things about getting a dog

My family decided to add a member to our family this week.

Enter Mollie.

Mollie is a 2-year-old doxle (a mix between a daschund and a beagle) who represents our first foray into the world of owning a pet as a family.

There are lots of things I'm beginning to process in my new life as a "dog person" and many of them connect to my world in the classroom.

Here are four (I'm sure there'll be more) things that apply to my work this week in the classroom

Thing 1 about getting a dog.

it gives us a sense of united purpose

Our whole family has this unifying sense that we have a job to do. The same is said for the classroom where never before has a greater importance been put on collaboration. Removing egos and our own desires from the equation increases our emotional intelligence and invites us to better understand others, showing them empathy, and eventually becoming a stronger team.

This week it's been beginning to focus back on World Congress which is two weeks away. Monday and Tuesday we will have alumni in the fields of Environment, Health, Human Rights, Energy, and Climate Change speaking to task forces to inspire them and remind them that the purpose of their research is the lifeblood of many people out there committing their lives to good.

Thing 2 about getting a dog.

it reminds us that we are not in control

Nothing says "you are not in control" like a doggie bath gone wrong, a pup who won't sleep, or that moment when I drop the leash just as a squirrel zips by. In my classroom experience, scrapping a lesson plan in favor of student enthusiasm is often the best course of action.

This teacher's guide to surviving Fortnite is my most recent foray into this area.

Thing 3 about getting a dog.

it it brings joy.

When my 4-year-old was in tears, there was suddenly an addition to Mom's lap to console him: Mollie's tongue. Post-dinner dance parties being interrupted by a thrashing, maniacal joyous solo? Yup. Definitely been some of those in the past week.

But it has reminded me, too, that I need to incorporate joy into my classroom each day. And, I mean, there's often joy, but I mean a deliberate, intentional break from the status quo to embrace something fun or funny or just plain student-directed.

This week it was inviting my students to write their own Hack PhD topics. I detailed them on my Twitter feed @MrMcDonough, so feel free to take a look. It was so fun to see them acknowledging the things they love.

Thing 4 about getting a dog.

it connects you to the people around you

No matter what, people stop and talk to you when you're walking your dog. I never knew this. The closest thing I knew to it was walking around with an infant, but even that felt more polarizing than having a dog. 

We need people. In schools, too. So much of school climate is beyond the Xs and Os of teaching. It's about the humans with whom we interact.

Thanks, Mollie.