“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.”

Pascal (philosopher, scientist)

News this week prompted me to seek first to understand.  My youngest daughter has been in Tanzania working and learning in an international hospital.   She said the experience taught her more than her first year of medical school.  The group she is with all wanted to do a safari before leaving Africa so they traveled to the northern town of Arusha.  After a long bus ride they arrived late at night. The group under estimated how risky it was to be carting luggage while looking for lodgings.  Caught unaware they were all robbed at knifepoint.  My daughter lost all her American money, which is really all that is accepted so an early morning phone call home alerted me to the mishap.  My first reaction was typically are you okay?  Next I was angry that a group of young thugs could so easily ruin what had been a life-altering trip. 

I struggled to manage my worry by researching the Internet for information about this little town.  I discovered that robberies of tourists are not that uncommon.  Common sense and caution are naturally advised.  I started to imagine how this group of young Americans might appear to the young and poor Tanzanian natives.   By their standards the group was rich and privileged.  And to be honest that is true.  I was able to replace the stolen money without much hardship.  What bothered me the most was that my picture of safety and well-being was shattered.  Bad things can happen anytime or anyplace but now suddenly my daughter seemed especially vulnerable.

I began to wonder about the money, whose pocket was it in now?  Did the money go to feed a hungry family?  Or did it travel into more criminal channels?  I hoped the money did some good.  I hoped the money did not just work to harden the hearts of those who took it.  I hoped they had somehow recognized that the group they stole from had come to Africa to give back.  

Seeking first to understand allows you to become influenceable.  When this happens your circle of concern expands and you are in turn able to influence.  The more deeply you understand other people the more you will learn to appreciate them.  The more reverent you will feel about them. 

Stephen Covey in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” says “to touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.”

We all must assume that we never fully understand anyone and know we need to be open to really listen.  This assumption allows us to become more empathic.  This is the challenge of communication; this is the challenge we all face.  And not just with those closest to us but with the world.  Understanding is the only way we will be able to solve problems.  When we strive to listen with both the heart and the mind we will discover the intent and feelings of other people. 

I am counting the days until my daughter arrives safely home.  I must be careful not to allow myself to become more alarmed, more afraid, and worried.  I have to trust in the balance inherent in the universe, the duality of all things.  There is bad but there is also good. 

“The essence of synergy is to value differences – to respect them, to build on strengths and to compensate for weaknesses.”

Stephen Covey

Recently the New York Times ran an op-ed piece titled “Five Ways to Fix America’s Schools.”   Some of the changes suggested were:

• Raise the compulsory age to 19.  The benefits of an extra year of school beyond high school would allow for at least one year of college, vocational training or apprenticeship.
• Get serious about truancy.  Truants quickly become dropouts.  In many cities as many as 30% of students are absent a month of school each year. 
• Produce more qualified college applicants.  Half of the freshmen in college have weak academic skills.  Graduation rates at most colleges are less than 60%.

There were many responses to the article from educators all over the country.  Some suggested recruiting better teachers, raising teacher salaries, and eliminating tenure.  Others suggested making learning relevant to students, just compelling students to stay in school longer is no guarantee of higher learning.  Several targeted literacy and pointed out the benefits of early interventions, like head start and reforming the system and starting age of school.  Those who favor charter schools and vouchers pointed out that one size fits all does not help all children.

There was a wealth of information and ideas from everyone.  Reading these I realized how critical is for all associated with education to value the differences and work together cooperatively. 

Synergy creates the third alternative.  The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Synergy takes place when two or more people produce more together than the sum of what they could have produced separately.

Synergy is:

• Results oriented
• Examining, exploring, seeking diverse perspective openly enough to alter or complete your paradigm
• Have a mutually agreed upon end in mind
• Worth the effort and effective
• A process

The essence of synergy is valuing the differences.  This does not imply that you approve of or agree with differences: rather it means that you respect the differences and see them as opportunities for learning.  These differences become valuable tools for finding solutions because they enable you to discover and produce outcomes together that you would not find separately. 

In order to change you must be willing to let go of something.  Educators and those who influence the policy must leave their egos and attachments to one  position behind and embrace the possibilities.

There is a wealth of ideas and innovations available.  Stephen Covey stated it most eloquently.

“People who are truly effective have the humility and reverence to recognize their own perceptual limitations and to appreciate the rich resources available through interaction with the hearts and minds of other human beings.” 

There is a Buddhist fable about a man’s son who captured a strong and beautiful horse.  The people in the village were very jealous of his great fortune and told him how lucky he was.  He replied, “we shall see.”  Soon after the horse threw his son and the young man broke his leg.  The people in the village told him how cursed he was and he patiently replied again, “we shall see.”  After the son broke his leg soldiers came and took all the able bodied young men but the man’s son was spared.  The people in the village reminded him of his good fortune.  His reply, “we shall see.”

The fable shows how quickly our fortunes can change.  As we all travel through life we all encounter many joys and many problems.  This was brought into high relief for me this week while I watched my son compete in the Michigan Open golf tournament.  And although the game of golf is really only a metaphor for real life problems it does demonstrate that for every up there is a down.  And it’s not so much counting on getting more ups but seeing the downs as opportunities.   My son had one spectacular round of 66 and the next day bombed with a 79.  He said the perfect round had not prepared him for the difficulties of the following day. 

The Dali Lama once said, “The universe is in a constant state of becoming an ongoing miraculous creation.  Every day we awaken to that miracle with gratitude, respect, and compassion for all who share the gift of being.”   When we learn to cultivate acceptance rather than anger or frustration for those times when things aren’t going well we can begin to see our problems in different way.  We can begin to see them as just another part of our creation that natural ebb and flow in this world of duality. 

Problems challenge us to get out of things, to fix them.  But sometimes we need to examine the idea of fixing, especially when it relates to fixing others.  We need to question our concepts about how we want things to be and what we want people to become.

If we can let go of some of our thinking we will see that some problems can be solved, some cannot and some are best left alone.   Watching my son struggle through this tournament I know that the best we can ever do is to support the people we love.  Each one of us faces our own individual journey through life alone but we can travel together bound by our loving support.

As teachers everywhere end their school year my wish is they embrace this journey and give each other this loving support.  

This past week has been a difficult one for me.  I developed cellulites on my shin after contacting poison ivy.  All of this came about doing what I love most, gardening.  Needless to say this has curtailed my normal routine and limited my activity.  For the first time in my life I’ve been to the doctor twice in the same week.

Unfortunately during this episode I abandoned my own practical wisdom.  Instead of practicing patience and slowing down I ranted at myself for my own carelessness in not attending to the first signs.  This derailed me and it wasn’t until last night watching an HBO special that I felt a shifting of my self-criticism.  The program is titled “Smile Pinky” and it tells the story of two children who are ostracized and ridiculed for their cleft lips.  Until they meet a social worker who travels from village to village locating children with this deformity. The documentary is the story of the smile train a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children in developing countries.  It follows these two remarkable children in their journey from isolation to acceptance. Experiencing someone else’s malady even through the medium of TV reminded me how important it is to see my feelings as just another thought and to recognize it. 

The criticism sandwich is a widely practiced managerial technique.  It’s simple: structure constructive criticism between praise, just like a sandwich with the praise on the top and bottom.   It’s candy coating the message but it is extremely effective in getting the desired result.  And who among us doesn’t like our bad medicine to be just a bit sweeter?

This week I needed to construct my own criticism sandwich. My self-criticism had no useful purpose. It only gave me more fuel for my own pity party. 

Watching the program humbled me and shifted my emotions away from myself, I experienced empathy and in doing so put things in the right perspective.

I intend to use the criticism sandwich next time I stumble into the unexpected.  Doing this will allow me to connect to the important things and move away from the trivial.   Instead of just being destructive in my self-analysis I can be positive and more productive.

Finding yourself in an unwanted situation is always difficult but knowing how to mange it will center you and pull you out of a slump.  So today make yourself a nice sandwich and be generous with the praise.

You can support the Smile Train at:

Smile Train - Dept. Mag.

PO Box 96231

Washington Dc 20090-6231

The story goes that one-day while sick in bed his father brought him a compass.  Albert Einstein was mystified when he learned that the needle of the compass would always point to the north.  He examined the needle and wondered what powers lie behind it.  That was the beginning of his journey.

Sherry Turkle professor at MIT says all scientists are born in childhood.  For the past thirty years she begins all her classes by asking students to write about their path towards science.  They all share a common intellectual curiosity about the way things work.  She recalls one student who wrote about braiding the hair on the tail of her little pony doll.  She was completely absorbed in the task and practiced it for hours.  Dividing the hair over and over.  The repetition testifies to the importance of studying objects in the development of understanding how things work.

Children are drawn to they mystery of science by sand castles, by playing with marbles, by taking apart broken things.  This investigation is really the manipulation of learning the mechanism.  I have to wonder if schools are using this natural curiosity to teach children greater truths?  If children are only being fed bite sized morsels of information that are quickly memorized and just as quickly forgotten then they are missing the opportunity to discover. 

Hands on learning allows children to experience ideas first.  The old saying goes; it is better to teach a man how to fish than to simply give him fish.  For most schools the current curriculum largely gives children fish without teaching them a thing about how to fish for themselves. 

Psychologists recognize that we are not particularly good memorizers.  Most of us have a shaky grasp of logic, tend not to examine our beliefs and only notice data that support our theories.  The problem is not that children can’t find information it’s that they lack the skills to evaluate it. 

This is why hands on learning is so critical.   Hands on gives children direct experience and trial and error process that demands they start over and learn from past mistakes. The long-term goal of schools should be to give their students a sort of users guide to knowing about how they learn.  This guide will teach them the architecture of the mind, what it does well and what it doesn’t.  Instead of emphasizing facts students will learn how to evaluate evidence, consider their own biases and use logic and reason to make choices. 

Systematic changes are necessary if our schools are to thrive.  What do we really want?  My hope is for children to step back and notice the world just like Albert Einstein did and appreciate the miracle they really are. 

In his book the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” author Stephen Covey writes how our paradigms correct or incorrect are the source of our attitudes, behavior and ultimately our relationships.  He tells the story about a man riding the subway in New York on a Sunday morning.  The man is sitting quietly reading his newspaper when a father enters with three noisy children.  The children are talking loud, throwing things at each other, and bothering other passengers.  Their father seems indifferent to all the confusion.  Finally the man cannot bear another minute of their disturbance and asks their father to do something about his children.  The man lifts his gaze and says, “you’re right I should do something but I don’t know what, you see I just came from the hospital my wife just died.”

This information changed the thinking and behavior of subway traveler immediately.  He moved from anger to compassion to empathy.  What he experienced was a paradigm shift. This kind of quantum shift in thinking allows us to form new attitudes and behaviors.  It can change the way we see the world. 

Our picture of the world is basically our assumptions.  We all tend to make assumptions about everything.  We believe what we believe simply because we believe it.  This leaves little room for doubt and also creates the perfect mental environment for being offended and hurt.   This mental flaw is responsible for a lot of the chaos and misunderstanding that our minds create. 

The first time I heard the story about the subway rider I identified with him because I had done the same thing many times myself.  I had formed many opinions before asking questions, before knowing more.   It takes a disciplined mind to change the way you think.  In a classroom a disciplined mind is critical because the opinion and judgment of the teacher directly influences the success of the students. 

The more aware the teacher becomes of his or her basic paradigms, maps or assumptions the more he or she can take responsibility for them, examine them and test them against reality.  And in doing this gain a larger picture and a more objective view.   When you stop making assumptions you will communicate freely and clearly and become truly impeccable with your word.  This type of honesty will strengthen and nurture every single relationship you have.

There is no more powerful way to improve an organization than by creating an environment, which supports these principles.  Individuals will recognize that their contributions are part of the strength of that organization and will be motivated and inspired to continue to do more.   An organization that honors this thinking is committed to the principle of potential.  The idea that we are all embryonic and can grow and develop releasing more potential and more talents. 

Every school seeking new ways to improve must first look at the character of their shareholders and then tap into that potential.   We can all change our mind, change our thinking and to paraphrase Einstein, “when you change the way you look at things the things you look at change.” 

It’s easy to identify failure, it’s much harder  to identify success.  Success is not always predictable but it does align itself with certain principles. 

In education sometimes success is attributed to the wrong factors.  All children do not come to school standing at the same start line.  Some are not even really in the race but are expected to finish just the same. 

For thirteen years I supervised a disciple program in a middle school and on any given day I faced the challenge of mediating and reconciling the anger and arguments of fighting students.  Any success I hoped to achieve depended on one thing; creating a peaceful environment where everyone felt safe, where everyone felt heard and where there would be no judgment. 

There were many critics in my school.  Without judgment they argued there could be no punishment, there could be no justice.  They felt I was creating a system that forgave and did not demand responsibility.  But what is punishment for a child if there is no opportunity to learn from the mistake, if there is no lesson learned?

It didn’t take long for me to discover that fighting was a result of not being accepted, of not being respected and loved.  The root cause of these disputes were simple; children who did not have this most basic need satisfied would find another way to get what they needed.  Unfortunately that other way was not socially acceptable nor was it sustainable.

One particular day late in May I had seven boys all who had initiated some sort of aggressive behavior.  These boys all had a reputation to defend and would test the limits all day with each other and me.  Experience warned me that spring fights were the worst mostly because everyone was tired of dealing with the problem.  There was no tolerance or desire to play head doctor so I knew to expect little support from other adult staff.   What I needed first was to stay centered and find the peace I needed inside.  I had to rely on that deep reservoir of calm to create the right balance of leadership and kindness.

I had a simple plan to begin.  Something I had never tired before but felt there was nothing to lose.  I would create a peaceful environment first with sound.  It is believed at the most fundamental level that the whole universe is made up of vibrating pulsating energy. The sound of OM is considered as the humming sound of this cosmic energy.  If you observe the nature of sound you will find that striking together two objects produces all ordinary audible sounds.   In contrast Om is not the result of striking two objects.  It is the primal sound of the universe that emanates on its own.  

The boys would have this unique kind of elevator music to work by all day.  Chants and mantras would be our background.  The boys were immediately curious and confused.  What sort of day was this going to be?  I was bombarded with questions.  They were intrigued by the sound and wanted to know more.  

I tapped into this energy and used it as the beginnings for our daylong discussion on what is peace and how do we find it.   In this environment each boy was vulnerable and spoke from the heart. Their need to be valued and recognized exposed the depth of their feelings.

My room became a curiosity that day.  Other adults who came into the room were as curious and interested as the boys.

I shared with the boys the power of chanting Om.  The chant helps banish worldly thoughts and remove distraction.  When this happens the body is infused with new vigor.  Chanting can help relieve depression like a powerful drug because it truly is a cosmic tonic. 

That day remains clear in my memory because it was one of the most peaceful and productive days I ever had. The boys gave an intuitive respect and honor to the sound. I encouraged them to come back anytime they were on the cusp of a disagreement.  They left with a fragile commitment to give peace a chance. 

I know my efforts were not some miracle cure for the deeper problems these boys shared.  I also know that they would remember the day as well.  And for that reason alone I know my efforts were successful. 

This will never be a measurable success.  No one will copy this method or claim it as a valuable teaching tool.   And that is the major difficulty in claiming success, where was the benefit?  My hope is with these boys.

I gave each of them a copy of this as they left. 

Peace, it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.  It means to be in the mist of these things and still be calm in your heart. 

Charles Darwin the first true naturalist created one of the most impressive volumes in biology in his “Origins of the Species.  He observed, questioned, experimented and tested his ideas to arrive at the conclusion that natural selection is responsible for all creation.  Although he didn’t live to see how the human genome bears the stamp of natural selection he would not have been surprised. The framework for understanding the natural world and ourselves lies in accepting change.  We continue to  evolve so it’s a logical connection that our institutions must evolve too.  They must change when the conditions demand it.

How do we know when change is necessary?

Change is necessary when outcomes produce failure.  Unfortunately currently in education there is too much failure.  Education must decide what matters most.   Is it loyalty to the system or to the mission?

The mission of all schools must be to create the best environment for learning.  When a school nurtures the desire to learn everyone thrives.

I once read a sign that said, “All structures are unstable.”  It’s apropos for understanding the need for change.   Our institutions are human endeavors that eventually weaken and become unstable.  Instead of reacting to the weakness we must become  proactive and position our thinking to creating changes when necessary.

Right now we are at the threshold of this change.  There is an opportunity for fundamental shifts in perspective but these shifts also threaten our comfort levels and the status quo. Our attachments to the way things are is only a fear-based reaction.  Instead of defending this reaction we can transform it.

To accept and embrace change in schools it’s important to:

• Look at your motivation.  What is more important acknowledging your own personal weak areas or a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and see what’s possible?
• Cultivate emotional wisdom.  Be honest with how you feel, is it fear or logic that keeps you from accepting changes.
• Calm your mind.  Be proactive.  Listen for your own reactive thinking, language and actions. And be willing to adapt a better way.
• See clearly.  Reexamine your goals and your mission; this will connect you with the best path.
• Embrace generosity.  Be open to the ideas of others and encourage the collaboration.

Change is necessary, advantageous and possible but only when all the shareholders accept this. 

I recently read that closer cooperation between community colleges and business is an emerging trend.  The future job market is going to demand more skilled technicians.  Utility companies are already predicting a shortage of skilled workers when the wave of baby boomers begins to retire.  They are going to need workers to update our electrical grid as well as tap into new energy industries.  All of these jobs will require a particular set of skills not obtained through traditional degree programs. 

At the same time most graduate programs in American universities are producing a product for which there is no market.  Many graduate candidates are seeking positions that do not exist or have skills for which there is a diminishing demand.

The two scenarios illustrate a real disconnect with the present reality.   On one side is the traditional university model with an emphasis on scholarship and on the other the need for a narrower set of skills and expertise with real job applications. 

Reading all of this made me think that perhaps there is a dirty secret of higher education.  The dirty secret is it’s not sustainable.  Years ago when my husband and I attended universities it was possible to work your way through school and graduate without a mountain of debt.  Today students must leverage enormous loans and hope to find a job that will allow them to repay the loan before they retire.  Something is not right.

If we are going to encourage our children to aspire to higher learning than we must at the very least offer them opportunities that will make this financially profitable as well as intellectually enriching.  There has to be a balance between gaining intellectual perspective and the ability to earn a respectable income. 

How can we hope to do this?

First we must find ways to restructure colleges and universities.  Just like Wall Street and Detroit must be regulated so must higher education if it is going to thrive into the 21^st century.   Second schools must adapt to this new thinking.  Students should be encouraged to become life-long learners.  Not just learning for the sake of monetary gain but learning for the betterment of all.   A population of citizens who aspire to know more not just to be more becomes a global asset.  

Informed people seek alternatives, improved ways and demand better for themselves and their neighbors.  Education is the best and maybe the only way to deliver on this aspiration. 

As our schools find their way in our new economic order they must also find the best path to encourage children to be curious, to become seekers and explorers.   Desire is a powerful motivator, just read the biographies of our most beloved scientists and what they all share is a powerful desire to know more.

Sometimes difficulties create the most perfect environment for change.  Maybe that perfect opportunity is now. 

It is possible to ignore stereotypes.  It is possible to accept the unconventional over the traditional.

The part of the brain that feeds us information on stereotypes and biases is linked with memory and goal planning. We recruit stereotypes and ideas and use this information as a way to make plans that are consistent with our goals.  When people and ideas don’t fit in with our preconceived notions we tend to ignore the contradictions until they become too dramatic to overlook.  When an exceptional situation gets our attention  we are confronted with changing  our thinking. 

This was demonstrated very dramatically last week when a dowdy looking Scottish woman named Susan Boyle captured both the attention and admiration of the world when she surprised an audience with her beautiful singing voice.

Susan’s voice was a contradiction to her appearance. The audience was prepared to dislike her based on her unattractiveness. What happened instead was a surprise and a pleasure when they heard her sing.  She made them feel good. It’s possible that the surprise and pleasure of her voice resulted in a rush of dopamine.

That same rush happens anytime we experience a novelty.  The Alliance College Ready Public School in Los Angeles is also a novelty.  In one of the most challenged and depressed urban districts in the county they have a 90% graduation rate.  These disadvantaged students complete  college prep courses and go onto universities despite being surrounded by a culture of violence.  

The school was also in the news when philanthropist Eli Broad donated six million dollars to their 11 schools.  He said the reason for the donation was because it’s time to take notice of the emerging leadership and excellence of charter schools.

In major cities all over the US charter schools are competing with public schools for students because they are demonstrating they are not resistant to fundamental changes.   Instead of just compensating students with learning differences, emotional issues, and  language and cultural barriers they are seeking methods to strengthen weak areas in learning.

Exceptional schools are schools that refuse to accept horrible outcomes year after year.  These schools have adapted interventions and developed evidence based teaching practices that respect their student’s weaknesses while finding new ways to improve. 

The Alliance College-Ready School is one of the 70 international school chains profiled on the School Chain Showcase.  This non-profit organization  (www.schoolchains.org) hopes to raise awareness by profiling successful school chains from around the world and showing the different ways they educate their students. 

On the website schools in Africa, Europe, America, and Asia demonstrate how it is possible to embrace a paradigm shift and create institutional changes.  These schools have looked at problems in a new way and found new possibilities.  Instead of being dumped into the failure category often associated with disadvantage and poverty they are embracing a whatever it takes belief and making systematic changes.

Visit the website – www.schoolchains.org to find ways and partners to improve education