This passage is relevant to our current climate because it is a reminder that we must love others, stay humble , and in unity. We could use the reminder that we need to have genuine care and respect for everyone.

-Kelsey

It's relevant today because we are living in a world that is THRIVING on division for the sake of the progress of a few individuals instead of the collective rise of humanity to be stewards of this earth.

By promoting collaboration among departments and schools and fostering empathy and compassion during professional learning, I can start to see how our collective efforts could reflect a unified vision of Catholic values and remind us that we can choose our future.

-Brittany

This passage is relevant today because we are in a world struggling with division based on race, gender, class, and nationality. These words remind us about equality and inclusion and the unity of all people.

It also has a social justice aspect in that it challenges discrimination and calls for dignity and fairness for all. Human rights.

Paul emphasizes that faith in Christ will transcend our external differences.

-Kyley

In this fast-paced, news-mania, social-media-driven world, we are inundated with judgement- filled thoughts and commentary on a daily basis. Unfortunately, our school buildings aren’t safe havens from passing judgement on one another either.  We witness this when judgement is passed on students for not achieving to a certain standard, on parents for not being supportive enough or for being too much of an advocate, on teachers for doing too much or too little, on administrators for not handling a situation how we wanted it to be handled, on the school board for…everything that isn’t working how we wished it worked.

I have been reflecting a lot this year on how we got here; specifically how the conversations around our students and their individual abilities have turned so sour and often driven by all the things they cannot do. I wonder when we stopped believing that parents are doing the best they can with the resources they have and when we lost faith in the decisions that are being made- even when we are not privy to the whole story of how they came to be.  

This leads me to consider my own practice and the shifts I can make in the day to day interactions. How can I become better at framing conversations so the other person knows they’re rooted in curiosity and not judgement? How can I respectfully shift conversations that are deficit-driven to ability-driven? How can I walk away from a difficult conversation and ask ‘what am I missing?’ or ‘how did we get here?’ rather than pass judgement?

In reflecting on our own practices and making small shifts, we can become the agents of change. It is in the most uncomfortable and challenging work that the growth happens. I hope this gives you pause to reflect on small shifts you might consider making in your day to day interactions to create more positive and collaborative environments for all.

-Stacey