One of the best (and worst) features of streaming services is the ability to binge watch old TV series. My children have been addicted to the 90’s series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. They enjoy the humor and cheesy special effects of the show, but also love that it somehow connects to the DC universe that they love!
As they watch, I always hear them talking directly to Lois during an episode, “Come on Lois, you have to recognize that Clark is Superman. His only disguise is a pair of glasses!” Part of the magic of the show is Lois’ inability to see Clark for who he really is, Superman. She has her suspicions at times, but often can’t put the pieces together.
This is a challenge that we often face in schools. We need to see students for who they really are, but often there are any number of factors that get in our way. It might be a student’s “reputation” filtered through a previous teacher’s lens. It might be outside influences that impact a child. It might be difficult behaviors that mask instances of trauma.
Our jobs is to do a better job than Lois in discovering our students’ superpowers. We need to push through the exterior facades and dig deep to learn about our students. We need to find out who each student really is.
Let’s spend time finding those superpowers.
Let’s discover our superheroes and let them fly!
Rich