Monday, May 15, 2006
MORAL PURPOSE WRIT LARGE
By Michael Fullan, Ph.D., dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
He is the author of Leading in a Culture of Change.
The pressing goal is to infuse spiritual force into all educators.The expanding interest in moral and spiritual leadership in education is an alluring but complex phenomenon. People can be automatically attracted to or repelled by the emphasis on the spiritual.
First, an explanation of the terminology. Both terms—"moral purpose" and "spiritual leadership"—have problems. Defined literally, moral purpose is too narrow. Webster's defines moral as "of or related to principles of right and wrong behavior."
Spirituality has religious connotations for many, although Webster's definition is "a life-giving force." I am going to use the somewhat cumbersome phrase "moral purpose writ large" to indicate we are talking about principled behavior connected to something greater than ourselves that relates to human and social development.
We need two things: (1) a clearer and less-mysterious idea of what we are talking about, and (2) an accessible and achievable goal for the cultivation of most leaders, not just a few.
Removing the MysteryWe need to take the mystery (but not the complexity) out of moral purpose writ large. The leadership in schools that we need for the future must be recast in more fundamental terms. This is also the key to deeper and more sustainable reform.
In a recent article titled "The Change Leader," which appeared in Educational Leadership, I critiqued the narrow conception of principal as instructional leader. The latter has taken us an important but short distance toward improving schools. It is not to denigrate the accomplishments in improving literacy and numeracy, for example, by also saying these improvements in the bigger scheme of things are "skin deep." The building blocks may start with instructional improvement, but they must go far beyond. Let me suggest a series of ever-increasing accomplishments that are required for deeper and more lasting reform. In point form, there are four aspects of leadership:
making a difference in the lives of students;
committing to reducing the gap between high and low performers within your school or district;
contributing to reducing the gap in the larger environment; and
transforming the working (or learning conditions) of others so that growth, commitment, engagement and the constant spawning of leadership in others is being fostered.
The First OrderMaking a difference in the lives of students is the first order of moral/spiritual leadership and the one we most readily think of. Instructional leaders are devoted to this goal. The next level involves leadership that focuses on reducing the gap between high and low performers. As assessment literacy evolves, effective principals disaggregate data to address the needs of all subgroups within the school. They constantly cultivate analysis, pursue action and monitor all aspects of the school population.
The third level represents a qualitative shift in what we normally think of as leadership. At first blush, it may seem naïve to say that school leaders must be almost as concerned about the success of other schools (in their district or elsewhere) as they are in their own. This is moral purpose writ larger and is the key to sustainability. I call this leadership that helps develop "the social/moral environment." As I stated recently in my Educational Leadership article: "Those concerned about the depletion of resources in the physical environment were the first to discuss the issue of sustainability. Our concern is the depletion of resources in the social and moral environment. In the social and moral environment of the school, we need the resources to close the achievement gap between high and low performers, to develop all schools in the system, and to connect schools to the strength of democracy in society. Further, if school leaders do not concern themselves with the development of the social and moral environment of the entire district (in addition to the development of the environment within their own school), then not only will the school system deteriorate, but eventually their own schools will also fail."
Leaders who are most effective in their own organizations and beyond are those who can connect to the bigger picture. They do not have tunnel vision. They do much better at connecting the dots—what I have called coherence-making. They also know that reducing the performance gap across all schools in the nation (and beyond) is the key to social cohesion in society, health and well-being of citizens and economic performance. The betterment of humankind as not an abstract goal for moral/spiritual leadership. It is part and parcel of leadership for a higher purpose.
Fourth, you cannot accomplish the previous three levels of leadership without the transformative powers of creating growth-oriented learning conditions of others in the organization. In our evaluation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in England, we found that although literacy and numeracy achievement scores went up in the 1997-2002 period, the morale of teachers, if anything, declined in that same period. Raising achievement scores is one thing, creating a dynamic-engaged teaching profession is another. We are now working with the British to determine what policies would transform the working conditions of teachers. Such transformation requires passion, commitment and sustained energy. In short, you need many leaders working with moral/spiritual force.
Other studies are pointing in the same direction. Jim Collins, in his recent book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't, analyzed in detail 11 companies that experienced sustained economic performance over a minimum of 15 years and compared them to other companies that had short-term growth. He makes precisely the same distinction I just made in reference to the England study.
Collins distinguishes between the Level 4 "Effective Leader" who "catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards" (read "increased achievement scores") with Level 5 "Executive Leader" who "builds enduring greatness" in the organization (read "transforms the learning conditions for all"). In brief, the next phase of leadership in education goes far beyond instructional advancement into growth experiences for students and teachers alike that are truly spiritual in the life-giving sense.
UnattainabilityLittle of the above will happen if we idealize spiritual leadership. For one thing, charismatic, visionary leadership is the wrong conception for getting the job done. Second, only a few exceptional people meet this idealized standard. Again recent studies bear out a more accessible, humble image of leaders at many levels.
Collins, in his book, found that charismatic leaders were negatively associated with sustainable performance. The 11 leaders who built enduring greatness were not high-profile flashy performers but rather "individuals who blend extreme personal humility with intense professional will." Joseph Badaracco, in his 2002 book Leading Quietly, makes a similar case. Leaders who do the right thing lead quietly. They are at all levels of the organization and do not necessarily stand out. They are not spiritual in terms of God-like purity, but are all too human as they recognize "mixed motives" in themselves. They don't try to "save the world," or "buy time" (especially when problems are complex), nor do they "bend the rules" and "craft compromises," according to Badaracco, a professor at the Harvard Business School. These leaders exemplify what he calls "three quiet virtues"—restraint, modesty and tenacity.
Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes provide a similar portrayal in Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins. Such leaders are not preoccupied by looking good, but rather by learning from efforts to solve complex problems. Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, co-authors of Leadership on the Line, also give a more realistic image of "staying alive through the dangers of leading." Their last chapter is titled "Sacred Heart" in which three virtues are discussed—innocence, curiosity and compassion. These virtues tap into our deeper sense of purpose, but not in a high-falutin' way. Once again spirituality plays itself out in humble, messy circumstances. Defining leadership in these terms invites everyone to be a moral/spiritual contributor. My argument is that it is essential for spiritual leadership to be taken off its high horse and instead be seen as occurring in a thousand small ways through everyday behavior.
Transforming a FieldFinally, let me be clear that I am not suggesting that spiritual leadership be left to chance. On the contrary, this is where we link the last level of leadership in the previous section about transforming the working conditions to the question of what strategies will get us there. Two ideas are crucial—learning in context and producing leaders at many levels. Recruiting top-performing principals is important, but not as important as systematically learning on the job. Learning in context occurs when people interact to learn and solve problems they face. Learning out of context takes place when principals go to a workshop or conference. Such learning can be valuable for further development, but it is not the kind of applied learning that makes a difference. Learning in context has the greatest potential payoff because it is more specific, situational and social (it develops shared and collective knowledge and commitments). Of course, it depends on what is being learned, which in our case is essentially the four aspects of leadership discussed earlier.
Leaders at many levels must be cultivated as people learn in context. An organization cannot flourish—at least, not for long—on the actions of the top leader alone. Schools and districts need many leaders at many levels. Learning in context helps produce such leaders. Further, for leaders to be able to deal with complex problems, they need many years of experience and professional development on the job. To some extent, a school leader's effectiveness in creating a culture of sustained change will be determined by the leaders he or she leaves behind. In a real sense we are talking about transforming the teaching profession. We will not have a large pool of quality principals until we have a large pool of quality teachers. We will only get quality principals when we have quality teachers in numbers.
To me, spiritual leadership represents a paradox. It sounds lofty, but it must be accomplished on the ground through the actions of many. The key to the next phase of developing education systems is to realize that spiritual leadership and long-term accountability are intimately related. What better motivation than to rediscover and galvanize in its modern form the intrinsic interests of teachers to do good work. Only this time, it can't be an individual phenomenon unevenly dispersed, but rather a system characteristic deliberately fostered by many leaders with moral purpose writ large.
He is the author of Leading in a Culture of Change.
The pressing goal is to infuse spiritual force into all educators.The expanding interest in moral and spiritual leadership in education is an alluring but complex phenomenon. People can be automatically attracted to or repelled by the emphasis on the spiritual.
First, an explanation of the terminology. Both terms—"moral purpose" and "spiritual leadership"—have problems. Defined literally, moral purpose is too narrow. Webster's defines moral as "of or related to principles of right and wrong behavior."
Spirituality has religious connotations for many, although Webster's definition is "a life-giving force." I am going to use the somewhat cumbersome phrase "moral purpose writ large" to indicate we are talking about principled behavior connected to something greater than ourselves that relates to human and social development.
We need two things: (1) a clearer and less-mysterious idea of what we are talking about, and (2) an accessible and achievable goal for the cultivation of most leaders, not just a few.
Removing the MysteryWe need to take the mystery (but not the complexity) out of moral purpose writ large. The leadership in schools that we need for the future must be recast in more fundamental terms. This is also the key to deeper and more sustainable reform.
In a recent article titled "The Change Leader," which appeared in Educational Leadership, I critiqued the narrow conception of principal as instructional leader. The latter has taken us an important but short distance toward improving schools. It is not to denigrate the accomplishments in improving literacy and numeracy, for example, by also saying these improvements in the bigger scheme of things are "skin deep." The building blocks may start with instructional improvement, but they must go far beyond. Let me suggest a series of ever-increasing accomplishments that are required for deeper and more lasting reform. In point form, there are four aspects of leadership:
making a difference in the lives of students;
committing to reducing the gap between high and low performers within your school or district;
contributing to reducing the gap in the larger environment; and
transforming the working (or learning conditions) of others so that growth, commitment, engagement and the constant spawning of leadership in others is being fostered.
The First OrderMaking a difference in the lives of students is the first order of moral/spiritual leadership and the one we most readily think of. Instructional leaders are devoted to this goal. The next level involves leadership that focuses on reducing the gap between high and low performers. As assessment literacy evolves, effective principals disaggregate data to address the needs of all subgroups within the school. They constantly cultivate analysis, pursue action and monitor all aspects of the school population.
The third level represents a qualitative shift in what we normally think of as leadership. At first blush, it may seem naïve to say that school leaders must be almost as concerned about the success of other schools (in their district or elsewhere) as they are in their own. This is moral purpose writ larger and is the key to sustainability. I call this leadership that helps develop "the social/moral environment." As I stated recently in my Educational Leadership article: "Those concerned about the depletion of resources in the physical environment were the first to discuss the issue of sustainability. Our concern is the depletion of resources in the social and moral environment. In the social and moral environment of the school, we need the resources to close the achievement gap between high and low performers, to develop all schools in the system, and to connect schools to the strength of democracy in society. Further, if school leaders do not concern themselves with the development of the social and moral environment of the entire district (in addition to the development of the environment within their own school), then not only will the school system deteriorate, but eventually their own schools will also fail."
Leaders who are most effective in their own organizations and beyond are those who can connect to the bigger picture. They do not have tunnel vision. They do much better at connecting the dots—what I have called coherence-making. They also know that reducing the performance gap across all schools in the nation (and beyond) is the key to social cohesion in society, health and well-being of citizens and economic performance. The betterment of humankind as not an abstract goal for moral/spiritual leadership. It is part and parcel of leadership for a higher purpose.
Fourth, you cannot accomplish the previous three levels of leadership without the transformative powers of creating growth-oriented learning conditions of others in the organization. In our evaluation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in England, we found that although literacy and numeracy achievement scores went up in the 1997-2002 period, the morale of teachers, if anything, declined in that same period. Raising achievement scores is one thing, creating a dynamic-engaged teaching profession is another. We are now working with the British to determine what policies would transform the working conditions of teachers. Such transformation requires passion, commitment and sustained energy. In short, you need many leaders working with moral/spiritual force.
Other studies are pointing in the same direction. Jim Collins, in his recent book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't, analyzed in detail 11 companies that experienced sustained economic performance over a minimum of 15 years and compared them to other companies that had short-term growth. He makes precisely the same distinction I just made in reference to the England study.
Collins distinguishes between the Level 4 "Effective Leader" who "catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, stimulating higher performance standards" (read "increased achievement scores") with Level 5 "Executive Leader" who "builds enduring greatness" in the organization (read "transforms the learning conditions for all"). In brief, the next phase of leadership in education goes far beyond instructional advancement into growth experiences for students and teachers alike that are truly spiritual in the life-giving sense.
UnattainabilityLittle of the above will happen if we idealize spiritual leadership. For one thing, charismatic, visionary leadership is the wrong conception for getting the job done. Second, only a few exceptional people meet this idealized standard. Again recent studies bear out a more accessible, humble image of leaders at many levels.
Collins, in his book, found that charismatic leaders were negatively associated with sustainable performance. The 11 leaders who built enduring greatness were not high-profile flashy performers but rather "individuals who blend extreme personal humility with intense professional will." Joseph Badaracco, in his 2002 book Leading Quietly, makes a similar case. Leaders who do the right thing lead quietly. They are at all levels of the organization and do not necessarily stand out. They are not spiritual in terms of God-like purity, but are all too human as they recognize "mixed motives" in themselves. They don't try to "save the world," or "buy time" (especially when problems are complex), nor do they "bend the rules" and "craft compromises," according to Badaracco, a professor at the Harvard Business School. These leaders exemplify what he calls "three quiet virtues"—restraint, modesty and tenacity.
Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes provide a similar portrayal in Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins. Such leaders are not preoccupied by looking good, but rather by learning from efforts to solve complex problems. Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, co-authors of Leadership on the Line, also give a more realistic image of "staying alive through the dangers of leading." Their last chapter is titled "Sacred Heart" in which three virtues are discussed—innocence, curiosity and compassion. These virtues tap into our deeper sense of purpose, but not in a high-falutin' way. Once again spirituality plays itself out in humble, messy circumstances. Defining leadership in these terms invites everyone to be a moral/spiritual contributor. My argument is that it is essential for spiritual leadership to be taken off its high horse and instead be seen as occurring in a thousand small ways through everyday behavior.
Transforming a FieldFinally, let me be clear that I am not suggesting that spiritual leadership be left to chance. On the contrary, this is where we link the last level of leadership in the previous section about transforming the working conditions to the question of what strategies will get us there. Two ideas are crucial—learning in context and producing leaders at many levels. Recruiting top-performing principals is important, but not as important as systematically learning on the job. Learning in context occurs when people interact to learn and solve problems they face. Learning out of context takes place when principals go to a workshop or conference. Such learning can be valuable for further development, but it is not the kind of applied learning that makes a difference. Learning in context has the greatest potential payoff because it is more specific, situational and social (it develops shared and collective knowledge and commitments). Of course, it depends on what is being learned, which in our case is essentially the four aspects of leadership discussed earlier.
Leaders at many levels must be cultivated as people learn in context. An organization cannot flourish—at least, not for long—on the actions of the top leader alone. Schools and districts need many leaders at many levels. Learning in context helps produce such leaders. Further, for leaders to be able to deal with complex problems, they need many years of experience and professional development on the job. To some extent, a school leader's effectiveness in creating a culture of sustained change will be determined by the leaders he or she leaves behind. In a real sense we are talking about transforming the teaching profession. We will not have a large pool of quality principals until we have a large pool of quality teachers. We will only get quality principals when we have quality teachers in numbers.
To me, spiritual leadership represents a paradox. It sounds lofty, but it must be accomplished on the ground through the actions of many. The key to the next phase of developing education systems is to realize that spiritual leadership and long-term accountability are intimately related. What better motivation than to rediscover and galvanize in its modern form the intrinsic interests of teachers to do good work. Only this time, it can't be an individual phenomenon unevenly dispersed, but rather a system characteristic deliberately fostered by many leaders with moral purpose writ large.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
IUnsects
Crickets telegraph current events,
As news hits their desk,
Moths answer with Morse Code,
Their wings' staccato beats strangely comforting.
A spider lays in wait, perfectly still,
Patience personified, energy conserved,
Waiting for that explosive moment,
When death can extend life.
Other spiders congregate collectively,
Gathering the errant and the misguided,
Showing them some measure of attention,
But not every one who notices you,
Is your friend.
Mosquitos hum with bloody intent,
Their tuneless meanderings a signpost,
I've heard that the one that hums is harmless,
The one that you don't hear bites.
Cockroaches scuttle smugly,
They are safe in such arrogance,
For with any global catastrophe,
They will inherit the earth.
Such interesting and powerful events,
Insects truly rule our planet,
Until I step on them and crush them,
Or until something bigger than them comes along.
Cheers
As news hits their desk,
Moths answer with Morse Code,
Their wings' staccato beats strangely comforting.
A spider lays in wait, perfectly still,
Patience personified, energy conserved,
Waiting for that explosive moment,
When death can extend life.
Other spiders congregate collectively,
Gathering the errant and the misguided,
Showing them some measure of attention,
But not every one who notices you,
Is your friend.
Mosquitos hum with bloody intent,
Their tuneless meanderings a signpost,
I've heard that the one that hums is harmless,
The one that you don't hear bites.
Cockroaches scuttle smugly,
They are safe in such arrogance,
For with any global catastrophe,
They will inherit the earth.
Such interesting and powerful events,
Insects truly rule our planet,
Until I step on them and crush them,
Or until something bigger than them comes along.
Cheers
Two Sundays Ago
The sun was pleasant upon my back,
The day was going well,
The trail stretched out before us,
Drenched in the forest’s smell.
On a new trail foreign to us,
We enjoyed the spirit of discovery,
Reveling in the new conditions,
And the sights to see.
Half way upon our journey,
Fate cunningly intervened,
A major kind of breakdown,
The kind of which I’ve never dreamed.
The worst kind of broken,
Uttering words I can’t repeat,
I at least got kind of mobile,
But I’d need to use my feet.
Miles from home or anywhere,
We walked through bramble and burr,
Until the landscape became familiar,
And we kind of knew where we were.
My partner went off then,
Back to get his car,
I would continue to walk, though,
Destined to not get far,
For I was wearing new shoes,
Not properly conditioned yet,
And judging by the pain I felt,
Blisters were a safe bet.
For another hour I trudged forward,
Hoping for some reprieve,
Just wanting for this time to end,
Just wanting to simply leave.
My friend arrived with a sour expression,
His car was not running well,
The clutch was not engaging properly,
This day had gone to Hell.
He nursed it with much finesse,
Cajoling it with great skill,
Massaging when were going up,
Then coasting down each hill.
We parted ways with some relief,
We had faced challenges and won,
At least there was some daylight left,
Some chance at having fun.
My daughter was quite excited,
A birthday party in her plans,
So we made a card and got dressed,
A present in our hands.
A good time was being had by all,
Bowling was the day’s theme,
Sugar and saturated fat on the table,
It was a child’s every dream.
When over the loudspeaker,
Came a message about my car,
And to report outside immediately,
It was just bizarre.
Outside a crowd had gathered,
One of them in tears,
A quick inspection followed,
To confirm my darkest fears.
A person had not been looking,
And from them I wish not to detract,
But my car was far away from theirs,
But into it they still backed.
The damage to my car was minor,
Much more significant to theirs,
I know accidents can surely happen,
But that did not help my despair.
My car has recently been painted,
To have it marked in such a way,
I just thought it was typical,
And that’s all I have to say.
So at this point I was ruminating,
A thought swirling in my head,
I wish that I had paranormal powers,
So I would have stayed in bed.
Cheers
The day was going well,
The trail stretched out before us,
Drenched in the forest’s smell.
On a new trail foreign to us,
We enjoyed the spirit of discovery,
Reveling in the new conditions,
And the sights to see.
Half way upon our journey,
Fate cunningly intervened,
A major kind of breakdown,
The kind of which I’ve never dreamed.
The worst kind of broken,
Uttering words I can’t repeat,
I at least got kind of mobile,
But I’d need to use my feet.
Miles from home or anywhere,
We walked through bramble and burr,
Until the landscape became familiar,
And we kind of knew where we were.
My partner went off then,
Back to get his car,
I would continue to walk, though,
Destined to not get far,
For I was wearing new shoes,
Not properly conditioned yet,
And judging by the pain I felt,
Blisters were a safe bet.
For another hour I trudged forward,
Hoping for some reprieve,
Just wanting for this time to end,
Just wanting to simply leave.
My friend arrived with a sour expression,
His car was not running well,
The clutch was not engaging properly,
This day had gone to Hell.
He nursed it with much finesse,
Cajoling it with great skill,
Massaging when were going up,
Then coasting down each hill.
We parted ways with some relief,
We had faced challenges and won,
At least there was some daylight left,
Some chance at having fun.
My daughter was quite excited,
A birthday party in her plans,
So we made a card and got dressed,
A present in our hands.
A good time was being had by all,
Bowling was the day’s theme,
Sugar and saturated fat on the table,
It was a child’s every dream.
When over the loudspeaker,
Came a message about my car,
And to report outside immediately,
It was just bizarre.
Outside a crowd had gathered,
One of them in tears,
A quick inspection followed,
To confirm my darkest fears.
A person had not been looking,
And from them I wish not to detract,
But my car was far away from theirs,
But into it they still backed.
The damage to my car was minor,
Much more significant to theirs,
I know accidents can surely happen,
But that did not help my despair.
My car has recently been painted,
To have it marked in such a way,
I just thought it was typical,
And that’s all I have to say.
So at this point I was ruminating,
A thought swirling in my head,
I wish that I had paranormal powers,
So I would have stayed in bed.
Cheers
Expressions
You’re upset at my expressions,
I challenge you with a wink,
I’m trying to share my enthusiasm,
I’m trying to make you think.
The snarl is not aggressive,
You may not have seen one in a while,
My teeth are bared, but I’m friendly,
That expression is called a smile.
The tears are ones of laughter,
Not every cry one of pain,
Take me for what I am,
Before I go insane.
Cheers
I challenge you with a wink,
I’m trying to share my enthusiasm,
I’m trying to make you think.
The snarl is not aggressive,
You may not have seen one in a while,
My teeth are bared, but I’m friendly,
That expression is called a smile.
The tears are ones of laughter,
Not every cry one of pain,
Take me for what I am,
Before I go insane.
Cheers
Friday, May 12, 2006
Random quotes
Treasure the love you receive above all. It will survive long after your gold and good health have vanished. Og Mandino~
Cheers
Cheers
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Triple filters
"In any community or group we hear gossip about other people. These pieces of gossip are often based on very little fact and grow to be more and more ‘interesting’ as they are passed from one person to the next.
Here is a story that I hope you find thought provoking.
One day the great Philosopher came upon an acquaintance, who said excitedly, " Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"
"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test." "Triple filter?" questioned the young man.
That's right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about my student, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say."
The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and ...''
"Ah right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not - Now let's try the second filter, the 2nd filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
We should apply the Triple Filter test to anything we have heard about a fellow human being and are considering repeating. Gossip can be a cruel, humiliating and thoughtless punishment and is a severe forum of bullying and exclusion. Think it over before you repeat anything about anyone and consider the impact that being gossiped about can have or is having on your life. Gossip is the act of a bully. Small minds talk about people, mediocre minds talk about things and great minds talk about ideas. Try and be a great mind in everything you do."
Cheers
Here is a story that I hope you find thought provoking.
One day the great Philosopher came upon an acquaintance, who said excitedly, " Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"
"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test." "Triple filter?" questioned the young man.
That's right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about my student, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say."
The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and ...''
"Ah right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not - Now let's try the second filter, the 2nd filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
We should apply the Triple Filter test to anything we have heard about a fellow human being and are considering repeating. Gossip can be a cruel, humiliating and thoughtless punishment and is a severe forum of bullying and exclusion. Think it over before you repeat anything about anyone and consider the impact that being gossiped about can have or is having on your life. Gossip is the act of a bully. Small minds talk about people, mediocre minds talk about things and great minds talk about ideas. Try and be a great mind in everything you do."
Cheers
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
To be 10 again!
A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife turning back and forth, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off, he asked what she'd like to have for her birthday.
"I'd like to be 10 again", she replied, still looking in the mirror.
On the morning of her birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of "Lucky Charms", and then took her to a theme park.
What a day!
He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster everything there was. Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down. He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake. Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favourite sweets, M&M's. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, well Dear, what was it like being 10 again??
Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.I meant my Dress Size, you idiot!!
The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is going to get it wrong.
Cheers
"I'd like to be 10 again", she replied, still looking in the mirror.
On the morning of her birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of "Lucky Charms", and then took her to a theme park.
What a day!
He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster everything there was. Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down. He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake. Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favourite sweets, M&M's. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, well Dear, what was it like being 10 again??
Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.I meant my Dress Size, you idiot!!
The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is going to get it wrong.
Cheers
Sunday, May 07, 2006
The smaller beatitudes by Joseph Folliet.
(which beautifully apply to the role of teachers and school leaders)
Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves: they will have no end of fun. Blessed are those who can tell a mountain from a molehill: they will be saved a lot of bother. Blessed are those who know how to relax without looking for excuses: they are on the way to becoming wise. Blessed are those who know when to be quiet and listen: they will learn a lot of new things. Blessed are those who are sane enough not to take themselves too seriously: they will be valued by those about them. Happy are you if you can appreciate a smile and forget a frown: you will walk on the sunny side of the street. Happy are you if you can be kind in understanding the attitude of others: you may be taken for a fool, but this is the price of charity. Happy are you if you know when to hold your tongue and smile: the Gospel has begun to seep into your heart. Blessed are they who think before acting and pray before thinking: they will avoid many blunders.
Cheers
Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves: they will have no end of fun. Blessed are those who can tell a mountain from a molehill: they will be saved a lot of bother. Blessed are those who know how to relax without looking for excuses: they are on the way to becoming wise. Blessed are those who know when to be quiet and listen: they will learn a lot of new things. Blessed are those who are sane enough not to take themselves too seriously: they will be valued by those about them. Happy are you if you can appreciate a smile and forget a frown: you will walk on the sunny side of the street. Happy are you if you can be kind in understanding the attitude of others: you may be taken for a fool, but this is the price of charity. Happy are you if you know when to hold your tongue and smile: the Gospel has begun to seep into your heart. Blessed are they who think before acting and pray before thinking: they will avoid many blunders.
Cheers
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Kids and chocolate
Recently we had an evening together with another family. Our combination of five kids were well behaved, playing and generally enjoying each others’ company. As a reward we gave the a small amount of chocolate and it all went south.
Were they excited to get chocolate, so they behaved excitedly and strangely?
Is there something in the line of thinking that chocolate and other sweet foods are anagrams for "really badly behaved children"?
It was just strange, because not long after that they all calmed down.
Weird.
Cheers
Were they excited to get chocolate, so they behaved excitedly and strangely?
Is there something in the line of thinking that chocolate and other sweet foods are anagrams for "really badly behaved children"?
It was just strange, because not long after that they all calmed down.
Weird.
Cheers
Friday, May 05, 2006
Amazing Home Remedies
1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat and presto. The blockage will be almost instantly removed.
2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away
3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs about lifting the toilet seat by simply using the sink.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.
7. Have a bad toothache? Smash your thumb with a hammer and you will forget about the toothache.
Sometimes, we just need to remember what the rules of life really are:You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40.If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom.
If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You get another chance.
And finally, be really nice to your family and friends; you never know when you might need them to empty your bedpan.
Cheers
2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away
3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs about lifting the toilet seat by simply using the sink.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.
7. Have a bad toothache? Smash your thumb with a hammer and you will forget about the toothache.
Sometimes, we just need to remember what the rules of life really are:You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40.If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom.
If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You get another chance.
And finally, be really nice to your family and friends; you never know when you might need them to empty your bedpan.
Cheers
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
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