When looking for new school leadership opportunities last fall I also spent a lot of time trying to articulate my professional standards, aspirations, priorities, etc… I guess they would be my principal principles. In applications this information would come across in my resume, letters of interest for specific opportunities, references or other documents required by schools. There was almost always a request for a statement of educational philosophy or something similar.
My “Personal Statement on Education” has been a working document of sorts for more than 20 years now. At times I’ve started over entirely. At other times I’ve just taken my most recent iteration and made a few updates. I haven’t looked at it in a few months now. I’m sure once I take a look I’ll notice things I would want to change or update. But I won’t just yet. I want to get this down here as a good snapshot of where I was last fall. My ideas and approaches will surely continue to develop in the coming years but I hope I don’t need to look at this document for the same purposes for some time. So here it is, for now:
Seeking to articulate my educational philosophy in a graduate course at Teachers College that was full of complex texts and passionate debate that sometimes felt too distant from the fundamental student learning experience, I decided to reach out for a source that felt more grounded. I asked my five siblings.
My siblings and I went through nearly the same school system and shared many of the same teachers but had wildly different outcomes. One graduated at the top of her class, headed to Stanford and then to law school. Another was submitting late assignments for final credit on the day of graduation. The rest, and myself, were on a range somewhere in between. All have lives of value, meaning and dignity that are rooted in the experiences of our education in the moments when educators valued our unique needs. My prompt to recall school highlights created a rush of stories about teachers. Teachers that were attentive, funny, endearing, intuitive, difficult, and inspiring in stories of never ending patience in struggle and moments of support in excellence. There were disappointments too, each of those instances exhibiting an absence of attention and support that may have made a difference.
As educators we must know the science and craft of learning and then build from the fundamentals of best practice in instructional strategies, meaningful assessment practices, collaboration and other tools to plan, deliver and continuously assess intended learning. This creates the guaranteed foundation where learning experiences are built and then balanced with individualized response to students’ needs for more support or increased challenge. This harmony of professionalism and personalization builds unique and meaningful experiences for each student. Learning with choice, reflection, flexibility, engagement and authentic challenge creates the teaching connections of greatest value. Some become lifelong influences and others may be just enough to help a student through a difficult lesson. In either case, these were the stories of learning, of teachers, that my siblings highlighted.
In Michael Ondaatje’s “Warlight,” a man reflects on the influence of an adult in his formative years. Practical lessons were learned, information was transferred but the greatest value was that “in the brief time I knew her, I believed (she) was on my side. I stood there and was perceived.” We have so many ideas, dispositions and skills to impart to students to thrive in and sustain our planet in the 21st century, but none are of value if students don’t know we are on their side and honor their individual dignity. I must build this for students and as an educational leader I owe the same to teachers as I nurture a school culture that honors their needs for growth, reflection and collaboration.
Whether it’s a first grade student or a head of department, helping others become empowered to improve is the culmination of the educational process. This builds knowledge, responsibility, creativity, understanding and compassion to enrich lives beyond the classroom. A learning community balances the need to master a broad range of required material for practical application while also instilling a confidence in each individual’s worth to learn independently and honorably at any stage of ability.
Connections with our human experience along the way ensure that they leave with learning deeper than knowledge or even understanding.. In “The Road to Character,” David Brooks shares the words of WWII war correspondent Ernie Pile looking toward imminent victory. Pile acknowledged it would only come with the support of many others and expressed a “hope that in victory we are more grateful than proud.”
As an educator seeking to guide a school community, I aim to shape students that exude those words when they cross the stage: pride in the many accomplishments or discoveries made to get there but a greater sense of compassionate gratitude that their learning empowers them to contribute wisely to the world. That is the best of what my siblings shared. Through a balance of professional commitment and caring connection I hope to support these aims for the students and teachers I’m privileged to work with each day.