Have you ever considered that we are the sum of our experiences? Each life holds a unique story that is both intricate and personal. Take the time to determine a quiet, comfortable place where you may sit in reflection of your life. Ask yourself where you are in your lifes journey, where you have been and in what direction you are headed? I feel confident that in reflection, you will re-visit various faces and places that have changed the course of your life. Would you agree that the experiences and memories that we have created have helped to determine the direction and meaning of your lifes path?

     Throughout the course of my life, while making decisions or problem solving I have revisited the words and practices of my parents. Fortunately my parents played a tremendous role in my development. I believe that all parents play a vital role in the lives of their children. The parent is the first and most important teacher in the life of a child. From the moment a new life arrives, that child is observing and taking in all that is occurring around him/her. I liken the life of a newborn child to that of a blank canvas, ready for splashes of color, movement, and form. Each educational experience adds depth, dimension, and understanding. The childs life journey begins to take shape.

     Children begin their life journey, driven by curiosity. Michael Gelb (2004) discusses the concept of "curiosity" in his book How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day. Gelb discusses how humans come into the world curious. "In the first years of life our minds are engaged in an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. From birth- and some would argue, even before the baby's every sense is attuned to exploring and learning.  As soon as they can speak, children start articulating question after question(p 49)." Children ask questions simply because they are curious.

     Before your child ever enters a school building he/she already has preconceived notions about what this experience will be. A parent or community member could share either positive or negative stories about school. Which in turn may add to this experience or take away from it. Parents, relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, and all the members of the community set up expectations. Whether these expectations are spoken or unspoken they exist. Consider this idea, why is it that some parents ask "So, what did you learn at school today?" Whereas other parents never ask. Are these two opposing parents setting expectations for their children just by the questions that are asked, or not ever asked?

     The community plays a vital role in the life of its children. It is important to recognize that each child uses all of his/her senses when observing the communities members. Gelb (2004) states "Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. If you think like Leonardo, you recognize these as the keys to opening the doors of experience (p 95)." The child uses these senses as a guide. This sense of "sight" creates a pathway to engage in dialogue with the members of the community. The child begins to ask questions and wonder about the activities that take place within the community. The child begins to identify him/herself as a member of the community. It is within the community that the child begins his/her journey of self-discovery.

     As an educational leader, I must acknowledge the tremendous role that I have in the life of a child. The teachers that are part of my learning community must also acknowledge the impact that they have in the lives of their students. I believe that teachers need to continually strive towards becoming role models that are consistent, clear and caring. I give the highest of accolades to teacher and author Haim Ginott (1995). In his book Between Teacher and Child, he talks about the role of the teacher. Ginott clearly articulates what I believe the role of the teacher encompasses. In his book he states "As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a childs life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or deescalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized (p 162)."

I strongly believe that children learn from their role models. They learn from the people that are around them at home and in school. Children learn from observation and from doing. I believe that genuine learning occurs in the context of our lives. Simply stated I believe that we learn from the world around us. We construct meaning and understanding from our experiences.

As an educational leader, I strongly believe that the community plays a vital role in the development of its members. I believe that the purpose of attending an institution of learning is to empower the learning community. The community must work collaboratively to build strong relationships. It is the development of these relationships that help to make a community strong. A strong community has a vested interest in the success of all its members.

I vehemently believe that learning is a process that spans the course of our entire lives. Exposure to new environments and people provides an opportunity for growth. I believe that our experiences build and expand our understanding of the world around us. As we add layer upon layer to our grand expanse of experiences, we continue to bring new understanding to our lives. Author Peter Senge dedicated an entire book to thinking about how our schools work. In his book Schools that Learn" Senge (2000) discusses how people learn. He states "Throughout our lives, as we move from setting to setting, we encounter novelty and new challenges, small and large. If we are ready for them, living and learning become inseparable (p 4)." This is why a home and school connection is so important to the success of the learning community. Learning is not isolated to the four walls of a classroom; it extends beyond, into the community and world.

     As an educational leader I believe that as we move through the world, we gather relevant and meaningful experiences, we naturally become critical thinkers and problem solvers. We are curious and hungry for knowledge. Senge (2000) states "Most of the rapid learning of very young children is tied to purpose, and vision. Children learn to ride a bike because they want to play with their friends who have bikes. They learn to drive because they want to have independence and mobility. They learn new skills because they want them (p 22)." I believe that this innate curiosity encourages us to be willing participants in the learning process. Therefore schools should provide experiences that inspire students to naturally construct meaning.

     As an educational leader I believe that members of the community need to be active within the school setting. I believe that trusting relationships will allow community members to get involved and take part in the schools decision-making process. Teachers, students, and parents need to contribute to the organization of the students for learning. I believe that when people work cooperatively and collaboratively the potential for learning experiences is rich and has unlimited possibilities. I believe that the ultimate goal of education is to provide learning experiences that will promote growth for the entire learning community.

     It is my firm belief that we are the sum of our experiences. The life of each individual illustrates a personal journey. In reflection of my path as an educational leader, I find that I am headed in a direction that will provide learning experiences to the entire learning community. It is my aspiration that these educational experiences will help the community to determine the direction and meaning of their life's path.

Gelb, M. (2004). How to think like leonardo da vinci. New York: Bantam Dell.

Ginott, H. (1995). Between teacher and child. New York: Collier Books.

Senge, P. (2000). Schools that learn. New York: Doubleday Dell.