As a parent of an elementary student, middle schooler, and a high schooler myself, I really appreciate what Jones says about WHY he chose the “finding joy” theme for his students this year. “School is different now,” he said. “The demands we put on kids have changed so much. I really wanted to use this year to reframe their purpose at school. School should be a joyous place.”
I have to agree with Jones; I think the demands of state testing have taken the fun out of learning for kids and the fun out of teaching for teachers. I admire this man’s determination to bring positivity into his school and to help students and teachers alike learn how to make the best of and do their best with what they’ve got—and find a little joy along the way. Even if the place they find it is on the inside of the door of a bathroom stall.
The parents of Mary Moore Elementary, encouraged that so many people took an interest in their school bathrooms makeover project, even created a Google doc for other parents to show them how to do the bathrooms in their kids’ schools! That’s right, these joy-seeking parents started a school bathrooms makeover revolution! I mean…I love the fact that they didn’t just say “gosh golly gee, thanks!” They said, “Here! Let us help you do the same!” If that’s not spreading joy, I don’t know what is!
In an era where, quite frankly, school can be a terrifying place, I love that this principal and parents—and those like them in other schools around the country—have reclaimed school bathrooms as places of positivity and joy for their kids. I have a feeling when kids wash their hands at these sinks, they can’t wash off the infectious positivity that’s behind that bathroom door, and end up spreading it through their school all day long.
