The Wizard of Ed

So just yesterday my three girls asked to watch the Wizard of Oz. Of course I said yes in excitement that I would finally get a break from the typical, Sofia the First, Jessie, and Bubble Guppies, and finally get to watch a classic!

A few minutes in, I started getting this crazy correlation that life, business, and education is a whole heck of a lot like the Wizard of Oz.

Quickly we realize that we aren't in Kansas anymore and today's learner is not the learner from Kansas, but rather, the learner of today. A child who has grown up on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and countless other social medias...in an amazingly busy world of color, video, and media. They haven't known life without it.

So why are we teaching and learning like we are still in Kansas? In the black and white, pen to paper, homework everyday, Friday spelling, grades every week, monotonous, routine,----black and white.

First, we have to make a "Glenda Decision"

She asks Dorothy, "Are you a good witch or a bad witch?"
Dorothy replies, "I am not a witch at all."
Glenda still pushes the issue, "The munchkins want to know are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

This makes me think of our students and parents on the first day of class...Is she a good witch (teacher)? or a bad witch (teacher)? Interesting, are we good-witch leaders? or bad-witch leaders?

I think Glenda is on to something...we have to decide what team we are on in our schools, businesses, and organizations. What's best for our kids, or what's best for adults?

The answer should be easy.

Then we have to decide the role we play.



A Cowardly Lion might say:

"I'm afraid to try to new things? I am so scared I will fail? Oh, but we can't change it? I'm stressed that this will upset my team? What if I stand out and people get mad at me? Will my mistakes reflect poorly on me? Will my principal, boss, superintendent be mad at me? I'm afraid I should just retire"

A Tin Man might say:

"This will never work. Oh ya, you're just the latest buzz word...I've been here through 5 principals, leaders, bosses, managers...we will see if this lasts. I've been doing this for 25 years and it's worked. In years past we've always done it this way. If they keep making all these changes I will just retire"

A Scarecrow might say:

"Why do I need to go to this professional development training? I went to college for 5 years. I don't know how to do all that technology stuff, I'm just not techy. Oh, we have to do something creative, I'm just not creative, can (Insert name here) do all that cutesy, artsy, creative stuff for us? Does anyone know who I contact to check and see how many more years until I retire?"

Or are you a Dorothy? A Dorothy might say:

"Let's do this together guys. Look I will show you the way. I know it's gonna be tough and we might have bumps along the yellow brick road, but we will get there. We can do this!"

The beauty in the Wizard of Oz is that all of the characters are hoping the Wizard will grant them their needs. A heart, bravery, brains, and a home.



Notice, how Dorothy says, if the "Wizard is a wizard who will serve."

As leaders of anything it is our job to serve. We can't sit back and call all the shots from behind the smoke screen. We have to serve, learn, help, and guide our lions, scarecrows, tin mans, and Dorothy's.

So my final question...As "Somewhere over the Rainbow" plays in the background.

Will you be able to find your way home? Will you decide you aren't going to teach in Kansas anymore? Will you find your inner Dorothy and get your team moving towards the Emerald City? Leaders, will you be like the Wizard and decide to serve?