Little big things

Or perhaps big little things? The theme for this year’s Collaboration for Growth MYP session is “School Cultures; How do we shape them? How do they shape us?”

It made me think about what is different this year to last year culturally (besides feeling less like a deer in the headlights as it’s my 2nd year). A big thing has been the change in our school food provider. One would think that food is food and there’s not much difference between one and the other, but there has been quite a big shift. Last year many of us descended to one of the lounges and ate communally. It was fun to see on any particular day who would be there, and such interesting conversations would be had between Elementary, Middle and High school teachers and staff. You never knew who you’d bump into and all sorts of know-how and information would be passed along over lunch.

As someone not particularly inclined to shop and cook (and who’s trying to teach my teen to cook for himself, so increasingly leaving him up to fending for his dinners himself) it meant having a nutritious main meal for lunch and not bothering about dinner.

These days, the lounge is semi-deserted. I hardly ever see the people I used to bump into unless we make a point of meeting after school or for an external lunch – so much more effort. No more chatter about what’s going on educationally or personally in our lives. No more great ideas plotted out. Now I make a double meal at night and warm it up in our divisional microwave in our divisional staffroom if I can be bothered, or just eat at my desk when things are too overwhelming.

A little thing. A little big thing. But many have been mentioning the loss. And so culture changes. Without intent, positive or negative.