In the Arena

I had the privilege of getting to know Coach Ben Wright during the final years of his life. He was an accomplished and well-respected football coach for decades in his own right, who became a close mentor and friend to my husband, Kurt, during the inaugural years of his football program. During this time Ben was dying from cancer, but you would never have known it by the way he LIVED.

When my first son was born, he gifted us a plaque from Theodore Roosevelt’s famous speech "The Man in the Arena". I remember thinking at the time the words were fitting of Coach Wright and it would serve as a source of inspiration for my son as he grew.

It wasn't until recently when those words spoke to me.

They stopped me in my tracks and spoke to me.

For years now I have been chasing a dream of simplifying education in a way that empowers teachers and is student centered.

How many times have we heard this before? EDUCATION REFORM. We’ve been talking about education reform throughout the decade I have served as an elementary administrator.

I hate to call it reform, because it shouldn't be viewed as ‘just’ reform. By definition reform is 'amending or improving'. That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about a wiping-the-slate-clean-going-back-to-basics-simple focus. A laser focus on Students and Teachers. An educational approach that empowers teachers to simplify learning as a constant for students and personalize their journey.

I am here to tell you, on a small scale, I have seen it done! I have led schools that have begun this work. I continue to reflect throughout this pandemic, analyzing all of the ways we can capitalize on this disruptive innovation.

I see this light. I feel called to do this work. Now more than ever, but I don’t openly speak about it publicly.

Until this week.

Until this week, when out of the blue Adam Welcome reached out to me to be on his Principal Crew Podcast. ME?!? I almost laughed telling my husband about it.

We connected on a rainy afternoon and had an awesome conversation about leadership and the role of the Principal. After our recording he said to me 'You have great ideas. What are you doing to share them?’

The words I had been waiting to hear, but I just didn't know it. He said to me 'Just Start. The time is now.'

I heard those words, and knew it was time for me to step into the arena. I've spent my whole leadership career investing in others. Allowing those I serve to see their own potential and unlocking the possibilities sitting right in front of them.

And here he was, Mr. Adam Welcome, investing in me on a rainy February Sunday morning over Zoom.

It’s not easy to talk about change. It’s not easy to inspire people to change. But what if it’s necessary?

As his speech goes, those in the arena are ones who "...actually strive to do the deeds; who know great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and at worse, if he fails, at least while daring greatly..."

If there was ever as worthy of a cause as taking a deep look at education and acknowledging ‘This isn’t good enough’, it is now. During a world-wide pandemic when inequity is at an all time high, the time is now.

We may not win all of the battles, but we can’t afford not to try. Because if not now, when?

Thanks, Adam. I’m stepping into the Arena now. Who else is ready to ‘just start’?

This ones for you, Ben.

Megan Stein