January 14, 2016
Did you buy a Powerball ticket? Multiple tickets, perhaps? A recent article in the New York Times included the following observation: “Jumping on the bandwagon is an age-old motivator of psychological behavior.” Stephen Goldbart and his colleague Joan DiFuria wrote in a Psychology Today article titled Lottery-itis!, “We want to be with the in-crowd, to be ‘part of the movement,’ not ‘feel left out.’” I’m not a gambling man, but I must admit that I have been sucked into the Powerball vortex with the possibility of being the lucky winner. In fact, I am writing on Wednesday so by the time you are reading this, I may be Minnesota’s most recent multi-millionaire.
I know I’m not the only one who dreams about the possibilities. Late last week, a group of MPA teachers and staff were overheard sharing their dreams of winning the lottery. Rather than talking about new cars or bigger houses, they were instead talking about the sizeable donation they would make to MPA. As Head of School, I am always thinking of (and hoping for) the transformative gift that would propel MPA into our next chapter. What struck me was the selflessness of the teachers and staff. It is a great testimony to the passion and dedication that MPA teachers and staff have for the students and for this school. I’ve not experienced that in other settings to the degree I see it here and I find it incredibly humbling and inspiring.
I’ve often thought that even if I won the lottery, I would continue working. I delight in the eagerness and joy with which our students scurry through the front door in the morning. I revel in the success of former students as they make their mark on the world. There are few moments as magical as the dawn of a new idea in the eyes of a student as they see something in a new way. Theologian Frederick Buechner once wrote that vocation is “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” I have long felt that being an educator is my vocation.
Mounds Park Academy teachers feel likewise. Middle School students were welcomed back from Winter Break by a bulletin board with pictures of their teachers holding up signs with a Twitter-type explanation of why they teach. Teachers also posted the sign outside their classrooms. Examples include:
– I love the connections I make with students, families, and teachers.
– I want to make a difference in my students’ lives.
– The power of art to change lives.
– Teaching helps me see the world in new ways.
– The joy of learning together.
– To inspire and be inspired.
– It’s the kids!
We are extremely fortunate to have so many exceptional teachers and staff who feel so strongly about what they do. I don’t think winning the lottery would change that.
