As I write this article, scenes of chaos and violence from the Nov. 13 Paris attacks remain vividly etched in my mind. It pains me to see the scenes replayed, to bear witness to the terror and to acknowledge the fear that has become commonplace over the past several years.
In the aftermath of such far reaching trauma news networks chatter endlessly about solutions, and politicians promise the impossible. Neither brings peace. I have been left thinking about our work with kids and how we can create engaged productive citizens in a world where so much is broken. It is these thoughts that have led me to ponder the upcoming holiday season, which for many, is a season of wishes. Here are a few of my wishes:
I wish people could walk in each other’s shoes. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee put it this way: “You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Everyone has a story that matters. Although each one is different, they all share a common thread, one of longing for purpose and meaning. With that in mind I wonder what we, as a school district, can do to walk more mindfully in the shoes of our students and parents so that the pathways we create will have purpose and meaning. I wonder if, as we understand each other’s stories more fully, we will be better able to create exceptional opportunities for each member of our community.
I wish we could listen more than we speak. I am a problem solver. My tendency is to assess a situation, generate solutions and implement what I perceive to be the best one. But sometimes problems are more complicated than quick, shallow solutions can address. Sometimes problems need to percolate and be left alone until time and space begins to reveal a better reality. Sometimes simply listening without judgement or the need to fix something is the best course of action because it validates the complexity and ambiguity that many problems create. Listening takes patience and resolve, but can ultimately yield opulent fruit.
I wish kids could see their path forward by being able to look backward from the future. In his country hit “Letter to Me,” Brad Paisley sings of perspective gained from a few extra years of living. Our kids face a world of paradox, one that is both hyper-connected and incredibly isolated at the exact same time. The power of perspective can be distorted by peers, social media, and the path kids feel is prescribed for them. I wonder how we create conditions where kids can dream more about their influence in the world. I wonder if we can help kids see problems as opportunities, and peers as fellow collaborators instead of rivals. I wish we could leverage a long term view because it just might give us the gifts of freedom, real wisdom and courage.
Thinking about Paris and our schools caused seemingly separate worlds and ideologies to collide. I am reminded of the weight of responsibility that our teachers, parents and kids carry daily. As our kids look to the adult world, will they see hopelessness and hatred or possibility and the chance to influence peace? Will we teach them to think long and deliberately about complex problems or simply ask them to scratch the surface? Will we create pathways for our young people that inspire confidence? Opportunities to help them recognize that they can influence the world in which we live? Will we affirm in them that each one of us must contribute to healing and making our world better a better place? Even if that influence is confined to just one improved relationship? As my mind tries to make sense of the most recent tragedy within a local context, these are my wishes this holiday season.
Steve Mayer is superintendent of Robbinsville Schools.
