Generosity. A word with origins in the 15th century, meaning magnanimous. A later meaning of unselfish or plentiful appeared in the 1600s.
Gratitude. A word with origins in the mid 15th century meaning good will. A later meaning of thankfulness appeared from the 1560s.
These are two words to amplify in education. The world is a volatile place and much of our social media feeds, newspaper content and television news are intense. In the education space, there are continual cross sector arguments, disagreements about instructional practices and too many examples of young people being let down, however there is so much that is inspiring and impactful in education right now.
I recently presented, networked and learned alongside other educators at ResearchED Scandinavia in Sweden. This conference epitomised what is good in education. As a grassroots conference, it enabled on-the-ground educators to interact with researchers and organisations. Presenters volunteered their time to share knowledge, experiences and understandings. It was welcoming, rigorous and thought-provoking. While there were some education gods, think Alan Baddeley (Emeritus Professor of Psychology and pre-eminent working memory researcher), Daniel Willingham (Professor of Psychology – cognitive psychology research application to K-12 classrooms), Dylan Wiliam (Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment – feedback and formative assessment) and Agneta Gulz (Professor of Cognitive Science at Lund University – educational technology), there were no egos at play. Question times challenged and probed, but always with a curiosity lens. For me, there was the additional joy of co-presenting with my UK-based colleague, Becky Clark, co-founder of RADLD (Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder) in our capacity as Global Ambassadors for RADLD. We not only shared important information, strategies and resources about DLD, but were able to demonstrate the power of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Prior to the conference, I joined more than 20 volunteers to set up signs and collate showbags for the 600+ educators who had signed up to attend. Dr Eva Hartell and her team spent numerous hours ensuring it would be more than your average conference. It was a place to grow, make new connections and engage with different points of view. The speakers’ dinner and impromptu breakfast conversations were powerful and stimulating. They were also filled with hope and optimism.
A few days before the conference I spent time with Associate Professor Agnete Anderson Bueie at the University of South-Eastern Norway, having met her in Melbourne a year earlier when she visited my school to find out more about learning design in the Australian context. She generously made time in her busy schedule to meet with me and organised a school visit. What an opportunity to exchange ideas with teachers and to engage with young people to hear their aspirations and consider future possibilities for connections.
There are so many inspiring people in education, from Ahmad Nisar who is leading a team of volunteers to provide girls in Afghanistan, who are no longer allowed to attend school, with an online mental health counselling service, to all the volunteers involved in Ochre Education, led by Reid Smith and Caroline Reed, to high profile educators such as Eddie Woo and Sal Khan. We don’t need to be creating and leading educational initiatives to be making a difference though. Being a mentor, volunteering with communities of practice and providing a safe space for development all show generosity of spirit – something that exists in large amounts but is not always afforded the airtime it deserves.
When I think about the people who have impacted who I am and the trajectory of my educational career, there are so many who have been generous with their time, resources and lending a critical but supportive ear. I have had mentors who have taken an interest in me and my aspirations; talented educators who have helped me make sense of the world; numerous people who have shared resources; and many schools and organisations who have opened their doors and invited me into their educational spaces. I would not be who I am, or in the role I have without their generosity.
Everyone has their own narrative – different people and experiences. What are the ways you show your gratitude for others’ generosity? What are the ways you quietly feed forward? How might we scale this?
Thank you. These are two small but powerful words. One of my most influential managers and mentors, Carol Everingham, taught me how to show gratitude through the ways she spoke, acted and corresponded. I have endeavoured to follow her lead with my colleagues within and beyond work.
So, whether you are part of a formal network or organisation, or quietly demonstrating generosity through your actions and interactions, thank you. Your generosity may not always be immediately noticed or rewarded, but it will have an impact.
Dr Charlotte Forwood
ACEL Victoria Branch Executive Member