A tweet from Jen Schwanke in Education Week Teacher that keeps popping up in my feed says: “The biggest challenge I face as a leader is carrying the burdens, worries, frustrations, and challenges of so many other people.” This hasn’t popped up just once, but I seem to see it weekly. As Christian educators, we should be pretty clear about … Read More
Women’s Leadership: Making Room at the Table
I grew up in an idyllic small town in Minnesota as the youngest of four kids. I had more people to look up to then anyone could ever ask for, and my siblings and parents helped me understand my place in the world by the expectations they set for me. As an admittedly exasperating little sister, I was always a … Read More
Identity Crisis: Women in Leadership
“This is the most sexist, racist place on the planet and I am underpaid, understaffed, overworked, and summarily ignored.” Where have you heard that before? Perhaps one of the descriptors resonates with you. If we are honest, maybe more than one of those sentiments has been in our heart (if not on our lips), and maybe more than once in … Read More
We’ve Got to Talk the Walk: Intentionally Supporting Women in Christian School Leadership
I was stunned. There she sat—an intelligent, energetic, Christcentered young faculty member—and her question to me, the (also female) assistant headmaster at her Christian school, was whether or not our leadership team values and supports women in leadership. We were having an in-depth conversation about our institution’s mission and vision, and she honestly wasn’t sure. After I assured her of … Read More
Women in Educational Leadership: Challenges and Supports
If one discovered an untapped source of gifted leadership for schools and organizations, it would be inexcusable not to share that with the educational community. Yet there is such a source, in gifted women leaders. Currently there is a scarcity of female leadership in Christian education. All leadership is costly—and tough, especially for women who believe God has called … Read More