Faces in the Crowd

493 faces in the crowd from 1306 SW Webster Street to the Starbucks on Westlake at South Lake Union, Seattle, WA.

Even gender division, well-dressed and disheveled, young and old, tired and alert, black, brown, white and in-between. 493 faces in the crowd. On the street corner. Metro bus route 125. South Seattle Community College. Westlake Center. Sidewalk passing Fantasy Girls adult theater. 493 faces in the crowd.

I noticed 493 different faces in the crowd this morning. Counted them actually. I was struck by the enormity of the work within our public schools in Washington State and around the country. I paused this morning to consider the differences portrayed on the faces I passed. What is it that creates "the look" of each face I passed. What role did/will teachers play in the attitudes of fellow human beings that crossed my path this morning?

There really seemed to be no "in between." Faces were filled with joy, hope and optimism or sadness, despair and nihilism. I wonder how many of the 493 will sit in classrooms today? I wonder how many will teach in classrooms today? I wonder how many set the stage for children in their home before they departed for the rat race that is each of our lives?

I'm reminded today about the "other" part of public schooling...the part that welcomes kids from every walk of life, background and "night before." Schools play an integral role in creating a culture that allows all kids to thrive. Schools can level the playing field or further the divide.

The very best teachers that I've learned from and worked with in my lifetime "get" this responsibility as much or more than they believe in teaching "content." These same teachers believe that kids become winners in life by experiencing "wins" and strategically establish classroom rituals to ensure that all kids do so. These life-changing teachers take the different faces in their crowd, whether 20, 80, or 230 and do their very best to engage kids in using their minds' well...while at the same time changing the schema to allow each learner to succeed in some way so that their faces in the crowd reveal curiosity, eager anticipation, and energy.

In our era of evaluating teachers harder, revealing the Common Core, reducing salaries and instructional days...I hope that some of you join me in thanking the teachers that work so diligently to make the faces in the crowd of tomorrow hopeful, optimistic and eager to succeed.

Thank you, teachers, for being the spark that lights the fire of optimism in the leaders (and faces) I'll pass tomorrow.