William

Preston Seward
Philosophy of Education and Leadership

Children must be taught how to think, not what to think. Margaret Mead was right on target with her statement.
Children are precious and must be protected and guided in order to become strong, moral, adult citizens of the world. I know all
children are capable of learning, but each one comes to the challenge with different abilities and tools in their toolbox. I agree with
Dr. Marie Clay, developer of Reading Recovery, when she said, All children are ready to learn something, but some start their
learning from a different place. It is our responsibility and privilege as educators to meet each child where he/she is and create their
path to life-long learning and achievement, along with them.


The path we are helping our students to build for themselves is intended to lead them, indeed all of us, to a clearer
understanding of what it means to be human. I understand the importance of education to be found in its ability to connect human
beings; connect us to one another, ourselves and to the world in which we live. This, for me, is the true meaning, the true gift of
education for a child.


As an educational leader, my views on leadership revolve around a few key values. For me these values are collaboration,
humor, integrity and equity. Ultimately, all of these come down to building personal, respectful relationships with people, be they
students, teachers, parents or broader communities. Ella Baker, a Civil Rights activist in the USA, said, if you really want to do
something with somebody else, really want to work with that person, the first thing you have to do is make a personal connection.
You have to find out who it is you are working with. This, I believe, is key for teachers and principals. We have to know our students
before we can build a foundation of mutual respect and trust that will then allow for the risk taking that teaching and learning
involves. As a principal, I have to know my students, families and teachers before we can together create a vision for our school in
which learning for everyone is possible.


Collaboration is a word that could define most of the work I have done in my life. We are capable of so much more working
together than separately. Whether I am facilitating a group of teacher leaders to improve the master schedule, or helping our
elected student representatives come up with creative ways to raise funds to expand our Learning-Edible Garden project, as a
leader I believe that, when possible, creating an environment where discussion and shared decision-making are present, ultimately
leads to a happier, better functioning school community.


I believe my friends and colleagues would identify me as a person with a deep sense of integrity. I understand the
importance of being true to my core beliefs in justice, honesty and equality, while respecting the right of others to hold true to their
sense of what those values might mean for them. In a global world, full of different languages, cultures, histories and goals, it is all
the more important that we can all rely on others to follow through on what they say they will do, their promises. As a leader, I
know that my faculty, parents and students must have the ability to believe me when I tell them something. I am the one, through
my character, my integrity, that creates the space for others to trust me. Without trust, I cannot be a strong leader.


Fairness or equity is very important to me. Perhaps it goes back to my days as a Kindergarten teacher, but it just seems
right to me that we play fair. Now, we in the world of education understand that being fair does not always mean every child or
every teacher receives the exact same thing. Whether this is an instructional strategy for teaching single digit addition, or a
professional development plan, each student and teacher should receive what he/she needs in order to move forward. A principal
has to be viewed as being fair. If not, the students, parents and teachers will lose their belief that the principal sees and knows them
as individuals and recognizes their unique needs. If people do not believe they are seen, known; well, how long will they take part in
creating a shared vision for our school community?


Finally, I come to humor. I like to laugh. I believe everyone does. Psychologist Steve Wilson has said, Infants laugh almost
from birth. In fact, people who are born blind and deaf still laugh. So we know its not a learned behavior. Humans are hard-wired
for laughter. When we use laughter as a force to bring us together to share joy, frustration, even pain, we are made the stronger
for it. As a principal, I know that bringing our school community together in difficult times with humor can help us pause, refocus
and move beyond the difficulties. I know that using humor in times of triumph or success allows us to share in our communal joy,
which energizes us for future work ahead. Indeed there is a time to be serious, but even in those times humor can be very useful in
moving a community forward towards achieving its shared vision or goals.


For me, leadership is about relationships. As a leader, I forge relationships with a variety of stakeholders but always
through collaboration, trust, respect, fairness and humor. I believe when a leader builds his/her foundation on these values, the
school is setting out on a path of greatness.