Pathways and Windows to Transformative Relationships and Educational Excellence

Grace. Kindness. Mindfulness. Acceptance. Community. All are words – but they are so much more. They are windows of hope that can be opened to transformative relational landscapes and pathways that lead to excellence.

There are practical applications that have made a significant positive impact in classrooms and schools. When I consider this issue’s cover story and all the wisdom shared by educators throughout the state regarding these practices, I am incredibly inspired and amazed anew at the vast breadth and scope of the child/teacher relationship – a truly unique bond with limitless potential for good. What a glorious gift we have been given as educators!

At Goodyear Elementary, where I have the honor and privilege to serve as principal, there have been many pathways our staff has traveled and numerous windows we have opened in our quest to provide the best possible educational experience to the children of our community.

As I reflect on what has been one of our most rewarding, it has certainly been our adoption of an individualized, whole-child approach to our work. Within this framework, we are not teaching such life-enriching concepts as grace, kindness, mindfulness, and acceptance. Rather, we are living them. And by integrating them into our entire curriculum and daily interactions with students, we are creating a community in which each child is seen, heard, and valued. Within this enhanced relational landscape, they have greater opportunity to excel.

Seven years ago, we began incorporating at Goodyear what is now known as Changemakers – a Pre-K–5 program of differentiated curricula.1 The results were significant.

In an article published last year, the Journal of Research in Childhood Education (JRCE) highlighted positive results identified through a case study conducted during the first few years of implementation at Goodyear.2 From the article:

“By the end of the third year of the partnership, the school made substantial improvements on the district’s annual academic accountability indicators. academic progress index, which measures how much growth students demonstrate on reading and math assessments relative to academically similar students (calculated on a scale from 0 to 100), increased from 61.0 to 87.4. The closing gaps index, which measures whether all students and all subgroups are making improvements in achievement rates (also calculated on a scale from 0 to 100), increased from 37.5 to 97.2.”

Additionally, our students have demonstrated significant improvement as evidenced by state accountability and assessment metrics.3 In 2019, Goodyear was designated a Beating the Odds school by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.4

These and all academic gains are wonderful. On behalf of Goodyear students who are now excelling at higher levels, we celebrate with them and for them the new opportunities that have come and will come as a result.

Yet, as all teachers know, academic achievement alone is not the sole indicator of student success. Goodyear has also seen an increase in student attendance, fewer behavior referrals, and stronger school/family/community engagement. Together, all are evidence of the many benefits of differentiated, whole-child instruction.

As an organization, PAGE too has long recognized and reinforced the importance of individualized curriculum design and the transformative relationships and educational excellence to which it leads. As Executive Director Craig Harper explains:

“Every student deserves the best that schools can offer. Individualized instruction and strong relationships between teachers and students are essential. The overarching philosophy of PAGE professional learning places these at the core of instructional design and engagement. This foundational approach to teaching and learning encourages those who adopt it to ensure that students are seen as individuals with unique talents and motivations, not viewed according to academic labels or group identities.”

Long before I served on the PAGE board of directors, my experience with the association’s professional learning programs, and their focus on these foundational principles, greatly contributed to my growth as an educator. In my tenure as board president, I’ve seen their positive impact in even greater detail.

As my term as PAGE president draws to a close, I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to continuing to serve on the board. In my work with PAGE, as in my work with the students, teachers, families, and school community of Goodyear, I celebrate the journey of excellence we’re all on together. As educators, may we continue to travel the paths and swing wide the windows of hope! n

1 Learn more about Changemakers at http://www.momentousinstitute.org/

2 Access the full report, metrics, and study parameters at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02568543.2021.1960938

3 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) reports available at https://ccrpi.gadoe.org/Reports/Views/Shared/_Layout.html

4 Beating the Odds is a statistical analysis that compares a school’s actual performance on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) with the performance of schools with similar characteristics across the state. Schools that perform higher than similar schools are designated as “Beating the Odds.” Learn more at https://gosa.georgia.gov/accountability/beating-odds-analysis

Oatanisha Dawson received her teacher certification from Armstrong Atlantic University in 2004. She holds a Master of Middle Grades Education (2007), a Specialist degree in Leadership (2010), and a Doctor of Education (2013) – all of which were completed at Georgia Southern University. She presently serves as principal of Goodyear Elementary in Brunswick, Georgia.