X out "Learning Loss"

My dad, a retired tradesman, has a Camaro. A beautiful '97 IROC-Z, deep red, T-roof muscle car. I love it. When I first got my license, my father soon taught me to drive a manual, and I gained his trust to drive his Camaro to prom. Through university, when I visited home in the summers, he would let me drive his baby. However, life got busy, and many years passed since I was able to drive the IROC.

This summer just passed I finally had the opportunity after five years to drive it again. I hadn't driven a stick-shift in all that time! I was actually quite nervous - I didn't want to stall or grind the gears - it had been so long.

Guess what? I didn't stall! Yes, I over-revved a few times on hills while easing the clutch off, but it all came flooding back. When I couldn't remember the car's quirks and sweet spots, I just asked my dad, my faithful passenger. He patiently helped me and then got back to enjoying the open t-roof. It was exhilarating.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to listen and learn from our PL keynote speaker, Ken Williams. Ken's work, Unfold the Soul, is centered around creating a culture of learning for all. I am so excited to hear his first solo-authored book is coming out in the fall: Ruthless Equity!

In our session, Ken asked us about the term "learning loss". We've heard this term used often in the past two school years with COVID shutdowns, shifts to learning, and interruptions to our regularly scheduled activities of school. Many teachers in the room expressed this concern of the students walking into their classes with "learning loss".

My initial reaction was - can you lose what you never had? It is not that we taught students a certain concept and then due to the shutdowns they lost or forgot it. We had to adjust how much content we were getting through, which ultimately meant we prioritized the MOST important skills they needed. I immediately thought about driving my dad's car after so much time away from using my skill of driving a manual. Yes, I needed some pointers to build my confidence again, but I didn't experience "learning loss". I was still capable.

Ken said that"'learning loss' is a freshly baked excuse to not get kids where they need to go." If we walk into our classrooms assuming that students are 'behind' from these past years, we will be walking in with a predetermined mindset that students won't be able to achieve our expectations for the course. If we think they cannot achieve, why would then put in the effort to help them? It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. We will not be thinking in an equity mindset - the idea of every student receiving what they need to reach the learning targets. Even without a worldwide pandemic, applying the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is essential to ensure that every child in your room has access to learning and growing.

Is it hard? Yes. Have we specifically chosen this profession, actively sought out our education path, and applied for our current jobs? Also yes. Ken reminded us that while it can be so easy to fall into a victimhood mindset of policies, politics, and the pandemic, we chose this. We chose this because we are passionate about learning. We are passionate about helping students find who they are, gather knowledge and skills, and dream of their ideal lives.

Let's leave the term 'learning loss' out of our vocabulary this year and meet every student where they are at with compassion, grace, and enthusiasm. We are all capable.