RUNNING HEADER: SYMPOSIUM REFLECTION 1

Symposium Reflection: Healing Learning Communities

Robin T. Perkins

School of Education: Concordia University Irvine

EDUA 563: Supporting Teacher Growth

Professor Sean Curtin

September 26, 2021

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Symposium Reflection: Healing Learning Communities

For years, teachers have been called upon to weather the storms and weight of the world

with grace and compassion. As partners in education, teachers spend seven hours per day with

students, helping them to become intelligent and compassionate humans with an intrinsic drive to

challenge themselves to grow. This task of growing minds and hearts is a challenge in “normal”

circumstances, and an even bigger undertaking during the pandemic. At the “Shining Through

the Light” Educational Leadership Symposium, Doctors J. Townsend and M. C. Thomas

reminded leaders that to be healthy we must foster graceful relationships that have the power to

heal. Leaders are called to be present, compassionate, positive sources of light who help to heal

their communities and their students through personal connections.

Dr. Townsend began his lecture making note of horizontal sources of grace (Townsend,

2021). He explained that God is a primary vertical source of grace, and in addition humans can

strengthen each other by providing horizontal sources of grace (Townsend, 2021). This grace is

not deserved or earned, but rather granted to those in need. Specifically, God’s grace is seen in

his acts of mercy. Humans are therefore called upon to grant one another compassion, mercy,

kindness and grace in their weakest moments. This gift of grace is deeply needed today, as fear

and anxiety regarding COVID19 vaccinations, masking and other mandates have led community

members to dispute and become divided. In addition, pain and suffering from isolation, illness,

and loss of life has driven many to states of despair. Dr. Townsend reminds us that it is our quiet

emotional connections that are most needed today.

In his lecture Dr. Townsend stated, “If you want someone to hear your truth, you have to

earn it with grace” (Townsend, 2021). This quote struck a chord, as I have always believed that

in order to communicate one must have an open mind and be willing to listen. Dr. Townsend
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furthers this notion putting the owness on the individual to provide grace, mercy, compassion and

kindness prior to expectation of effective communication. Upon reflection it is clear that

meaningful relationships must begin with trust and a willingness to be vulnerable, which can

only come from being present for one another. It strikes me that in our current social climate,

leaders and teachers are expected to be endless sources of grace, while desperately in need of

grace themselves. Many of our faculty are exhausted mentally and emotionally. Parents are

afraid that their children are behind due to distance learning. Students are frustrated to be

masked and distanced from peers. Upon reflection, I realize that in order to help heal my

learning community I must find ways to be present and provide more opportunity for grace filled

personal connections.

Dr. Thomas spoke after Dr. Townsend and reminded the audience of the importance of

taking time to heal. She noted the “great exhaustion” that people are currently suffering due to

the pandemic (Thomas, 2021). People are suffering from chronic stress and are in a continuous

state of feeling overwhelmed. Many are suffering from anxiety, irritability, lack of focus and

trouble sleeping (Thomas, 2021). With this knowledge in mind, it makes perfect sense that in

order to have meaningful conversation, first a person must feel cared for. Dr. Thomas reminded

the symposium attendees that one must “cultivate an attitude of caring to be heard” (Thomas,

2021). Leaders must work to be present and provide positive safe environments for their staff

and students to begin to heal. As a fourth grade teacher I have implemented daily opportunities

for my students to be present for one another, which I believe is helping them to heal. I am left

pondering how I can provide more opportunities for our faculty to be present for one another in a

positive and meaningful way. Setting aside time for faculty to bond and build personal

connections will be a priority moving forward.

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Dr. Townsend provided a framework for healing as he introduced the 4 Quadrants of

Relational Nutrients explaining that as leaders we are called upon to provide positive affirmation

and support in order to develop strong relationships (Townsend, 2021). Per Dr. Townsend,

leaders must be present, convey the good, provide reality and call others to action (Townsend,

2021). This transition through quadrants is meaningful as one must first provide validation and

comfort with a willingness to truly listen to another’s story in quadrant one. In the second

quadrant a leader must show respect and provide encouragement or hope before in quadrant

three, the listener can accept the perspective, ideas and wisdom of the speaker. Finally, once

these ideas are conveyed it is in quadrant four where change begins (Townsend, 2021). For some

this could be professional growth, while for others it may be personal emotional healing. This

portion of the lecture was particularly meaningful to me, as in my administrative role I oversee

three newly hired teachers. I appreciate the clear structure of the quadrants and the process of

building a strong supportive relationship so that wisdom can be shared and growth prioritized. I

plan to implement the transition through quadrants in my work with new teachers.

I was enheartened listening to Dr. Townsend and Dr. Thomas as their presence,

acknowledgement of current struggles, advice for healing and homework led me to feel both

validated and empowered to make change by helping others to heal and grow. As I consider my

journey to become an administrator it is evident that I must provide grace, compassion, and

nutrients for my students, my colleagues, my school community and myself in order to build

connections, recover from the exhaustion of the pandemic and heal my learning community.
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References

Thomas, M. C. (2021, September 11). Shining through the storm. Lecture presented at

Educational Leadership Symposium in Irvine, California.

Townsend, J. (2021, September 11). Shining through the storm. Lecture presented at Educational

Leadership Symposium in Irvine, California.