I Used to Think...

This post stems from a reflective writing assignment in my current graduate course, EDUC 564: Management and School Improvement. These are 3 "I used to think...but now..." statements related to education based on my observations over time.

I Used to Think…

1. I used to think having a staff of like-minded individuals would be the best culture for a school, but now I see the value in having a staff of differing backgrounds, personalities, and viewpoints. All the staff members should be in agreement with the mission of the school, but beyond that, there is high value in having a diverse group of teachers within a building. Before, I thought conflict should be avoided, as it can cause divisions and damage relationships. However, by having a staff that embraces that tension through their different views and perspectives will also allow for conversations that deepen the school and provide for growth. A well balanced staff lends itself to using the gifts of the staff members to further its mission. By having a well rounded skill set, a school can continue to move forward instead of lacking in one area or needed to look outside for help.

2. I used to think giving a letter grade was an accurate report of a student’s learning, but now I see the value in crafting proper feedback for students and parents and measuring learning against specific standards and learning targets. Giving an A, B, C etc... has long been the standard of reporting student learning within school systems. It is a comfortable way to report grades as it gives parents, who had the same grading system, a standard to measure by from when they were in school. I now see that these letter grades often do not have much meaning to them and are too rigid. Learning is a process and involves many different topics within a particular subject area. Receiving a B+ in Math on a report card says nothing about a student’s understanding of fractions, ratios, or algebraic expressions.

3. I used to think the staff members within the school were the primary skilled knowledge kits, musicians, performers, creators, and leaders for the students, but now I see how gifted students are in many areas, starting at a very young age. With the technology and opportunities available for students to have their hands on, students have become increasingly skilled and at times far surpass the abilities of their teachers. Whether it is a middle school praise band leading chapel, a 3rd grade student showing off his 3-D printed object, or a 7th grader showing a teacher how to program a robot, students have become more and more knowledgeable about an array of topics. It creates a shift that teachers need to have in their minds, with an increased focus on guiding students in their knowledge to help them process and prioritize the information available to them. Instead of taking just the role of presenter of knowledge, a teacher and school also increasingly becomes a facilitator of knowledge, recognizing the importance of providing different learning experiences for students to be involved with.

Devotional: His Plans > my plans

The following is a devotional I wrote for our staff devotions at Pella Christian Grade School for the morning of Sept. 12, 2016.

His Plans > my plans

I am not in control. This has been a phrase that has made itself clearly evident to me through various events and conversations with people over the past several months. It is also still one I need to continue to remind myself of often. Most recently, I was reminded of it over the weekend how little control I have. I am definitely not in control of if or when a torrential downpour comes the night of the school's fall event.

We want to plan ahead, be aware of upcoming schedules, and organize for future events. This gives us security and comfort that we are not going to be thrown any curveballs or given any unforeseen additional tasks. We put reminders on our Reminders app, we schedule events on our Calendar app, we write things in our daily planner, and we jot down future plans on our fridge calendar. We plan for what we see and what we believe we will be seeing. However, our human eyes and minds are not able to see the whole picture. Proverbs 19:21 shows us that “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Plans can be made, but it is ultimately God’s plan that will come through.

This summer I had the opportunity to be accepted to and attend a weeklong Christian school leadership training conference in Canada where we were assigned to read a portion of Spiritual Leadership by Henry Blackaby. Included in this reading is the following excerpt that Blackaby used to describe how Jesus carried out his work:

Jesus was never required to develop ministry goals or action plans. He was sent to follow the Father’s plan. . . Jesus came to fulfill his Father’s plans of salvation. He spent each day looking to see what the Father would reveal about his will. When he observed the Father at work, Jesus adjusted his life to join him. . .  Had Jesus entered [Jericho] planning to have lunch with [Zacchaeus] the most notorious sinner of the region? No. He had simply watched for the first sign of the Father’s activity. Once he was where the Father was working, Jesus immediately knew the agenda for his ministry. . . even in the most difficult assignments, including the cross, Jesus accepted his Father’s will unwaveringly. Jesus left his future, as well as his Second Coming, for the Father to determine. [Jesus said in Matt. 24:36: No one knows about that day or hours, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.] Jesus characterized his entire ministry with these words: “By myself I can do nothing.” John 5:30

As uncertain and frustrating as it may be at times, I am glad I am not in control. A Bible verse that is the most reassuring verse for me, and although not an easy one to swallow in the moment, is also from Proverbs, in chapter 3:5-6. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

I am not saying goals and planning have no worth. God has given us phenomenal minds to create and execute plans, and he works through us in making goals for the future. However, there are times where plans do change. Whether planning for a vacation, relocating to a new area, communicating weekly school events, or making a School Improvement Plan, it is important to keep our eyes open for, as Mr. T started off the year with, “the next right step.” These steps will only become more clear to us when we are able to walk with our Father so closely that when he reveals something to us, we willingly change our own personal agenda to what he wants for our lives.

Prayer:

Lord, thank your for who you made each of us to be. You gave us each different gifts and abilities in order to carry out your work in your kingdom. You have placed all of us here for reasons only you know. Help us each to walk more closely with you in order to further understand what your plans are not only for this day, but in coming days, months, and years. Forgive us when we think our plans are better than yours or when we do not look to you when seeking guidance. Thank you for providing an example of the best follower there ever was, your Son.

ELDI: One Body, Many Parts

I recently attended Educators Leadership Development Institute, ELDI in Ontario, Canada. ELDI is a weeklong program meant for those new Christian school leadership or exploring the idea of moving into Christian school leadership. The following post contains a reflective piece I wrote in the days that followed the week. 

ELDI: One Body, Many Parts

Tyler Van Schepen
Educators Leadership Development Institute Orillia, ON
July 25-29, 2016

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts . . .“

ROMANS 12: 4-5

Community. Relationships. Despite participants spanning across North America from the United States, Canada, and Belize; despite the fact that each person had a distinctive life path that has lead them to be in the program; despite a wide range of ages represented; despite each person having a very unique school setting from everyone else in the room, community was clearly evident and relationships were formed and built upon at the Educators Leadership Development Institute. Participants and facilitators of ELDI demonstrated community through the “connections based on commitments and relationships” (John Walcott, day 1). Those involved were committed to furthering their understanding of what it means to be a Christian leader within our settings whether that role was as an administrator, a teacher, a church leader, a parent, a spouse or any combination of various other responsibilities God has us currently fulfilling or has planned for us in our lives in school or out of it.

Relationships are a key aspect to any flourishing school, with the most vital relationship being with God. The most important role a Christian school leader can have is to be a spiritual leader for those whom he or she is leading. Leaders need to “learn to listen and be people of the text” (Jeff Blamer, day 1) and seriously form habits that “create spiritual growth” (Ray Hendricks, day 1) for oneself and individuals that are a part of the school. Being in scripture, praying often, reflecting on the Word, and spending time in devotions are critical elements of a spiritual leader.

TRUST: there is definitely a high degree of trust needed in God in order to gain a strong, personal relationship with him. Would his followers be fine with just the opening line of Psalm 23? “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing that I want.” Nothing? No vacation somewhere? No time with family or friends? . . . Who is the only person that can satisfy us when we are in a low point in our lives? God is what we need, because “when desert times come in our life, dependence on God is what gets us through” (Jeff, day 1). Just as the Israelites were called to Israel, which is not flowing with milk and honey but instead is 70% desert, God calls his people to depend on him for their needs. This dependence will not necessarily mean there will be an abundance of resources, as the green pastures God provides are not the lush, green fields of Iowa. The desert tufts of grass provide just enough daily bread to make it through—TRUST. When his people feel as though they are spent and are about to give up, God provides the quiet, living water of refreshment. He knows that we “need to be refreshed in order to do work well” (Jeff, day 1).

Whatever may pass

And whatever lies before me 

Let me be signing 

When the evening comes

Bless the Lord oh my soul 

Oh my soul 

Worship his holy name 

Sing like never before 

Oh my soul

I’ll worship your holy name

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman

(Sung days 1, 3, and 5)

In the day-to-day work of a school leader, a myriad of relationships exist. The organization, governance and rules of the school are important in order for the school to function, but “leading with relationships is key rather than leading with paper or policy” (Diane, day 3). In order for the school community to thrive, these relationships need to be intentionally nurtured. “Schools should be places where visitors clearly see God in the way relationships are conducted” (John, day 1). Simple things such as “greeting each other well . . . sets the culture” (Ray, day 3) for these relationships. Through these relationships, it is important to take on the role of a shepherd, and “lead from alongside with patience, persistence, and perseverance” (Jeff, day 3). An effective school leader is not just managing people or objects but instead seeks to “work WITH rather than FOR or TO” (Diane, day 3). People are subjects to be honored, not objects to be managed, ignored, or seen as being needy.

The idea of working WITH others is important to keep in mind when having conversations. How one handles conversations when others come up to share their problems and issues will show where priorities are. “Being a sanctuary for others is hard; you need to listen to others and not speak your difficulties out to others” (Diane, day 3). Conversations drive the relationships around us, in fact “the conversation is the relationship” (Dianne, day 3). This can either have positive or negative results for relationships as “our lives succeed or fail gradually, one conversation at a time” (Diane Stronks, day 3). This just goes to show how careful speech must be. “We need to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). “A gentle answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Numerous situations involving people will be presented to school leaders on a daily basis. “People take up the most time in leadership” (Diane, day 3). Regardless of who comes or what the issue is, it will be important to “not see people in deficient ways” (Diane, day 3). When conflict and issues do arise, a leader needs “to be the person of shalom and peace” and acknowledge the fact that “you have build the trust of those around you when you feel overwhelmed” (Diane, day 3).

When involved in any form of leadership, it is significant to remember that just because a title of teacher, lead teacher, principal, administrator, superintendent, head of school, or various other titles that could be on the name plate, that the position does not necessarily mean leadership abilities exist. “It’s not about pedigree or title, if the heart is wrong, it is like a desert fruit – an empty puff with poisonous seeds” (Jeff, day 3). Although credentials are necessary in order to show requirements have been met, “the character we are is way more important than credentials . . . nothing important happens without the heart” (Diane, day 3). When in a position of leadership, one must utilize the position of authority wisely. “How you use your power determines your authority. Are you using your power to allow others to flourish?” (Ray, day 3).

The leader/teacher relationship is an extremely crucial connection within the school. When leading others, there are four basic needs that are essential for followers to have in their leader: trust, compassion, stability, and hope (John, day 2, as seen in Strengths-Based Leadership). A leader needs to recognize and understand the followers’ needs within the building. One way to do this is to sit down with teachers at the beginning of the year and ask “What’s exciting for you about being here? What do you need to be successful?” (Shannon Marcus, day 2). Keeping this development aspect front and center will allow teachers to continue to grow in their profession. It is important that leaders invest in the strengths of the teachers and recognize that “the knowledge is in the room” (John, day 4). This aspect of instructional leadership will help teachers take on a growth mindset for their professional practices. Teacher development will take many shapes and forms, as the needs of teachers are as varied as student needs within the classroom. Being a “cheerleader, collaborator, coach, consultant, or calibrator” (Jeff, day 4) will help meet teachers where their level of support is needed. Recognizing the level of support needed is a critical first step as a leader should keep in mind that “when trying to be supportive, don’t be overly supportive . . . don’t hold their hand” (Ray, day 4) unless, of course, it would be necessary. Lastly, relationships with leaders and teachers need to be done appropriately, recognizing the professionalism within the school building with boundaries set in place, so as to not let one’s personal friendships interfere with the vision and purpose of the school. A leader needs to be able to put the needs of the school first when dealing with a teacher issue. “Don’t be afraid to confront others with statements such as “Help me understand . . .” or “Should I be aware of . . . ” (Ray, day 3).

Students need to be given appropriate nurturing within school and be provided with the opportunities to grow their individual gifts. “Don’t make students lose their identity at the door, let Joey be Joey” (John, day 1). “Create safety . . . if a student comes to you, they trust you” (Diane, day 4). Schools need to be intentional about how students are being welcomed and educated in the classroom, so as to not impede on the individual God created them to be. “We need good reasons for doing things to other people’s children” (John, day 1). Schools are presented with a great opportunity to be a place for children where they can feel safe and develop their abilities. It is also a place for children to process decisions and learn from their mistakes. Restorative practices set up in school will help students along in the process and is another way of showing schools can work WITH and not FOR or TO. Schools need to balance the amount of nurturing and limit setting on students so as to not be neglectful, too punitive or too permissive. With the right balance, schools can be a place of restoration for students. This restoration is significant when considering how to deal with students who act out or misbehave. The following restorative questions (Diane, day 3) can help students understand the ramifications of their actions, without coming down harshly in a punitive way:

• What happened?
  
• What were you thinking of at the time?
  
• What have you though about since?
  
• Who has been affected? In what way?
• What do you think you need to do to make things right?

A leader, just as a shepherd would, walks alongside, working WITH not FOR or TO the students.

The school board is a vital group in making sure the school runs well. “Is the group hopeful? Is it committed to a Christian mission/vision? Are they all in?” (Shannon, day 2). Their governance, financial stewardship, strategic planning, and principal oversight are key responsibilities necessary for a flourishing school (Ray, day 2). “Board selection is crucial” (Shannon, day 2) and “should be representative of the school community” (Ray, day 2). In order for the school board to function well, “it is important their dashboard of instruments and gauges are in place; they cannot just look out the window” (Ray, day 2). The board needs to know the central aspects within the school such as enrollment, budget, student achievement levels, state of facilities, parent satisfaction, mandated policies, the school improvement, and various others in order to direct the school in the right direction. In addition, the importance of the board chair cannot be underestimated. A leader needs to “engage with the board chair and enlist trust with him or her” (Shannon, day 2).

All of these features and relationships are invaluable and will help a school flourish. However, the school leader needs a sense of self-awareness in order for these actions to be executed well. “Decisions don’t come into light until there is action” (Ren Siebenga, day 4). Leaders need to set routines that work for them so time can be spent well on what needs to be accomplished. This may require “viewing decisions on an importance/urgency scale” (John, day 4) in order to prioritize the day/week/year. “Know thyself; be comfortable with one’s story” (Diane, day 3). Each person’s routines will be different, but it is significant that “A leader knows his/her strengths” (John, day 2). Strengths Finder has shed light for me on what my strengths are: Learner, Connectedness, Maximizer, Adaptability, and Relator. Three of these strengths are in the Relationship Building domain of leadership. Knowing my strengths will allow me to continue looking for ways to build upon them and realize when my abilities may be needed. On the flip side, it is also important to understand that at times “I can’t do this, I need to surround myself with people who can” (Ray, day 2). Great leaders “surround themselves with the right team to maximize results” (John, day 2, as found in Strengths Based Leadership). For me, this means I need to seek out people around me who are going to be able to fill in the gaps of strengths I may not have. Whatever the results of the strength assessment may be, a leader needs to “find the theme present in their life . . . what’s your passion? Both the leader and the school have themes, find where the two mesh together” (Ren, day 4).

ELDI has been an extremely formative experience for me as I continue to fulfill and seek out the roles God is using me for. The week definitely opened my eyes even further to the tasks and responsibilities involved in being a school leader. This “opening- of-the-eyes” brought about a sense of invigoration and excitement for the possibility of being involved in administration at some point, but also further showed how demanding the job can be. The importance of knowing we will be given just enough, being led to En Gedi to experience the quiet, refreshing waters, and trusting the shepherd on the paths of righteousness will lead us through the desert places and valleys in life that normally would be impossible to get through. TRUST the shepherd as we continually search for the answers to the questions of . . .

“Who are you and where are you going?”

Specific formative experiences within the week:

• New personal connections
  
• A day in the life of a principal simulation: emails, role playing situations
  
• Small groups every day; processing the information with others
  
• Many small group/whole group discussions within the program; a group thirsty
  for information
  
• Psalm 23 devotions seen from a new perspective
  
• Reading Scripture through the lens of leadership
  
• Thursday night Q & A time
• Tasty/abundant food, paddle boarding, sand volleyball, a bonfire, a peaceful lake
  

Thanks to donors of CSI for helping make this program available to those who are committed to the cause of Christian education. Thanks to Jeff Blamer, John Walcott, Ray Hendricks, Diane Stronks, Shannon Marcus, and Ren Siebenga for being transparent and honest in sharing their knowledge with participants of ELDI. Thanks to CSI, Calvin College, OACS, SCSBC, and OCSAA for their development of this program and the resources made available to participants. Thanks to the 17 participants for also being open about their experiences and spending a week of summer vacation with complete strangers. 

The group photo of 17 participants and 4 facilitators. 

Ethic of Justice: Grace, Mercy, and Policy

This post is a post from a discussion forum in one of my graduate classes for Dordt College's School Leadership program. This post is from EDUC 562: Legal and Ethical Foundations in Educational Leadership.

FOCUS POINT: The Ethic of Justice

This section of reading brings up an extremely tough topic within Education. It is important to have policies and guidelines in order for a school to base decisions off of, but often times many situations almost need to be decided case by case because the circumstances can be very different. The author makes a great point by saying "children do not start out on an equal footing; and, of course, that some need more or different attention than others in acquiring an education." As Christian leaders who seek to exhibit grace and mercy, it will be tough to treat each scenario the same, as each student/parent/teacher is different and requires differing amounts of coaching and guidance.

Some thoughts about policy...policies could be written more open ended, but then there leaves much open-endedness in the interpretation of what is being stated. On the other end, if a policy is very specific, a leader is bound to specific actions. Are certain policies are better deemed more open ended and others more specific? Policy is a newer topic to me so it is definitely a learning process.

Why Have An Academic Career?

This post is a post from a discussion forum in one of my graduate classes for Dordt College's School Leadership program. This post is from EDUC 503: Interpreting Educational Research.

Please choose one of what you consider [Marsden's] "essential questions" from the Introduction. Copy one of his essential questions that captures your interest (add the reference material) and type a 2-3 paragraph response. In other words, pretend we are sitting in a Tim Horton's (Coffee shop chain in Canada) together talking about what we think this book will be about and our quick reflections on some of his questions.

What is the point of an academic career? (pg. 4, 2nd full paragraph)

This question addressed by Marsden brings up a great point in light of the topic the book will cover, namely the relationship of faith and learning. Personally, I can say I have truly enjoyed taking the classes through Dordt's Masters program. It has shown me where a passion of mine is and allowed me to grow tremendously! There are strengths and passions inside each person and feeding those passions is key in order to grow into who each of us was created to be. This question also reminded me of a sermon series our church recently went through based on John Ortberg's book "The Me I Want to Be." In the book, John states:

"Research shows (we are in a class about research anyway right :) ) that the best moments of our lives don't come from leisure or pleasure...they come when we are totally immersed in a significant task that is challenging, yet matches to our highest ability...People experience it far more in their work than they do in their leisure."

An academic career allows us to pursue the passions God has put inside each of us and in order to continually improve and gain the newest insights. Through further studying, we can learn more about ourselves and gain a greater appreciation of God and his creation. Putting these two together allows each of us to see how we can fulfill the roles God has currently placed us in and is preparing us for. For example, those interested in science gain a very deep appreciation of the workings of creation, people involved in literature are able to exemplify the characteristic of story that God has shown to us and given to us, and those passionate about school leadership will help continue to move the school towards the mission it strives to do!

Study on!

Who Moved My Cheese? An Educator's Response

I first heard about the book Who Moved My Cheese? from a colleague who mentioned it during a meeting when mentioning how people can be resistant to change. The younger crowd of teachers kind of laughed at the idea of a book being called that and brushed it off. It was soon realized though that it was definitely a real book, and it must have some backbone to it when the premise of the book was being explained and it was recommended that we give it a read at some point! The book title easily stuck in my mind and I thought about it from time to time over the next couple of days and even gave it a few Google searches to learn a little more about the book. Within the week, I went to the library because they had a book giveaway/donation going on. As I was browsing, a book caught my eye, Who Moved My Cheese? There was no reason not to grab it, take it home as my own and give it a read. So I did.

As mentioned above, the book is meant to show how change can be a difficult thing for some people to adapt to. Change can mean more work, it can mean leaving your comfort zone and does not allow for stability. The book uses cheese as a metaphor for things we want in life such as jobs, money, houses, relationships, etc. The story revolves around 4 main characters: Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. They are out in a maze, which represents where someone spends time looking for what they want--cheese. The cheese is found at the beginning of the story and the 4 characters are enjoying their time by it, eating it, and looking at how big it is, thinking it will last forever. Soon though, the cheese runs out, but not to the surprise of Sniff and Scurry who had been paying attention to the depleting resource. Hem and Haw on the other hand, had not been paying attention to the small changes taking place, and were taken by surprise when the cheese was gone. Sniff and Scurry went out to find new cheese, but Hem and Haw did just that, hem and haw. They did not know what to do because they liked the comfort of their spot where they found the original cheese, they were scared to venture out into the unknown. Eventually, Haw decides to go out into the maze and after some time, he finds the new cheese where Sniff and Scurry also were. The story ends with a noise coming through the maze, around the corner of where the 3 are gathered. They wonder if it is Hem, but the book does not explicitly say if he made it or not. 

Throughout the story, and mainly during Hem and Haw's bantering and Haw's venturing out into the maze, quotes are on the maze walls that provide applicable pieces of advice for others looking for cheese. These quotes provide great insights to the reader as to how to think about adapting to change. 

As an educator, I definitely read the story and especially these nuggets of wisdom, with an education mindset. The book is mainly intended for the business world, but can span across many different fields. Here are some of the handwritings on the wall and how they apply to education:

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old

How often have you been doing the same thing over and over in your classroom? Have you sniffed out any new ideas that might be better than what you currently do? Getting stuck in a rut or a routine can be a common and easy thing to do because it is safe and once the initial effort is put in, can require little upkeep. Continually looking at lessons you teach and units you go through to see what can be improved upon is a great way to smell your cheese to see if it is lacking something or if something should be taken out. If the world, technology, and students are constantly changing around us, so should our teaching methods.

Movement In A New Direction Helps You Find New Cheese

This may sound like an obvious one, but how often is it done? How often do you move in a new direction and take on a new, possibly daunting task? If you want to find a new teaching method, the next technology integrated idea, or new behavior strategy, you have to take the initiative to find it. Ideas do not just fall on your lap, get up and find the new cheese!

Noticing Small Changes Early Helps You Adapt To Bigger Changes That Are To Come

Do not just turn your head away when something you don't like happens. If you see a struggling students, put something in place to help the student so it does not become a bigger problem later. If you see a shove on the playground, do not just dismiss it thinking it will go away. If you see that technology is slowly entering into the education world, do not just push it aside because someday your classroom will be expected to be filled with it! 

Anticipate Cheese: Get Ready For the Cheese to Move

There are many changes that happen within the field of education, and they only seem to happen at quicker and quicker rates. One of the best ways to be aware of what may happen is to constantly be reading up on some of the latest ideas. There are many educational websites, blogs, and books available to keep you up on some of the latest research and ideas. Stopping at that point would not be as beneficial though as it is important to share the ideas you learned to process them better for yourself and engage in conversation with others.