On the big days you do a headcount of the number of surfers in the water each time you paddle out. Surfers share some unspoken practices: watching over each other is at the top of the list. Being pulled under in big surf and swimming up with lungs burning only to be smashed down by the next wave is scary. Checking in with each other when the surf is overhead is just something surfers do.

One of the most important outcomes in education is empathy. Through our education we become aware of the larger world around us, we engage with ideas that are not our own, we see the familiar in unfamiliar ways, we become aware of our assumptions, we learn the value of belonging to a caring community. Education teaches us to ask questions, to help when others have questions, and to regularly check-in to see how everyone is doing. Unconditional caring is an essential aspect of a quality education.

In school we are always doing a head count – checking to see if everyone is ready to move forward. Teachers help teachers. Students help students. Teachers help students. Families join in the collective effort to support learning. The more educated we become the more we learn about the power of collaboration, the satisfaction that comes from helping, and the appreciation we feel when we are helped. 

This has been a big year of navigating treacherous waters. We have watched out for each other, and we have grown as a result. Our commitment to education has pulled us together by constantly calling for us to watch for anyone who might need help. Put simply – we have cared.

I hope this weekend you have the opportunity to do a headcount of your friends and family to check-in and see if anyone needs help.

Peace,

Chris