Supports and Gotchas

Having another set of eyes and hands was critical. She held the ladder and ensured my tools were at hand. She was my support.

You’re making your rounds, right? Lots of them? With feedback? More on that in another post, but for now, I’d like to share something I learned recently while building a pergola (and how it relates to walk-throughs).

I had to climb on top to attach some shade and cross-beams. The end goal was to create a beautiful structure that provides shade for my patio. But climbing on top was quite frightening.

I was exposed up there. Here in the gulf coast, just a few miles from the bay, the breeze comes with a bit of gusto. And it’s a pergola, so there’s no solid roof to stand on.

Having another set of eyes and hands was critical. She held the ladder and ensured my tools were at hand. She was my support.

She wasn’t a gotcha.

Your teachers are the lone rangers in there with the young learners. They are exposed, face many changing winds, and require many tools to be at hand.

When you make your rounds, how do you support? Or are you the gotcha?

Luckily, I had a support while building the pergola. I’d imagine a gotcha would have made me feel unsafe, and worse, actually damaged.

(I’d like to invite you to click here and download this free chapter of my recent research from over 3000 classroom walk-throughs and teachers’ perceptions of support.)