I’ve been thinking of my classroom as a pod, a sort of enclosed, self-sustained spaceship. We are a part of a fleet, flying in formation, traveling at roughly the same speed. We share a trajectory and a destination, but inside our little crafts, we have unique, perhaps even wildly different ecosystems.

I like to think about my class this way. It gives me a sense of inspiration and satisfaction, a degree of freedom and possibility. It is my job to keep us on course, to pay attention to the rest of the fleet and check in when the time is right. It is my job too, to make sure we reach our destination safely and successfully.

To be sure, these external obligations are important, but I want to protect my students from having to worry about them. For it is the inside of our pod, the creation and growth of an internal environment, that they must attend to.

Any system can sicken and die, wither from lack of attention, loss of respect, lack of input. Inside the space of our pod, my main job is to quietly attend to the emotional factors; nurturing and guiding us towards a vibrant, lively ecosystem

From the outset, it seems that I have been lucky enough to be handed a group of caring, conscious individuals. The feel of my class as a whole is one of sincerity and respect. This is the fertile soil of our pod, and for this I am immensely thankful.

Where we struggle is in germination. I have a few outliers who come to class with minimal enthusiasm, who sit near the back, folded arms and hooded eyes. The first day was marked by silence and non-response. But I am breaking them open. I continue to prod them with my questions, to listen and honor all response, and now our discussions often become exciting and unexpected. There are only two or three left who don’t actively participate.

I have one student who I think has helped with this shift. He is what I would characterize as the cool kid, dreadlocks and charisma. He talks of working on cars and playing sports. He is also thoughtful, kind, alert, and interested. His investment has been like adding fertilizer to our seedlings. We might have struggled on without him, but we are more robust and active for his presence and participation.

I use him as an example here, but none of my students have fully articulated themselves, I think. Not yet. In time, we will each find our role and place within the ecosystem of our class. In truth, I am still finding my own place and style as a teacher.

I am excited to see my class grow and change, differentiate and take on complexity. I wonder what we will look like by the end of the quarter.