Organic Leadership, The Machine, and 12 Minute Car Rides
Organic Leadership
My principal is big about building things that last and allowing the teachers to drive the change in the school from the ground up. I call this organic leadership. As a school, we may be “behind” what other schools are doing, but our culture is built to last.
Exhibit A:
One of our long-time teachers asked the staff if they wanted to be part of a welcoming committee. It was unplanned, spontaneous and organic. As our 425 seventh graders, and a few 8th graders who forgot they start on Wednesday, entered the school there was a group of 15 ish teachers there to welcome them. Not just to greet them, but fist bump, smile, wave, high five, and dance ( in some cases) as they entered the school on their first day.
It wasn’t forced, fake, or false. It was the purest form of love and joy. The kids and the parents noticed. I was helping with crosswalk duty and a couple of times choked up with emotion myself. Parents made comments about how awesome it was. Parents, mostly moms, had cell phones out and by now there are plenty of social media posts about their child’s first day and how a group of teachers welcomed to school.
It’s the first of the year, and I know things will get difficult. I’ll write about those times as well, but I want to soak up all of the positivity I can right now.
The Machine
Machine- an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and having several parts, each with a definite function and together performing a particular task. ( Google dictionary)
Today our school ran like a machine. In the sense that we had a lot of moving parts and everyone performed their particular task and function. It’s nice to see a lot of our summer planning and preparation hashed out and worked the way we planned it. Kudos to everyone at the school for making today work. Iceberg catered our teacher lunch today and did a fantastic job.
We were able to enjoy each others’ company and connect before back to school night. It’s fun to watch kids on the first day of school, but even more fun to watch kids and their parents on the first day of school. Kids are trying to show their independence. In some cases, parents are working so hard not to let go.
It’s this intricate, subtle cat and mouse game.
For example, students walking a few steps ahead of their parents because they are embarrassed by them or don’t want others to know who their parents are. Or, parents jumping in to open a student’s locker, because the student couldn’t do it the first three or four times. It’s part of growing up for both cat and mouse.
12 Minute Car Rides
If I leave home at 7:00, I can get to work at 7:12. If I start the commute later than 7:00 I get to work anywhere from 7:20 to 7:45 on extreme snow days. School begins at 7:50. This year’s commute is much different and hopefully more life-changing that my previous year’s commutes.
This year my 13-year-old son is riding with me to work. I have 13 minutes a day to spend with my oldest son. You are right; I might be putting too much thought into this. But those that know me well know that I put too much thought into everything. It’s built into my DNA.
The commute will be a sacred time for me, probably not for him, based on today’s conversation. However, I want to make it meaningful and purposeful. I’ve thought about doing a band of the day thing, where we listen to a particular artist or group, but we do that with all the brothers on the ride home from school.
I talked about listening to religious stuff, sports radio, NPR, or audiobooks. “No I’m good,” he said. I can slowly feel him growing up right in front of me. I’m okay with that, and in fact, I encourage it. But I don’t know if I am ready for it right this moment.
So, I decided that I am going to listen. I am going to turn off the radio, turn off Spotify, and patiently listen to whatever he wants to talk about. I know the time will soon come when he will be off to college, and be married with kids of his own. But for now, I am going to slow down and enjoy the 12-minute car ride to school with my oldest son.