the debate of progressive and proportional income taxes.
- AP Economics students facilitated an interesting discourse about the implications of new leadership at Twitter and the potential effects on the societal marketplace of ideas.
These interactions I share with students are small instances that help me power through the wearing down effects of stresses and frustrations. With that in mind, I think it is accurate to say that we are living in stressful times. Stresses that are internal and external, in and out of our control, but more stressful than normal, nonetheless.
As a student body, faculty, staff, general school community and society in general, we must find healthy methods to navigate through challenging times. One outlet for me is teaching. Another is time with my family. Everyone has their own answers, I’m sure. Find a solution, engage with it, try to come out on the other side in better condition.
I’m reminded of an article about Ralph Waldo Emerson discussed in my US History class before Thanksgiving on the topic of resilience. Emerson talks about a “recuperative force”. That people need buoyancy and resistance to challenges so that “wounds cicatrize, and the fiber is the tougher for the hurt.” The recuperative force may look different among people, but it is necessary to heal the wounds and emerge stronger, Emerson submits.
In times of stress, frustration or negativity, we should all work to find our recuperative forces and engage those activities in a healthy and productive way. As we approach the end of the second semester, exams and the Christmas holiday, I hope everyone finds a healthy recuperative force and navigates both positives and negatives with grace and composure.
Mr. Brad Williams
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Community Scavenger Hunt
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