Surprise Ending: Embrace the Unexpected

The end of the school year is usually full of even more surprises than usual. We call these last few months wildfire season because things get more fragile, tender, and even flammable. One little spark can produce uncontrollable heat for the leadership.

Surprise is a powerful spark that elevates wonder, fascination, and mystery in our journey. As a general rule, educators are not fond of surprises—especially the kind that disrupts the schedule and plans. We much prefer predictability and consistency.

Yet the art of teaching, when properly practiced, utilizes the emotion of surprise, enabling students to see the world anew through profound truths, reliable principles, and creativity. Embracing the surprise of each day is a habit of success.

Each day holds a surprise. 
But only if we expect it can we see, 
hear, or feel it when it comes to us. 
Let's not be afraid to receive 
each day's surprise.
— Henri Nouwen

This week, the U.S. celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers will receive many lovely treats, gifts, and messages to commemorate their sacrificial commitment. It's important to remember the enormous contributions that teachers make to our children and society. 

We also recognize that it isn’t only the teachers who are teachers.

Nearly everyone who works professionally or voluntarily throughout the school campus makes an educational impact. 

For example, the office staff, the custodian, and/or the lunch server can also have an instructional relationship with students and colleagues. They can and do teach us so much. So, we like to celebrate everyone across the campus who contributes to the school’s culture and excellent experience.

The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. 
It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.
— Ashley Montagu

 

When you hear someone say, "Surprise," what comes next may be joyful and exciting, or it might be startling and painful. The results of that brief unexpected moment depends on the timing, the setting, the intent, the people, the preceding events, along with our mindset and expectations.

Surprise is actually an important part of life because ...
          ... it grabs our attention,
          ... enables us to learn even more, and
          ... opens our minds to new information and perspectives. 

Educators enable life-changing breakthroughs that reveal the incredible capacity of others to learn new things, solve hard problems, and do things that surprise them and us.

There is no surprise more magical
than the surprise of being loved: 

It is God's finger on man’s shoulder.

—  Charles Morgan 

When we surprise ourselves with what we can handle, we gain wisdom and insight.

When we surprise colleagues and students more than expected, we deliver unique delight.

When we surprise by consistently expecting the best, we enable the courage to reach.

When we surprise with unfailing grace and trust, we model what it means to teach.

When we surprise them in moments of conflict with astute foresight and perception, our unusual contribution is most appreciated by those who recognize the exception.

Thank you for your commitment as an educator, my friend, embracing the surprise of each day with joy in the privilege of such service.