Kids Can Teach Us

Have you ever found that your heart and soul find the people who are meant to be in your life? When I first started on Twitter, introduced to me by Dr. Tony Sinanis,  I didn't know what Twitter was all about. Fast forward 1.5 year later, I've met some of my favorite people on Twitter. People who enhance my instruction, my well-being and my way of life. Liv from @thelivbits is one of these people. From the first tweet that I read of hers, I had #heartbeeps, as Liv calls them. I knew that Liv was destined to be in my life. I also knew I had to meet her.  

When I was asked for suggestions for PARP 2018, I was certain Liv had to be a part of it. If there was anyone who could talk books with kids, it was Liv! If there was anyone who could teach kids that the books they read, connects them to a wider world, it was Liv! I
f there was anyone who could teach, inspire, and motivate children to have a voice in our world, to do a greater good, it was Liv!

Going into the day with Liv I had high expectations. She met those expectations and more! When I met Liv on Sunday night at dinner, with her mom, my colleague, and my daughter, I was in awe. I was so impressed by her poise, her respectful manner, and her adorable personality. She immediately became buddies with my daughter and made her feel comfortable. I knew in that moment that the day at Schwarting was going to be the best day ever! At dinner I learned even more about Liv then I had known through her Twitter tweets and our conversations. Did you know that she has been to over 14 states sharing her work? Did you know that her work is international (she left dinner for a conference call with China!)? Did you know that her goal is to spread her voice and teach kids and teachers that kids have a voice and they can teach us? Did you know that she goes to school full time, participates in Twitter Chats, created digital book clubs and challenges with authors, and corresponds with a teacher across the country through SeeSaw, in order to challenge her Coding skills! Liv is incredible, gifted, and talented on all levels! Liv’s work is not only centered around digital citizenship but she teaches about life. She teaches about love. She teaches about #heartbeeps. She is everything we want our children, students, and adults to be in this world.

The next day when it was time for me to introduce Liv to the school, I was nervous, as I had never done this before. Liv knew I needed calming down. She looked me in the eyes and told me to read and practice my speech in front of her. She then said that she's a 10 year old girl about to give a Keynote speech, there's no reason why I can't get up there and say a little introduction. I looked at her and thought, wow she is powerful. When Liv spoke to the kids, Kindergarten through Fifth grade, they didn’t blink. Their eyes were glued to her and her message. She spoke about using her words for the good. She spoke about kids having the chance to teach us. She spoke about teachers allowing the children to have a voice and follow their passions. She spoke about spreading positivity in the world and digital citizenship. She was a natural!

When it was time for a dance party in the middle of the Keynote, kids got up, danced their hearts out and then immediately sat down for the next bit of inspiration she had to say. Her words had that much power over them, they didn't want to miss a second. The day continued just as spirited as the morning Keynote. She went from grade to grade in different sessions, teaching about blogging, LivBits, book love, and kids teaching kids. Just like the keynote the kids were enthralled. They listened to her every word and asked questions that demonstrated they were intrigued and wanted to learn more.

Throughout the day, several teachers approached Liv, saying their own children had been or are being bullied in school. They told her that after the day with her, they are certain their son and/or daughter will be okay. She gave them the strength (LivBits started after Liv encountered bullying in scecond grade). That night I had parent teacher conferences. Parents of my students and my colleagues had conversations of their children coming home from school inspired to read more and use their voice. One student the next day came running into school excited to show me a video she made. The video was of a song she had created for Liv, the words were filled with positive quotes. She told me she was nervous to post it on SeeSaw, but then stopped herself and said, “You can post it. I’m nervous about what other people may think, but Liv inspired me to be me.” The amount of lives that were touched in the short period of time spent with Liv is outstanding. 

After spending the day with Liv and knowing the power of kids teaching us, I would be remiss to not share one story that stuck with me. Earlier in the year, after days of traveling and spreading her book love in Keynote speeches and school visits, Liv returned back to school, only to be held in for recess for not completing a reading log. Pause a moment and let that sink in! Liv is a walking, breathing, living, reading log and she got "punished" for not complying to school expectations. The decision to hold her in for recess makes no sense to me. I would challenge that decision and ask, why?! I personally know that if I believed children should all be help to the same expectations, I wouldn't have many of my own student success stories that make me so proud. Every child should be held to their own individual standards and capabilities and then be empowered to move and grow from there. Every student in your class learns differently. Every student's fire is fueled in a different way. In my mind holding Liv in for recess set the tone that school is about compliance and if a student thinks or demonstrates their learning in an alternative way, it will not be accepted and fostered. Thank goodness this experience did not stop Liv and she still believes in herself and all she has to offer. This story leaves me and I hope my readers with the question of, are we as educators teaching for compliance or empowerment? If you are looking to have more "Livs" in your class, more students who own their learning, and more students who are passionate, then I urge you to honestly reflect on your current classroom practices and read the book Empower by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani. 

In reflecting on my day with Liv and this story, I needed to stop and think how I've been influenced and how my teaching will be changed. I was left with the impression that every child in my class has a voice, every child in my class has a passion, every child in my class has something to offer this world. It is my job to be there for every student and help them find their voice. It is my job as a teacher to teach them and enrich their lives and their passion. They need me to show them that I care and to show them I respect their voices. I need their voices, the world needs their voices. The children in our classes are our future. They can all be "Liv's" with the right amount of empowerment.