Anthony Perrotta

To say I am a passionate film buff is an understatement.  It is clear that the word “buff” doesn’t truly encapsulate my odd appreciation for the cinematic experience as one that not merely entertains but promotes and nurtures critical analysis beyond the film text itself. With that said, I was recently enjoying J.J. Abrams Star Trek into Darkness and while being truly amazed by the grandeur of the picture’s cinematic scope, I could not escape a self induced inner dialogue reflecting on the film’s examination of leadership – effective leadership within an milieu composed of multiple and diverse personalities, attitudes, values and moral codes. Thus, as Star Fleet was in battle against a menacing foe, I found that Captain Kirk and Spock can teach us much about educational leadership and how to effectively lead within a space defined by looming challenges and potential successes.

In examining and reflecting on 21^st Century teaching and learning, much has been written about the teacher and student experience – how teachers push forward to provide students with authentic learning and how students transcend the norms and traditions of the classroom. In extension to this teacher and student centered conversation, it became apparent to me that much of the discourse is void of an administrator perspective – one that explores how leadership can nurture teachers to evolve in their practice and philosophy. Imagine if Kirk was your Principal and Spock your VP. So, what three things can Kirk and Spock teach us about educational leadership?

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ACTION:  Enter, Kirk. From the onset for Star Trek into Darkness, Kirk is placed immediately into the action. Fleeing from a tribe of alien ingenuous tribe, Kirk has not allowed the role of captain to limit his reach or participation within the Enterprises’ fold. His commitment to “action” earns him the respect of his administers and those on his crew. Thus, he directly and indirectly motivates his crew to take risks, engages debate, forms relationships and scaffolds others to become leaders in their own right- often leaving the Captain’s chair to others as he embarks on practical tasks.  However, with all of this action, Kirk continues to lead with a side of egotism where he perceives his actions to be morally right. Thus, where he is celebrated for his active leadership, his perceived weakness, especially by Spock, rests in a stubbornness to embrace convention (when applicable) and address his own limitations.

HUMILITY: It is with Kirk’s stubbornness, that Spock teaches him (and us) that active leadership must be married with humility and that moral code must be inclusive – aware of self and others. As Kirk and Spock bicker over Star Fleet regulation and the processes and conventions of leadership, it becomes clear that Kirk’s weakness is humility –  he has an intimate difficulty at admitting fault and consequentially recognizing the view point of others. Thus, where Spock deeply respects Kirk’s need to be an active leader , he continuously asserts that Kirk’s leadership needs to evolve to the point where system (in this case Star Fleet) goals must be obtained while managing difficult decisions,  taking ownership of faults and moving forward with the collective in mind.  Only when leadership is active and humbled (and by extension truthful), can it be morally whole– this is Kirk’s progression of growth through the film’s narrative.

CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS:  From the onset of the film’s opening action scene where Kirk must decide between exposing The Enterprise to a new world or saving his friend and crew mate Spock from the inside of a volcano he is trying to prevent from eruption, the two leaders share very tense words and battle through conflicting ideas regarding Kirk’s choice of action to save Spock at the expense of the greater good and Spook’s willingness to sacrifice himself for a cause greater than his own survival. It is from the opening scene that the evolution of their relationships throughout the narrative becomes the foundation for their shared leadership – without the ability to share tense words and explore conflicting ideas, the two could not grow individually and more importantly allow their crew to evolve in their own practice.  Thus, the courage to constructively share  feelings, ideas and opinions, contributes to the growth of a constructive relationship between the two. This formation of a relationship, especially from Kirk’s lens lives beyond Spock and is evident in his encounter with crew. Never one to dismiss his appreciation for his team, Kirk is also able to grow relationships based on candidacy and an ability to recognize the strength in individuals – fostering autonomy which leads to moments where crew members showcase their own leadership abilities.

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Granted, reflecting on educational leadership through Star Trek is not reading Fullan, however, it does provide a very visceral approach to understanding the changing power strong leadership possesses.  With all of this, leadership is multi-layered.  Educational leadership, within an every evolving climate, most be one of action (leaders actively participating in the learning and teaching), humility (where practices are reflected upon and new ideas are shared) and where strong and real relationships exist – not afraid to face difficult conversations with the goal to push forward with a shared goal in mind.

“Technology doesn’t determine the quality of the connection. Only you can do that.”

–           Bill Gates

If you haven’t seen them you should. If you have, you probably see a bit of yourself or someone you know in characters such as Bender, Ferris, Cameron, Ducky and Andie.  From the Breakfast Club to Pretty in Pink, the films either written, directed and/or produced by John Hughes not only defined the marginalized teenage experience of the capitalistic driven 1980s but also speaks to contemporary issues surrounding 21st Century Learning and the importance of school culture and climate – the stories are timeless and provide a true mirror to education today.

In looking at 21^st Century Learning, it is important to note that technology plays a supporting role to the individual classroom teacher’s lead in creating learning activities that are authentic and speak to the student experience. Thus, this engagement (making and sustaining personal connection and relevance) can greatly assist in promoting a learning space that is genuinely student centric.  In this space, school culture and the climate become topical realities as the emotional atmosphere of the learning space (along with physical) is as important as curricular learning – ultimately the curriculum doesn’t matter if students are not actively participating in their learning or feel as if they are members of a positive community.

So, as teachers and leaders of learning, it is important for professional reflection on this matter. How do we not only teach but treat the students in what should be considered a shared environment, where “professional” teaching and learning is taking place?  Do you remember the attendance scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off where the monotone teacher impersonally calls out names without paying attention to not only individual faces but importantly the passive bodies that echo indifference. Or  how about the tense and fragmented relationship between the hyper institutionalized Principal in The Breakfast Club, who, through a collective marginalization four distinct “types” of students attempts to construct himself not only as hard lined administrator but the moral conscience of conservative living.  These representations of teaching as disconnected from the real,  speak to the crisis of characters in Hughes’ film and our potential real world classrooms and thus students.

Ferris is the overly intelligent under achiever who seeks real world learning and problem solving, Cameron suffers from a middle-class induced anxiety about his place in the world, Bender is a product of violence  who seeks acceptance and Ducky is trapped in his own awkwardness and yearns to showcase his identity.  These characters are in many ways our students. Thus, it is our moral imperative to recognize that 21^st Century learning is not technology driven but importantly a learning experience that ensures that students are collaborators, participants and owners in their learning and that school is not as a place for only assessment but for self growth.

So, where do we begin with all of this – how do we begin to build a positive climate and culture for students like Ferris, Cameron, Bender and Ducky and many others? Simply, it starts with a simply hello and conversation that moves between the formality of the everyday. Only when those positive relationships exist will students move along on a journey with their teacher – only then can we as teachers help them see who they are and can be.

More on the importance of climate, culture and their respective definitions can be found in the report entitled ” The effects of school culture and climate on student  achievement.”

In the midst of the early morning rush, my two year-old daughter Emma sat contently on the couch working with puzzles on an Elmo Worlds educational app. Along with being focused on the iPad, she was also nodding her head to the songs of Sesame Street being projected from the television. Yes, perhaps she was a bit over stimulated for the morning, but, she was learning. She was learning to multi-task, she was learning about shapes and as her nodding turned to singing, it was evident that she was learning through auditory simulation. With all of this, it became very clear to me that within a social and cultural framework, both the iPad and Sesame Street are in synced – both game changers in education that were criticized at their inception as mere entertainment – empty of true and meaningful participation on the part of the user/audience. In fact, if reflecting just on Sesame Street – it was the iPad of its time. An artifact that promoted activity – dancing to songs, singing, role playing etc. I have clear memories of drawing and coloring while watching or rather listening to Sesame Street – I was interacting with  the show even  though my 80s cubed television was not a touch screen.

This brings me to a reading recommendation that is relevant to either the educators of the world or pop-culture buffs.  Michael Davis’ writing entitled “The Street Gang” provides an historical account about the birth of Sesame Street in the 1960s. A by-product of an intense dinner conversation focused on the viability of television as educational tool, Sesame Street has remained a cultural phenomenon. “The Street Gang” tells the story of how Sesame Street defied expectations to become one of the most popular educational tools in the world.  Some may argue it is merely a brand void of moral purpose and one only committed to “educate” for commerce.  I as former child-age junkie, teacher and parent,I passionately retort  -advocating that its brand, characters, songs, animations and now 21^st century applications, promotes imagination, literacy, numeracy and the play skills that are fair reaching and every so important within a socially driven world.

With all of this, visit a link to the “The Street Gang” and read a few pages for free. I purchased the book and it was an engaging read that looked not merely at the birth of Sesame Street but also the academic research that went into its inception and how the program stands purely on the foundation of education.