The newest Superman movie mere days away!

Over the years on this blog, we’ve talked many times about connections between the Man of Steel and Teachers of School – secret hideouts, weird superpowers, extreme makeovers, teaching with hope, and more.

Let’s take a look at one more element of Superman lore and its educational applications – Kryptonite.

Most casual fans know that Kryptonite is the radioactive green mineral that can weaken or even kill Kryptonians like Superman. What you may not know is that there are ALL kinds of Kryptonite colors – each one with its own side effects.

My personal favorite is Periwinkle Kryptonite, which you can learn more about HERE.

In my book, Teaching Is for Superheroes!, I devote an entire chapter to assorted Kryptonite colors and parallel vulnerabilities experienced by teachers (e.g. green = fatigue, red = unpredictability, white = lack of growth, etc.). Here’s a sneak peek:

One color NOT covered in my book is Blue Kryptonite. This type is harmless to Superman, but is dangerous and lethal to his distorted doppelganger, Bizarro.

How does Blue Kryptonite apply to teachers? Each educator has their own strengths and weaknesses, personalities and professional expertise. It stands to reason, then, that we each may be vulnerable under different contexts and conditions.

Think of it this way: What’s an issue you consider no big deal, but is an incredible struggle for a colleague? When others want to rip out their hair, you simply shrug your shoulders.

This could be anything during a given school day or year. There are “big” things like curriculum choices, assessment plans, or management models. Or it might be something “small” like a fire drill, a jammed copier machine, or empty coffee pot*.

*If you’re not a coffee drinker, who cares? But watch out for Shannon, who gulps down three Ventis before lunch.

Many challenges become less of an issue as you gain experience and skills. Regardless, a seemingly “minor” item may be VERY “major” to a particular person.

Vulnerabilities often appear alongside our strengths. Teachers with meticulous lessons might struggle when plans change. Others who “wing it” day-to-day could falter when they must prepare for a substitute teacher or formal observation. Someone who’s a wiz with Apple technology could feel useless with a Chromebook, and vice versa.

Here’s the beauty of Blue Kryptonite: Those unaffected can help others who struggle. And we should ALL stay humble, knowing every one of us has our personal pitfalls.

Don’t view someone as “bizarre” for their unique liabilities. Instead, look for ways to support them and learn as a community of imperfect individuals.

This applies to our teaching colleagues as well as our students. Each classroom contains a colorful roster of characters-such as those in the new film! (See you at the theater!)