Risks and Challenge: Seeking Support from the Union Team

At times you'll take a risk with your practice and you'll try something new.

It's possible that an effort like this will be challenged.

If challenged, you can retain strength by asking yourself the following questions:

1. Did you follow the protocols you were aware of?
2. Did you take the risk for the right reasons? With regard to teaching, the right reason means serving students well?
3. Did you communicate your efforts with respect and care?
4. Did you give the risk your best effort?
5. Did you make time to share the effort's strengths and challenges?
6. Did you reflect and make decisions about the future with regard to this effort?

Recently I tried something new and was challenged for it. I followed the steps above. Unfortunately the risk met a dead end, yet I can be confident that this risk was supported by good effort.

Today I'll present the risk to the Union team. I'll tell the story with brevity and reach out for their thoughts regarding other steps that can be added to the list above, and how to move ahead when a similar risk presents itself in the future. It's good to have this team to connect with and discuss our shared practice, growth, and efforts as educators. This team helps us to navigate the road ahead with regard to teaching children well.