IT’S A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT… slowing down to boost our impact on staff collaboration and student outcomes

Jean Woods-Powell • Cahn Fellow 2023

As educators, we know that pacing matters in and outside the classroom. However, so often we are racing to get to the finish line because our deadlines are always just at the horizon. The reality of Regents exams, district expectations, and bottom lines can lead one to find the solution and fix it as quickly as possible. This can work with many technical issues, however, when met with a chronic widespread dilemma one needs to pull back, not rush in. We realized that we are in this for the long haul, not just a one-year easy fix, as we are adjusting the hearts and minds of staff and students to create substantial systematic change.

As we slowed down to engage with an in-depth examination of data, we noticed patterns and examined them from a variety of perspectives. As a team, we utilized the clear structures and protocols from the DataWise framework, to question our tasks, instruction, and the impact on student success. Through these meetings, we cultivated authentic moments of collaboration with increasing equity of voice and our impact on student achievement. Our journey centers around the idea that “slow is fast” and it shifted how we saw ourselves, our students, and our teaching practices.