Week 3 BP#2 Comments to Kristi Swartz

Kristi Swartz wrote:

The 4 chapters we focused on this week again had me thinking in a new way. Leaders are always said to be the strong, loud, commanding type, yet, in this reality, the leader is the one that makes others strive to have a vision of what is possible. As I read this week, I could not help but think of my son’s 4^th grade teacher. He truly is the best teacher I, or any of my own children, have ever had. I began to reflect on the readings and this particular teacher’s qualities. What quality does he possess? How does he lead? This is what I found. His quality is inspiration. He leads quietly. He leads by making each student feel worthy of great possibility, of vision.

When my son had this particular teacher, we attended a short play the students created in the classroom. We have all attended classroom plays, yet this one was different. Student made invitation letters went home, student created props lined the walls of the classroom. Student actors and actresses played the parts of the student written scripts. There were even student created commercials between the acts. All students were involved and the leader sat silent and just took it all in. A student made the introduction and all the leader said in the end was a simple thank you for coming to see you students amazing production.

At the time, I did notice how different the feel of the classroom was that day. Students were empowered to learn and grow, and proud to show the product they had created. The reason that teacher is such an amazing teacher is because he gets what Zander spoke of in his video this week and through The Art of Possibility. He gets that it is a teacher’s job to inspire possibility and watch students live into that vision. May it be so for all of us as educators.

Read Kristi's blog and see my comments.

Kristi,

Thank you for the comments to my previous blog post. I was so excited to hear that your school elected two students with Down's syndrome as king and queen of prom. Maybe our world is a better place?

Your son's teacher demonstrated his leadership by encouraging leadership. Sometimes the best thing that a leader can do is to remain silent and allow others the opportunity to lead. No one person has all of the answers or can play every part in the play. The orchestra is not made up of only first chairs. The tuba may be bigger than the flute, but it cannot play its part. A Down's syndrome king and queen will undoubtedly change the perception of royalty in your community.  We all have important roles to play. What is important is what we do with our part. How will we contribute to our world?