By Jonas Jeswald, LL’12, gcLi Scholar ‘19, Head of Middle School, Germantown Academy (PA)
“Every interaction a child has during the course of a day influences the adult that child will become.”
Boom!
“Any moment in any given day in a child’s life has the potential to impact or shape that child’s future forever.”
Bang!
I was a member of the 2012 gcLi Leadership Lab cohort when I heard Dr. JoAnn Deak speak those words. When she said them while I was sitting comfortably in the Frautschi Campus Center on the campus of the Fountain Valley School, the breath mint I had been sucking nearly fell out of my mouth. The power of crucible moments as Dr. Deak explained them, hit me like a train.
I knew that the work I did with adolescents as a camp counselor, Spanish teacher, coach, and dorm parent in the years leading up to my gcLi Leadership Lab summer experience was important. I knew that the lessons I taught my students both inside and outside the classroom mattered. But the notion that any given moment or interaction that I had had with my students might have changed or shaped their future forever was overwhelming. I took a few deep breaths, a few big drinks of water and leaned in to learn more. And learn I did. During that powerful week in Colorado Springs, I learned:
- As educators, we are leaders and life-shapers who have a responsibility to be the best human beings we can possibly be for our students.
- We need to understand the science behind how our students learn best.
- We need to help our colleagues grow and to grow ourselves through intentional conversations and feedback.
- Above all else, our students need to know we care about them.
- We need to be open to candid and constructive feedback.
- We need to model that we are, like all humans, not perfect.
- The best leaders surround themselves with people who complement them. In order to do this, you have to know and share your strengths and weaknesses.
- While we must always do our best all the time, taking ownership and being humble when we miss is imperative.
- There are a lot of tremendously talented educators with lots to share, and nothing is better than spending a week diving deep into the work of leadership.
- And personally, I learned I was ready to lead.
I began the 2012-13 school year invigorated. I presented to the faculty of my school about the gcLi Leadership Lab experience and took every opportunity I had to share and discuss what I had learned about crucible moments, brain science, group dynamics, and leadership. When students were challenged in my Spanish class, I used Dr. Deak’s rubber band analogy to try to get them to work harder. I named moments that made me go “hmmm…” without judgement, trying to dive deeper to recognize what I needed to ask in order to gain understanding. I began to crave feedback from my colleagues and Head of Middle School. I also began to look for the next step in my career, because I didn’t foresee opportunities to lead in the way I wanted in my role at the time.
My search led me to Germantown Academy where, after one year as the Middle School Dean of Students, I was named Middle School Head. Very quickly, I went from being a Spanish teacher in a PreK-8 school with 90 or so Middle Schoolers, to leading a Middle School of 285 and 40 faculty. And while the learning curve was steep, and even today, in year five of my role, I sometimes still feel like a rookie, I fully credit my experience at the gcLi Leadership Lab for laying a foundation that made my transition possible. gcLi is everywhere in the work we do at Germantown. From a 7th grade class that we call Lead Lab, to a thoughtful and detailed student-led conference process, our students are being pushed to see themselves as leaders and to understand that leadership can come in many forms and be exhibited in many ways.
Seven years later, I am honored and humbled to be returning as a gcLi Scholar. I am looking forward to once again diving deep into the work of leadership with 60 or so educators who care. I’m looking forward to seeing which parts of the experience have changed, and what has stayed the same. I’m looking forward to learning from Jeremy LaCasse, Dr. Ted Fish, and Dr. JoAnn Deak again, and from Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair and the other faculty I have not yet met. I am looking forward to once again seeing the unbelievably beautiful prairie and campus of the Fountain Valley School and the view of Pikes Peak.
I am excited to add my voice to the conversation and to share my experiences because I have come to know this: teaching leadership is hard; defining leadership is hard; and being a leader is hard. I have also come to know that now, more than ever, our students and colleagues need strong leadership from leaders who are focused on helping everyone around them be their best selves. I can’t wait to get started.[vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator border_style=”dashed”][/vc_column][/vc_row]Jonas Jeswald is in his fifth year as the Head of Middle School at Germantown Academy, a PreK-12 school located just outside Philadelphia in Fort Washington, PA. Jonas is a graduate of the 2012 gcLi Leadership Lab cohort, and will be serving as a gcLi Scholar for the 2019 gcLi Leadership Lab in recognition of his efforts to build a culture of leadership at Germantown Academy. In addition to being Head of Middle School, Jonas also teaches Spanish and a section of Lead Lab, GA’s 7th grade leadership course. He is a graduate of Skidmore College and Northeastern University.