What I Learned Lately (WILL 13/14 #5) by Dr. Josh Garcia (@Garciaj9Josh)
Woven in my soul, where the demons rest, I find the beginning on my edge. Throughout this week, I have been gently reminded and I have been downright told, that the failure of our society is the fault of our schools and the people that work in them. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am amazed by how many still see the world in black and white. Make no mistake, I accept responsibility and I hold myself accountable for our results. By itself, my dedication to our profession is an empty concept, unless our profession remains relentlessly dedicated to supporting every student, every day. H. L. Mencken once said for “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” Maybe it is me. Maybe I am blind and deaf to the realities of the world. Maybe we should focus all our efforts on a system that is designed to be open only 180 days a year for less than 8 hours a day.
This week, I learned more about the role of partnerships. In every community there are a few brave people and or organizations that have courage to partner with schools to change the trajectory of their respective communities. These people are committed to the notion that it take a village to raise a child. In any partnership, language and beliefs can unite or divide. Through several conversations this week, I found that many partners share in the belief of “Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships”. As I examined the words and engaged in several conversations to discuss the practices that support these concepts, I was struck by the order in which we place them. We have the right concepts, just in the wrong order. Relationships first, Relevance next and then Rigor. Sounds like a simplistic notion as I write it, but this is what good partners do. The build relationships with our communities (students included) first. Then they find relevant materials, activities and contents to hook our communities. Then and only then they go deeper into the sophistication of the concepts. As I reflect on the idea, I am proud of our staff. Each day, I see examples of staff wanting to partner with our community. More and more they are asking what they can do to support our partners and spending less time asking for “things”. They understand that partnering is a two way commitment to a shared cause (our students, our future). Our staff understands that the investment is not in our schools but rather our community.
The people are who serve in these partnership roles often are the unsung heroes of our communities. Personally, I am not sure I have met my hero. For me, I see flashes of greatness among many of the faces. Yet, I am getting clearer on recognizing them in public. They have a sparkle in their eyes that is undeniable. They are relentless and crystal clear about their mission. They know what they want to accomplish, how to measure it and are honest about the results, even when it may hurt. They consistently use their power for the good of others and they never walk away from a good fight with evil. They see the world in bright, bold and beautiful colors. They understand the complexity of the uniqueness of the situation. Finally, they never have to tell you how important they are...
Finally By C. G. Jung,
“You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.”
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