Abstract:

Laura Reasoner Jones discusses vision, and an essential clause: make it happen. She takes on a new job in a project bringing Internet access and modern technology to every teacher and family in the high-poverty area of the county the schools serve."

Jones, L.R. (2004). Carpe vision. Teacher Leaders Network diaries. Retrieved from the Teacher Leaders Network 11 Apr 2008. Link: http://www.teacherleaders.org/old_site/diaries04_05/LJ31_04_05.html 

Full Text:

Carpe Vision

"There is a thin line between vision and hallucination."
– William D. Pflaum

No, I am not having delusions that I am Joan of Arc. I am learning how to survive and thrive in a new job, and I am doing a great deal of thinking about "vision" — who has it, who understands it, and how important it is.

I have written before about a perceived weakness of mine that I feel can be a problem. I really do feel that I sometimes tend to just look at what is in front of me; I don't always see the big picture, the possibilities, until they are pointed out. For instance, I am kicking myself every hour of the day right now because I could not visualize the new paint colors on the walls in my house, and I hate them.

But there have been a few times in my life when visions — pictures of how a finished product or project will look — have dropped full-blown into my head, and I have been able to carry them out very successfully. (I can't figure out if 'a few times' is a good or a bad thing — should visions happen to a person all the time? Never? Am I behind the curve? Ahead of it? Am I neurotic or what?)

As an adult, I can remember three specific times when this kind of vision, this complete thought, appeared (for lack of a better word) and was carried out beautifully. The first was when I was on a committee at church to design paraments — hangings — to celebrate the church year. I know I was named to this committee because I made quilts, not for my artistic ability. But on the day of the committee meeting, I sat down with pencils and crayons and drew stunning designs that just came out of nowhere. The committee was stunned too-I think they suspected I copied them. But these designs just 'appeared' in my head, and now the paraments appear in the sanctuary every Advent season. I couldn't do that again if I tried.

When I worked at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, I was driven to create what are now called the Opening Classroom Doors exhibits, the compilation exhibits showcasing teacher work for the professional development audience. The whole concept of these exhibits appeared and I formulated and created them exactly as I had pictured them.

And last fall I had the third experience. As a result, I am working on my vision of setting my oral history tapes of my grandmother, mother and aunt to pictures and music for the preservation of our family story. I can 'see' this. I know exactly what it is going to look like when it is finished and how much pleasure I am going to get out of both making it and giving it to the rest of my family.

"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality."
– Warren G. Bennis

If I had to describe the vision process in different words, I would have to include the phrase "make it happen." Because that it how it feels when one of these visions comes to me — I am going to make it happen. And that what is starting to happen on this job.

My new boss has already developed his vision for the entire project — bringing Internet access and modern technology to every teacher and family in the high-poverty area of the county his schools serve. He is a true visionary — he can really see the big picture and how it serves children and families. I am basically the detail person here, and I am good at details. Somebody (me) has to carry out the vision!

But this huge new job of mine has two components: the family component and the instructional component. And the family component is the piece that seems to be becoming my own current vision; my "I can make it happen." And when I have my doubts about my ability to do this job well, as of course I occasionally do, I keep remembering that I bring a strength to this job that few teachers ever have: my intense work with families in my preschool job.

I firmly believe that I, as one of the many people working on this project, can 'make happen' one of the primary goals: every family in the high-poverty schools we serve will have computer and Internet access in one form or another. I can see it: families using the available community resources — the libraries, the schools, and the community centers.

I can see families being taught how to use the Internet, learning how to find resources to help their children and accessing the schools' Web sites for information about their children. I can see the community agencies learning how to navigate our Web sites in the 145 languages my school system sees. I can see families purchasing or receiving low-cost laptops through innovative funding programs we create. I can see this happening because we are going to make it happen.

This vision keeps me awake at night. I so much want to see results, but I know I will have to wait at least six months for something tangible to measure. But the vision is here to stay, and I am hoping it is not a hallucination.

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