Monday Morning Meditation – A Great Revolution
by Antonio
I came across this great quote by Daisaku Ikeda, who is president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and research institutions. I was searching this past weekend for some inspiration around the idea that change in schools is not a “revolution” but an “evolution.” I think those of us who work in schools often struggle with helping create change. I have heard educators describe schools as “change adverse” and I struggle with idea that we are making an assumption that schools are unable or unwilling to embrace the idea of change. That is where Mr. Ikeda’s quote inspires me.
“A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.”
The message I hear in that quote is that in order to change the destiny of our schools, our students and society as a whole, we must begin by seeing ourselves as the catalyst for that change. By embracing the notion that a “great revolution” in just one individual can help the rest of us achieve the change we need or want to see is a powerful motivator. Think about it this way. The ability to inspire one teacher to try something new has the ability and potential to inspire other colleagues to do the same. Creating an environment where people are willing to take risks with their practice requires that as leaders, we need to support these individuals through that process, even when things don’t always go as planned, and we all know that things don’t always go as planned.
But more importantly, I am inspired by this quote in the potential it has for our students. They truly are the revolution that may be needed to solve some of the greatest problems facing modern society. As leaders in schools, it is my humble opinion that the responsibility to provide the necessary ingredients needed for these current students to blossom into the future leaders and creative thinkers of the future begins with our ability to see the change in ourselves and model that change for others around us.
Photo Credit: ecstaticist