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:
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What happened?
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What were you thinking of at the time?
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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:
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New personal connections
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A day in the life of a principal simulation: emails, role playing situations
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Small groups every day; processing the information with others
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Many small group/whole group discussions within the program; a group thirsty
for information
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Psalm 23 devotions seen from a new perspective
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Reading Scripture through the lens of leadership
- Thursday night Q & A time
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Tasty/abundant food, paddle boarding, sand volleyball, a bonfire, a peaceful lake
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| The group photo of 17 participants and 4 facilitators. |
