I sat with a group of educators outside of my school system and we discussed a situation we knew of, but we didn't know all the facts. The situation specifics were distant from us, but the impact on our lives was somewhat significant. What should we do we wondered together.
As we wondered, we considered multiple scenarios. Some, we decided, moved into areas too personal, and others we felt would not be positive. In the end, each of us made our own decision as to how to proceed, and I for one erred on the side of what I felt was positive.
As educators, family members, and citizens we face many situations that hit home and create emotion as well as questions. It's not always easy to know exactly how to act. We might ask, "How much should I push or question?" in this situation and "How much should I leave as it is?" When pressured we may even become upset when posed with these types of situations, but for most, we have time to think well in calm, collected ways.
Typically I try to take the long view in situations like this. To the best of my ability I try to see a situation weeks, months, and years ahead and play out the many scenarios I can imagine. I try to choose the path that will result in the most positivity for all involved. I speak up if I think it might make a positive difference, and I stay quiet if I feel I don't have the experience, words, or perspective to affect any kind of positive result.
Not knowing all the facts creates a quandary for all of us, and when that occurs, how do you move forward to the best possible result.
