A while ago I was speaking to a teacher who was going through a particularly rough time. I knew that there was no immediate answers for the issues she faced, but I felt confident that these answers would be presenting themselves soon. Though I’m never particularly good at small talk,the words came to me and I said to her,
“Work with hope.”
As I continued to talk to people through the day, I was surprised to find how often that phrase was appropriate, teachers facing new (or old) challenges, teachers questioning themselves, teachers trying new things.
“Work with hope.”
In the days that followed it seemed that my new mantra applied to every idea I had and every blog I read. As twenty-first century teachers living through revolutions of content and technique, the one thing that we can daily bring to everything is hope.
“Work with hope”
…because we don’t always know if we are doing the right thing and sometimes we never find out.
“Work with hope”
…because we are challenged by forces locally and globally over which we have no control.
“Work with hope”
…because sometimes hope is all we have.
My own focus on educational technology has taught me well that certainty is a luxury we can no longer afford. Preparing students for an unknown future requires bold leaps of faith and confidence that even our missteps are somehow part of the journey.
I became superintendent at a time when Catholic education (and education in general) is facing more challenges than ever before. However, immense challenges provide a daily opportunity to work with hope.
In the Catholic calendar we are now in the Easter season. There is no better time to kick off a new blog about our work as educators of hope. I hope in the time ahead to share my own reflections and ideas I learn from others, a lot about technology, but some not.
I thank you for entering on this journey, and I welcome your comments.