Born on third base

I was chosen as this year's MASA (Minnesota Association of School Administrators) Outstanding Central Office Administrator of the Year. I am honored. When accepting the award next week at our spring conference, I get three minutes to speak. That's hardly enough time for a warm up joke, but ...

Thank you for chosing me for this award. There are many other administrators in Minnesota more deserving. But thank you. When my mom asked what the qualifications were to get this recognition, I told her that is was five years of consecutive employment and no outstanding warrents. Not sure if she knew I was joking or not.

When I heard I got this award, the old saying by coach Barry Switzer came immediately to mind:

Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.

If this award signifies any kind of success, it is indeed because I was fortunate enough to be given three bases. Briefly, let me describe them:

First base: I was born to white privilege, not to mention male, tall, healthy privilege. All my life I have felt safe, known where my next meal was coming from, had clothes and shelter, and was blessed with a supportive family who valued education, work and caring for others. Every child in the world should be born at least on first base and there is absolutely no reason this should not be the case.

Second base: Blessing of a career that has a built in mission. I was in the second semester of my sophomore year of college when I had to make a decision about my major. When I said English, my wife asked "How will you make a living as an English major?" So my major became English education. Happily over the last 42 years as a teacher, librarian, AV director, and technology coordinator, there have been very, very few days when I have not looked forward to coming to work. And the biggest reason as all of you in this room know is because there is always a bigger "why" to the immediate task - and that why is always about making the world a little better place for kids and teachers. (I've always said you can't have happy kids without having happy teachers.) As an aside, it's my job as a supervisor to make sure the folks in my department know the bigger "why" as well. Every person in my department when asked what their job is should answer "to help educate kids."

Third base: The capacity for reflection. Some teacher or relative or coworker or somebody seems to have instilled in me what's now commonly called a "growth mindset" long before the term was invented. I have always not only been somewhat obsessed about analyzing when things have gone right or wrong, but never have had the shame not to write these analyses down and share them through publication and presentations. I will share just one reflection with you - that kindness always pays off. For example, in the late 80s when I was the librarian for St Peter High School, I would at times give some technology assistance to a couple young (and cute) teachers, Ann and Theresa, who worked at the Regional Treatment Center - for no pay, on my own time, just to help. No biggie. But fast forward 25 years, and one of those teachers, Ann, is the chair of the Mankato School Board. And each time I gave a report, she would smile and remind us all that we'd worked together for a very long time. Be kind - you just never know how the kindness will be returned. 

Happily I feel like I receive an award nearly every day. I have led what might be described as a charmed life. Thanks to all of you for being a part of it.

Comments

[Kenn Gorman]

Congratulations! No doubt in my mind you deserve it...