Overflow on the Reg

Growing up, I remember working with my dad during the summer on a variety of projects he contracted for. Like many teachers, he had to find other jobs in the summer to supplement the family income when he wasn't required to be at school. As an Industrial Technology teacher, he possessed a skill set that allowed him to do construction and handy man work and he would spend his summer vacations painting houses, building decks, finishing basements, renovating kitchens, and a number of other jobs. When I got older, he would typically bring me along because I was cheap labor and he could have me run errands that would allow him to be more focused on the tasks at hand. There were, however, many times that I was able to watch him work and during these times, I took it upon myself to ask him a million questions about what he was doing and why he was doing it. I am certain that I was more of annoyance to him during these times, but he displayed an unbelievable amount of patience with me and always answered my questions. Though I will never be as skilled as my father, I have him to thank for being able to do general maintenance around my own home without having to call someone to do it for me.

During one of these projects, I remember my dad doing some plumbing work. Of the many things that I remember my dad saying about plumbing, there are two that stand out to me today. The first is that plumbing usually requires multiple trips to the hardware store in order to make sure all the necessary parts are available to get the job done. The second is that sometimes you need to install an overflow or relief valve so that when pressurized fluid gets to a certain level, an auxiliary passage opens up to release the fluid. This overflow valve is necessary in order to keep the system running efficiently and prevent damage and the point at which it is triggered is set by the manufacturer of the equipment based on optimal results. Recently, I was reminded of this lesson and it resonated with me because of its applicability to the field of education. 

Every year around Thanksgiving, we receive daily reminders about giving thanks and being thankful for all the people who are in our lives and the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. We reflect and think about all the amazing people and things that we have to be thankful for and we vocalize it to those around us as a form of celebration. The process creates this tremendous overflow of joy because when we stop and think about it for a moment, we really do have a lot to be thankful for. During this time, I am still amazed at what people will share they are thankful for in spite of tragedy or personal struggles they may be dealing with. This holiday season triggers our internal overflow valve and allows us to share our stories with others. The amount of positive energy that this sharing generates creates a sense of euphoria and helps us navigate the ending of the first half of the year and sets us up for the beginning of the second half. This valve operates on a fairly consistent level for most educators because there are opportune times (holidays, breaks, etc.) to release the pressure. 

Unfortunately, this valve isn't used enough and as schools, we need to find ways to release this valve more often to balance out the frequency we use another overflow valve we have. That overflow valve is one that measures our stress, anxiety, anger, and frustration. This valve is erratic and kicks in more often because it has a lower threshold of pressure before it opens up. When this valve opens, it has the opportunity to throw the entire system off and decimate the culture. Additionally, this valve rarely opens up and releases a small amount. Instead, when this valve opens up, it's like the flood gate is lifted. Some of us have valves that can take a lot of pressure, while others open up at the first sign of adversity.

So what are we to do? As a learning community, do we just throw our hands up and just keep running the system as it is in the hopes that inconsistent valves will work harmoniously with one another to operate the system efficiently? We could do this, but we are leaving a great deal to chance and we run the risk of making multiple stops to the hardware store to replace the worn out valves. 

A better approach would be to develop a culture that allows for equilibrium between both valves, a culture that embraces the need for both valves and recognizes the importance of their roles, and a culture where the optimal threshold for pressure release is consistent, ongoing, and maintained by everyone in the building. This is hard work because each school is different and there are a lot of variables that need to be taken into consideration. There is, however, a blueprint that can guide our work and it starts with the ability for each of us to be vulnerable, drop off the baggage that we are carrying around, and readjusting our valves so that we have overflow on the reg and are releasing just as much joy and thanks as we do stress and frustration.

#Onward