*CVU is experiencing a critical shortage of paraprofessionals to support student learning. Consider joining our team. The work is meaningful, fun, and important. Contact Jess Hoskins at jhoskins@cvsdvt.org to apply!
Dear CVU Community: We are all one context away from being struggling learners. Imagine the activity, area of study, or past-time in which you experience the least confidence. For some people it may be public speaking, for others it may be athletics or analyzing literature or explaining mathematical reasoning or singing. Place our normally capable and somewhat-confident selves in that context and we begin to exhibit thoughts and behaviors that aren't quite us. We make jokes at our own expense; we laugh nervously. Maybe we become a bit short tempered. Maybe we just withdraw.
I invite you to join me in this thought exercise for two reasons. One, the above behaviors perfectly described me last weekend right before I attempted to dance the tango in a local Dancing with the Stars Fundraiser; two, my discomfort reminded me of how students can feel every single day in school. Honestly, one of the joys of working in a school is witnessing the courage that is on display daily as our students push themselves to learn--often quite publicly--in contexts they find uncomfortable. So families, if you see some odd behaviors, remember to approach those behaviors with a sense of curiosity. As the opening of the year gives way to more complex work in academics, social networks, and co-curriculars, Mid-September is time to be on the lookout for those signs of overwhelm. We're here to help embrace that complexity.
