Last month, I had the opportunity to make a new friend – his name is Phil. Phil happened to create the student leadership organization many of us are familiar with: Link Crew. As we talked, I quickly was able to determine that Phil was “my kind of people.” As an added bonus to our conversation, Phil gave me a copy of his book, School Culture by Design.
Over the past few days, I read through it, often finding a smile on my face because of the way he points leaders to the most important thing in school: people. If you don’t already have it, I’d highly recommend picking up a copy.
While there’s a lot to be learned from the entire book, there was one passage that resonated deeply with me:
When I speak at high school assemblies, I engage a student body by asking them to respond to statements I make by raising their hands. One statement I always say is, “raise your hand if you have a lot of stress in your life right now.” I would guess that easily 80% of students in every school raise their hands.
Indeed, there are a TON of statistics that can be offered to support Phil’s observations. While the numbers are concerning, we shouldn’t allow them to paralyze us. Instead, they should motivate us to action. Phil goes on to say:
What does this mean for teachers? How might coaches respond to this? What drives the stress? Schoolwork? Relationships? Expectations from home? All of the above?
How eye-opening would it be if your staff understood the stressors in kids lives and how they can more effectively work with students, given the reality of stress?
As educators, we have a responsibility to connect with students in safe, appropriate, and meaningful ways. That involves taking time to learn about their lives and their stories. It involves taking time to ensure they’re connecting to each other. It means prioritizing people above pedagogical practices.
Just as importantly, kids aren’t much different than adults, despite what we may believe about ourselves. So, for the educational leaders who are reading this, remember that you’re not only supposed to be getting to know your students, but you also have the equally important responsibility of getting to know your staff.
We learn about people as we intentionally live alongside them. It’s in that intentionality and “alongsidedness” that we influence and are influenced by others for the better. Oftentimes, we simply need to be brave enough to connect.
#ChooseToBeGreat
Angelo
CHOOSE TO BE GREAT 