The Why Behind the Talk
My go-to teaching year? Sophomore year, hands down. They were endlessly curious about the "why" behind everything. Why annotate? Why bother with grammar rules? Why anything, really? (Sound familiar, 2nd-grade teachers? How about 7th-grade?). It dawned on me that my fondness for teaching sophomores stems from my own perpetual curiosity—I'm always eager to uncover the "why" behind things, too.
Utilizing the Five Whys Ladder can unlock deeper understanding behind a question, value, belief, or problem. By repeatedly asking "why," we can delve beyond surface-level explanations and uncover underlying causes or reasoning. In this exercise, we'll focus on gaining a deeper understanding of an individual core educational value regarding school and family or caregiver communication, but you can use this with all kinds of other questions too.
Now let's think about why effective communication between educators and families is important for students, teachers, the family, and/or the school community.
Pose the question (I am narrowing in on students, but you might narrow in on why this is important for other teachers or for the family or the community) and get started.
Why is effective communication between educators and families important for students?
It helps all parties understand expectations in different environments, including the similarities and differences.
Why is it important for all parties to understand expectations at home and at school, including identifying similarities and differences?
When we as adults understand expectations, we can align them and communicate them more effectively for students, thus reducing confusion or uncertainty.
Why is reducing confusion or uncertainty important?
When we reduce confusion and uncertainty, students feel stable and supported, enabling them to learn more effectively.
Why is it important for students to learn more effectively in a stable environment?
Stability enables students to build confidence, belonging, and engagement.
Why is it important for students to build confidence, belonging, and engagement?
When students build confidence, belonging, and engagement, they are more likely to feel empowered to explore, question, and discover, making their learning their own.
There it is! By delving into the Five Whys, I have unearthed one of my core educational beliefs: communication empowers students to take ownership of their learning journey.
Now, it's your turn. Choose to focus on why communication is important to students, families, other teachers, OR the school community. (Or try building a ladder for each one).
As you delve into each "why," you may uncover insights into your beliefs around trust, community, safety, or belongingness within your educational practice. Allow your exploration to guide you, whether you choose to stop early at the fourth point or continue beyond the fifth point. Remember, this exercise isn't about ticking off boxes; it's about delving deep into the meaning and significance of our actions. So, when you connect with a family member or caregiver, it's not just a routine task or a courteous gesture—it reflects your core values as an educator. And now you know why.
I hope you and your team get as much out of this exercise as I have over the years. Please reach out if you would like any
support in implementing it. I’m always happy to do a complimentary check-in!
Author
Erin Pollack
Our senior coach and client coordinator wrote this series while developing a workshop on family engagement for a San Francisco Bay Area school.
Contact us to bring family engagement, including family literacy, workshops to your staff and community.-