Baby Teeth

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Lori Sabo

June 29, 2018
Issue: 
#520

My daughter is mom to four boys. The oldest just lost a tooth, and soon afterward I got the following text and photo from her:

I remember finding some baby teeth in your jewelry box once and thinking that was weird and gross, but it must just be what moms do. I get it now.
I lost sleep with him when this thing was pushing its way through his soft little gums.
I kept chilled teethers in the freezer.
I inspected daily to see when the little lump in his mouth would erupt with this shiny little tooth.
And then I spent years brushing it every day to keep it clean and strong.
And now I’m just supposed to throw it away?

And now I’m just supposed to throw it away? I recently heard that lament from a teacher who was feeling it was time to discontinue her beloved teddy bear unit. As I look back on my own career, I can recall things that, once firmly rooted, began to wiggle to make room for something bigger, stronger, and better. Here is what comes immediately to mind: 

Baby Tooth

Permanent Tooth

Busy work and worksheets

Authentic work

Long lessons with too many teaching points

Focused, purposeful, brief instruction

Control

Trust, choice

Isolation

Coaching, collaboration, and courageous conversations

Scripted program

Analyze assessments to determine needs
and use resources to meet them.

Preprinted and laminated everything

Create things together that anchor our learning and hold meaning, relevance, and beauty.

 

What are the baby teeth of your teaching life?

Now is a perfect time to reflect and see what we might need to let go of in pursuit of new growth, even though it hurts a little. As with lost baby teeth, the gap we feel is temporary and makes room for something bigger and better. 

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