Improbable Victory

Issue #383

On January 18, 2015, after being outplayed by the Green Bay Packers for most of the game, it looked like the Seattle Seahawks were about to lose the NFC Championship game in overtime. Russell Wilson had been sacked five times, and Green Bay managed to stop most of Seattle's attempts to move down the field. Jermaine Kearse attempted to catch six of Wilson’s passes. The first five were either intercepted or incomplete. Some quarterbacks would stop throwing the ball to a wide receiver who was having such an off game. Despite the difficulty, Russell demonstrated unwavering belief, and Kearse kept pushing forward. Then 3:19 minutes into overtime, Wilson hit Kearse for a 35-yard touchdown, leading my local sports heroes into an improbable victory and a chance to win the Super Bowl.

Throughout the game, the Seahawks stayed the course and remained calm through the ups and downs (of which there were many). Wilson let his guys know that he’d keep coming to them, no matter what, and they continued to believe in each other.

I’m inspired by the idea of unwavering belief and continuing to throw the ball even after unsuccessful attempts to complete a pass. I’m thinking about how we might experience similar victories in our classrooms if we act with calm resolve, never wavering in our belief that a struggling student can and will grasp a difficult math concept if we don’t give up on them; that our barometer students will develop self-control, stamina, and independence if we continue to support and provide opportunities for them to do so; and our struggling and reluctant readers will eventually crack the code or discover the book that transports them from a seat of frustration or complacency to that of a lifelong reader.

I’m not naive. We have a hard job. Sometimes there are more downs than ups. But it is also a thrilling job, and nothing could be more thrilling in a classroom than witnessing improbable victories. We just need to be patient, stay the course, and let our students know that we'll keep coming to them, no matter what. Keep believing. Keep throwing. 

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