Читать книгу Breakthrough Leadership - Alan M. Blankstein - Страница 11

The educators spotlighted in this book exemplify what has been named throughout recorded history, and even prior among Indigenous Americans, as the virtue above all others: courage (Lassiter, 2017). The written word comes from the French le cœur, or “the heart.” Most educators entered the profession in concert with the first principle of courage, by starting with the intersection of their passion and life mission—what we term the core.

Maurice Hilleman’s tireless hours of dedication came from deep within his own life experiences as well. He was born, as noted, to two Spanish flu pandemic survivors; but he lost his twin sister at birth, and his mother two days later. This fueled his passion for finding cures to prevent premature death in others. His intellect, meanwhile, was nurtured by his father, the education afforded him, and even chickens!

The educators whose experience we draw on in this book, likewise, are morally rooted in ensuring success for each of their students. Their deep connection to the importance of the work allows leaders, from the classroom to the boardroom, to overcome enormous obstacles to meet the needs of the young people they serve.

Many frontline employees didn’t even know if they were still getting paid, and with my time I’ve been working fourteen hours, seven days a week, for three weeks. Who has access to internet? Who has parental support? Who has a computer for more than one student in the house? How are we teaching homeless kids? If we hadn’t taken inventory prior, this certainly makes us now. (Aaron Spence, personal communication, March 23, 2020)

We needed first to know where every student was. Teachers made personal calls to check on every student. If they couldn’t get through, social workers went to their doors. Professionals networked online to talk about how many and which students have and haven’t been reached and to share strategies on what each had tried, what was working, and what was not. The whole community got involved, including the sheriff’s department, to make sure each child was well.

Academics had to wait. Many parents who work in health care had to minimize contact with their children to keep them healthy; others after finally seeing their children might easily skip the work, and just hug them! (Dena Keeling, personal communication, April 15, 2020)

Together, in this book, we will encourage readers to continue to find and act in concert with their “core,” as we provide examples of school, district, and state leadership teams that are rooted in their individual and collective purpose. One of the six vital principles of courageous leadership is exemplified in the next section (for all six principles, see Blankstein [2013]).