Insights from the staffroom: Be the light in the dark

<p class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><strong>Whanaungatanga&comma; Term 2&comma; Week 3&comma; Staff Meeting 3&colon; <&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">Clutching a strip of five superheroes&colon; <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-74nnj" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8211&semi; atawhai &lpar;kindness&rpar;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-3118e" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8211&semi; koa &lpar;joy&rpar;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-8rpan" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8211&semi; toa &lpar;courage&rpar;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-7l2jj" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8211&semi; manawaroa &lpar;resilience&rpar;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-3i4j1" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8211&semi; whakaute &lpar;respect&rpar; <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-c8oh6" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8230&semi;we were invited to give one card to ourselves and each wrote our name on it&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;"alignnone size-medium wp-image-22849" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;courage-180x300&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"180" height&equals;"300" &sol;> <img class&equals;"alignnone size-medium wp-image-22850" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;kindness-199x300&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"199" height&equals;"300" &sol;> <img class&equals;"alignnone size-medium wp-image-22851" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;resilience-character-166x300&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"166" height&equals;"300" &sol;><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;"alignnone size-medium wp-image-22852" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;respect-character-163x300&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"163" height&equals;"300" &sol;> <img class&equals;"alignnone size-medium wp-image-22853" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;joy-160x300&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"160" height&equals;"300" &sol;><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-3rnks" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;1oG79 ykIOg iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><strong>What an interesting provocation&period; <&sol;strong><&sol;span><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr"><strong>Which card would you have given yourself&quest; <&sol;strong><&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-durr9" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">After deliberating this&comma; the challenge progressed&period; <&sol;span><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">We were then invited to assign a new card to someone else in the room&period; <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-ebvp" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">On gifting the second superhero card&comma; we were also instructed to follow it up with a k&omacr;rero about why we had seen that colleague as a hero to us&comma; and why we had given them that particular superpower&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-cdrm3" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">Teachers being encouraged to look at their colleagues for inspiration&semi; teachers being each other&&num;8217&semi;s role models &&num;8211&semi; the excitement was palpable&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-do3gn" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">Between the whispers&comma; awkward smiles&comma; giggles and joy&comma; tears began welling in my eyes as I captured the voices around me&period; The voices were sincere&comma; the messages concrete&period; Some became role models&semi; others became sweet talkers&period; Emotions choked me&comma; as I discreetly dried my eyes and swallowed down the lump in my throat&period; <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-ctf1p" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">Moving on&comma; the rest of the staff meeting contained messages of collective efficacy and hope&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-3qubo" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">On reflection&comma; it made me realise how important it is to affirm each other&period; It made me realise the power of our words in lifting people up&period; It made me realise in the challenges that have passed&comma; just maybe we have forgotten the joy we can bring to each other by celebrating each other&&num;8217&semi;s strengths&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-b3jfe" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">We have been so busy being role models for our students &&num;8211&semi; wishing to motivate them&comma; keeping them safe&comma; and imparting our knowledge &&num;8211&semi; we haven’t had time to think about the personal qualities of the very people around us whom we can relate to&period; The very people who have shared these tough experiences with us&comma; the very people who have similar stories&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-2qqmf" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">I wanted to share this moment with you&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-794kv" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">I want you to take turns to be someone else’s light&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p id&equals;"viewer-177lr" class&equals;"mm8Nw &lowbar;1j-51 iWv3d &lowbar;1FoOD &lowbar;3M0Fe aujbK iWv3d public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 fixed-tab-size public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr"><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">I want you to pause and celebrate each other&&num;8217&semi;s strengths <&sol;span><span class&equals;"&lowbar;2PHJq public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">&&num;8211&semi; time to create our own stories full of optimism and warmth&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>By educator and writer&comma; Rebecca Thomas<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;