I’ve been away a while now. Spring break flowed almost immediately into an 8 day trip to Singapore for the 25th Anniversary of the IASAS events culminating in softball, badminton, and track & field tournaments/meets all hosted by Singapore American School. It was an amazing event, so meticulously organized by the SAS ADs. After the tournament, I stayed in Singapore for the bi-annual IASAS Board meeting, for which I have been added as the IASAS technology advisor. A pretty cool position that hasn’t existed before, so I am just getting excited about the ways in which technology can improve an already amazing organization and “product” for kids.
(I know the patch is not the right one…but this is one from an event we hosted this year)
One thing that struck me, though, as I sat through the meetings, was the crazy extent/breadth of the AD job. They are travel agents who know every flight from their city on every airline. They are cheerleaders always working on and improving the spirit of their students. They are general managers, holding coaches accountable and ensuring that athletes are treated well, but also that they are following the rules. They are event planners, hosting event that dwarf the PD sessions I run. They are agents of persuasion, convincing parents to open their homes and host visiting students, again and again. They are communicators and they are workaholics. They live and breathe their strengths (like sports), but stretch themselves to support their weaknesses (like music…or vice versa). I work my butt off and these people put me to shame. Sometimes we think that what they do is not about education…that too often the trips take these kids away from school and away from learning. But what these ADs provide is opportunity for students to find out about themselves. To find out who they are either as a musician, a public speaker, or an athlete.
I am not going to lose myself here in the value of extra-curricular activity for kids, but let me say this. I was an IASAS kid. I became an IASAS coach. I am now a member of the IASAS Board. In that time, I’ve seen sports and activities bring kids out of their shells, bring friends closer and turn opponents into peers. I’ve seen kids become independent young adults and I’ve seen those same young adults make mistakes. And that’s okay. Because they learn from them. And they become better (or at least wiser) young adults. I’ve seen coaches inspire kids to find in themselves heart and guts that they didn’t know existed and I’ve seen humility set in sometimes when it was sorely needed.
There’s stagefright and nerves and there are performances that still give me goosebumps to think about.
And the ADs help provide that. They make all of that work. That’s pretty cool.
I’ll get back on the Ed Tech thing soon enough…been reading some great stuff out there…but this time, I just needed to get those thoughts off of my chest or out of my head. I love school. I love learning. And I love sports (and other extra-curricular activities). And kids need all of those things in their lives. Thanks all you ADs out there.
Tags: iasas
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