It is interesting how the greatest desires of our heart are elusive, seemingly the most significant challenges in our lives. We want to be in relationship, we want to create healthy families and homes, we want great schools and to be in healthy community, yet it can be terribly difficult.
This fall, I felt my confidence shaken as criticism, votes of no confidence, and personal attacks came wave after wave. Practicing community as a school leader, writing boldly about it, and then having everyone evaluate your work through the eyes of their children isn’t easy. At the same time, my gift to my community, the book Learn Forward was released. There were rough waters. Creating healthy community in a school has so many layers.
I’m sure when you’ve tried to remain an active part of a work team, a church, a sports team, or a family, you realize, community always has dynamics, competing interests, and drama requiring heaping spoonfuls of acceptance and grace.
My resolve is steadfast, I’m committed to writing about and exploring deeply the Table of Learning. What is a culture of community? In a school? In a home? Circling the globe?
The storm has passed and I think it had things to teach us about what the Table of Learning is and is not. Our inquiry is sincere. It is spoken with a cup of friendship.
What are the ingredients of community? Community that lasts? What do you want it to look like? What will you bring?
I want it to be simple. I want it to replicate. In our school and in schools around the world. I want us to teach each other how to do it. I need your help. I want to help.
So, at our school, we are practicing locally, and we want parents and teachers around the world to join us in a global, Learn Forward conversation. You can become more familiar with our model by subscribing for the FREE Learn Forward Starter Kit today.
I have this idea! The ingredients for community are like the recipe for a pound cake. Everyone loves cake! I’m not much of a baker, but I think the traditional pound cake recipe is a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour.
Just four ingredients. All in heaping portions. Simple. Goodness. At the Table of Learning.
Parents and Teachers, here are my heaping four ingredients for healthy community:
- Soft-hearted. We all must come to the table with soft hearts. A certain humility and gentleness of spirit. Demands, narcissism, and ego won’t work. We are the models for the children and so we must ‘be the change.’
- Focus on the Learning. The five journeys bring clarity. Am I helping my child gain selfhood, belonging, learn faith, experience worthiness, and become a changemaker? In our community are we doggedly-determined to hold a growth mindset and ensure our hearts are postured for learning? Do our conversations and questions focus on what we can learn and how we can grow?
- Honouring. Are we honouring each other’s time, need for rest, role in the process, professionalism, and personal respect? Are we honouring space, working to hold sacred our relationship, building rituals that last? It is trusting. Sometimes I know I tromp around in my big boots, unaware. It isn’t because I am mean-spirited, but only because I am not mindful of others. It is important to be honouring.
- Believing the best. My Pastor continues to work with me to teach me about how grace believes the best about others. He is long-suffering. I’m always taking everything so personally. Grace whispers, “It’s not about you. Something larger is at work here. Trust.” My well-worn path is to assume too much and it robs me of peace. Peace is me without my story.
Let’s come into community, into our school communities, with a pound of these four ingredients in our hands: a soft-heart, focus on learning, honouring of others, and believing the best about each other.
Children will thrive.
If you are interested in stirring up the good and abundant ingredients of your community, explore the resources at LearnForward.ca. Subscribe to receive all the latest Learn Forward EdLeader opportunities.
For the sake of the children,
Karine
PS If you’ve read the book, Learn Forward, please leave a review on amazon.com. Your thoughts matter!