Values: 'Ye Shall Know Them By Their Fruits

Einstein highlights the importance of values because of their profound impact on our lives. I wrote, in self reflection a few years back- "knowledge of self is super important. I've always said this to students, friends, and mentees but when faced with the question of something at the core of who we are, I struggled to find honest answers." The question, What are my personal values? Which behaviors and values do I rely on from others? Over time I was able to muster up some commonly stated values, but they felt less than authentic to me because I had not honestly reflected on this fundamentally important question.

A value is a tightly held belief from which we act. Our core values are often enduring beliefs that can be influenced in part by culture, religion, and community. In the context of our whole selves that we bring to our students each day, our values are the roots that give rise to our thoughts, which bear fruit to our action. Alignment along this continuum is super important because it is what gives purpose and a sense of balance to life. Discord between how we act and our core values present conflict. There is a fascinating body of research emerging in the field of psycho-neurobiology that demonstrates the relationship between an individual's thoughts and immune function amongst other aspects of our biology. The potential here is that by knowing our values, we are able to act in accordance with them and with that comes a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.

I've witnessed many instances where schools claim lofty and ideal values such as truth, integrity, and curiosity; however, the actions from within do not reflect the integration of such values. Turning the mirror on ourselves as teachers, support staff, and administrators we have a responsibility to reflect on our personal values and ensure that we are acting in alignment with them. Dr. Jim Taylor has some amazing questions that are perfect for both deconstructing and reconstructing values.

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