Wants, Needs, and Hopes for a new year

What is the difference between a need and a want?  When I was young I remember wanting lots of toys.  Many involved Evel Knievel, a famous stunt performer.  :) Then my wants grew to video games, music, a real car, etc...  (I still have a want list--some items are practical--like a whole house generator--some are just not necessary--like a planer for my shop.)  Wants, I suppose, are natural.

Needs, of course, are necessary.  Everyone needs safety, food, housing, belonging, etc...  We seem to understand needs.

Lately,however, I've been thinking a lot about hopes.  While wants and needs are economic terms we teach our students, hopes are more emotional for me.  Hopes convey dreams and aspirations.  Hopes feel like something we should reach for that can hold us up when our wants remain on a list.  (Sorry, Evel Knievel fans.)  Hopes sustain us through hard times and can be celebrated in the good times.  Hopes are cherished much more than the latest toy or tool.  Hopes require faith that maybe we can do something bigger than ourselves.

What are your hopes for this year?

Just before school started we hosted a walk-through the building for students who had never been inside our school.  Since we would be unable to host our traditional Open House for all families because of the ongoing pandemic.  About 150 students from K-4 had not been in the school, and we wanted their families to have the opportunity to get to know our school.  Near the front door I asked students to write their hopes for the year on post-it notes.

We collected about 75 post-its.

When staff returned, I facilitated an activity about what we needed to do for our students and families this year.  We recognize this year is remarkable in that so many students had not been inside the building in almost 18 months.  We understand the emotions and trauma in place by the many transitions families have had to endure.  We are working to support every need.  

Still, it was not enough for me to collect just needs.  I wanted us to focus on hopes.  While I read the hope notes from students, a colleague placed them on large charts.  Staff was silent.  The most common hope from students was to make new friends.  Yes, we had post-its that referenced reading chapter books, playing basketball, having fun, and wanting to not wear a mask, but the overwhelming response from students was to make new friends.  I am grateful my staff actively works to help students make friends.  We set a tone of teamwork, collaboration, and respect at Novi Woods.

I then asked staff to record their hopes for the year on the same charts.  Some of the responses are below.

One student response stood out to me.

In this remarkable and amazing time when emotions are high and needs and wants sometimes get confused, let's remember our hopes for this year.  Our school year is off to a great start, and I know there are still many wants and needs to work through.  There will be "bumps" and "hurdles" to come, but I am confident and hopeful that new friends and love will carry us through.