A Thing of Beauty

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever." - John Keats

Today I spent some time walking around our high school campus, popping in on different classes and teachers to see how things were going.  As I made my way back to my office, I heard yelling from one particular room, and it got louder and louder as I neared the door.  Curiosity got the best of me, and I just had to know what this was all about.

As I stepped in, I was greeted by the booming voice of Mr. Koeman and the wide-eyed stares of his seniors.  The class is studying C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, and Mr. Koeman was explaining the message behind letter number 21 -- a particularly poignant one for teenagers.

It was a thing of beauty.

Have you ever watched someone in action--maybe an athlete, or a mother, or a counselor--and thought, This person is doing exactly what they were created to do?  That's how I felt today watching Kevin.

And as the goosebumps rose up on my arms and my eyes started to water, I realized it was because something dawned on me.  This is the kind of teaching, the kind of mentoring, that my own kids are receiving every day, and it's what they have to look forward to for many years ahead.

What a gift.

Here is a teacher so clearly opening up the minds and hearts of his students and climbing inside to shape their view of the world, their choices, and their self worth.  It's exactly the kind of thing my wife and I pray for our own kids, and I wish the parents of every one of the students in that senior English class could have been there.

Your children are precious.
Your children are loved.
Your children matter to us.

Teaching is insanely difficult.  It demands passion and self-discipline and sacrifice and continuous improvement and love like an ocean.  But when it's done well, it's so special that it makes you want to cry . . . like it did me today.

I can't believe that I get to work at a school like this and watch amazing transformations happen in the lives of our young people, and I hope this small snapshot encourages and inspires the parents who entrust their children to us.

Parents and educators: your sacrifices are worth it.

Today, I saw a thing of beauty.  How about you?

What if . . .

This quote greets people in the "Main Street" area of Holland Christian High School.  It's one of several inscriptions on the walls of this gathering area . . . words meant to inspire, to challenge, and to push people to think.

As a superintendent, it's my job to think about the future of our school.

A lot.

I need to ask the right questions--much more than I need to have the right answers--and one of my favorite questions is, "What if?"  That question is an invitation to throw off the shackles of that's-how-we've-always-done-it and instead dream about what could be.  It's a call to step out on limbs.  To shape the future.

The right questions apply to many organizations, but they also need to be realistic for the context of the resources and values of your particular school.  Lately, a few iterations of the what if question have been running through my head:

What if we commit to assemble a faculty roster of the very best teachers?

What if we reject the notion that teaching needs to be a financial sacrifice and instead compensate our faculty in a way that reflects the professionalism we will expect from them?

What if every one of our employees, regardless of role in the organization improved her or his skills and added to her or his toolbox every year?

What if our teachers regularly observed their peers, both to learn and also offer helpful advice?

What if our school was more welcoming and accessible for new families?

What if, as leaders, we commit to having the tough conversations that are needed so our faculty and staff don't wonder whether or not they are making the grade?

What if we use praise and storytelling to propel our notions of model teachers, model students, and even model parents who embody the mission and vision of our school?

The first 14 years of the 21st century have taught us that innovation is not only welcome, but required if education is going to be effective for our students.  It's necessary for us to challenge the status quo and imagine a whole new playing field for our game.

What if . . .

Words that spur us to change.

What if . . .

Words that release the dreamer in us.

What are your what if's?