Transformational Leadership

Having grown up in a high poverty area of Los Angeles, I felt blessed over the years to be able to succeed in completing my teaching degree and later an administrative certificate that allowed me the privilege of serving families with familiar circumstances as the one that I knew from my childhood. My mission was not just teaching math and language arts, but to touch the lives of my students and their homes so that they could envision a bright future for themselves.

We often see the communities we serve and feel like perhaps a transformation within is needed. But, how does transformation really take place?

Jeremiah 29: 11-13 tells us that God actually has plans for us. Take a moment to wrap your head around that idea. The God that hung the planets and stars in the universe, knows you intimately enough to actually make plans for you! Then He says that we can rest assured that the plans, as bumpy as they may feel at times, will lead to a future full of hope. During these interesting times, we could probably agree that our communities are in crisis mode and in need of a major transformation. Romans 12:2 says that I should not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of my mind. This verse tells us that with God, transformation is essential and possible through Him. But, what is my role in this process as an educator? What are the ingredients leading to transformation? What difference can I make? In speaking to audiences of teachers and administrators, I came up with three essential institutional ingredients that, if they are healthy and working well, can cause transformational change in our communities in one generation’s time. Family The first of these ingredients is the institution of the family. When the families in our community are functioning according to God’s plan, that is, they are raising their children in a loving environment that supplies a steady dose of physical and emotional support, protection from the outside environment, and when our families provide positive examples for their children, this provides an institutional ingredient that can change our communities for hope and prosperity in one generation’s time. Faith Based Institutions The second institutional ingredient needed for transformation is our churches. Why our churches? Our churches have access to entire families! When our churches are functioning according to God’s plan, that is, they are preaching the good news of salvation, they are feeding the poor, giving shelter to the homeless, providing Bible based counseling to their congregants, and teaming up with healthy families, our communities can change towards hope and prosperity in one generation’s time. Educational Institutions The third institutional ingredient needed for the transformation of our communities is that of our educational institutions. Our country was founded on the idea that an educated population is less easily tossed about by empty philosophies that can hijack our understanding of the inherent principals of justice and goodness that our forefathers spoke of almost two hundred and fifty years ago. When our schools and universities provide a place where our students can feel safe to explore all that is within the academic menu, and we provide a nurturing environment with teachers and administrators leading the way as good examples for our children, then our educational system becomes an essential ingredient for community change for the good. Each of us in the field of education has a special role and calling to create an environment that allows for the shaping and renewing of the minds of those that God has placed in our care. These ingredients are formative and most all other institutions react to the outcomes produced by them. You are just one person, but, you are a key to transformation and you make a difference. One person can touch many lives in the classroom and many of us together can do much to create renewed, healthy communities. Even though we may not always see immediate results of our Christian influence on our students, Isaiah 55:11 assures us that His word does not return void , but accomplishes that which pleases Him and will prosper! Indeed, our calling is a high calling and is nothing short of transformational!