“Well, all that sounds fine in theory. In reality, one person can’t really make a difference.”
I felt my cheeks flush, as I made direct eye contact with him.
“One person can make a difference, if that person is me.”
He rolled his eyes at that point, and we moved on to another topic in our parent meeting.
I wanted to argue with him. I wanted to list all of the “just one person” individuals that had made a difference. People like Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr..
I didn’t say anything though, because I understood his skepticism. He had sat through years of meetings with other Gifted and Talented parents and administrators. Not much had changed. He had become frustrated with a public educational system that didn’t meet the needs of his kids.
Start with the Why.
(Simon Sinek has a fantastic TED talk about this.)
I know that I’m not a famous leader. That’s not my point. Most people are ordinary. They become great leaders when they make extraordinary choices, despite obstacles.
It only takes one ordinary person with the courage and tenacity to follow through with something they are passionate about, and to make a difference.
Believing I could be the one person to make a difference is why I ran for the school board last spring. It was the first time in over 20 years that there had been a contested school board election. Most of our board members were appointed, because no one wanted to volunteer.
I didn’t know if I could win, but I wanted to show that it was important enough to me to advocate for my children and the needs of other gifted students in our school district.
I ran for the school board even though I had never won a campaign for anything else before. (Not even 5th grade class treasurer.)
I ran for the school board, because I wanted to bring greater awareness and funding to the special educational needs of gifted kids and advanced learners in our rural school district.
I ran for school board against a man who was one of the only parents with students on the board based on where my house is.
I ran against a man I respected, and thought did a good job. I wanted to show that the needs of our gifted kids were important enough to me to take a risk, and push myself outside of my comfort zone.
A couple of days before the election, I received a call from our part time district Gifted and Talented teacher. His position as GT coordinator was being converted to full time in fall so he would be able to primarily focus on the needs of the gifted students.
It was what I had asked and had been campaigning for.
I had been talking about how allocating financial resources to a full time position would benefit all the students, because a rising tide lifts all boats.
I borrowed my motivational quote and platform from John F. Kennedy. (Apparently he borrowed it from someone else.)
I had made a difference, as just one person.
I ran for the school board, and I lost.
I lost by a lot.
I’m afraid of rejection , and it stung.
I was disappointed that I lost, but I knew that what I had accomplished was important. The why behind my run for school board had been addressed.
Most parents are like me, and want to provide their children with the best educational opportunities possible. Sometimes, it requires facing your fears to make sure that it happens.
You might lose, or have things turn out different than you planned.
It is still worth trying anyway.
You can make a difference by starting a parent group. Maybe, you’ll do something more dramatic like ignoring the naysayer in your existing parent group, and run for school board.
Maybe, you’ll even win.
Last year, my triplet sons were part of a once a week, enrichment pull out program for 40 minutes. One gifted teacher divided his time between 2 elementary schools, a middle school and high school. He was under utilized by spending half of his time teaching basic math and study skills at the high school, though he was qualified to teach AP Physics or AP Calculus.
This year, my boys look forward to 4 days a week pull out for 40 minutes in a hands on environment with their teacher. They have studied logic and advanced math. They have written, produced and performed plays based on Greek mythology.
The enrichment class is their favorite part of the day. They are able to focus better, and share what they’ve learned with other children during the rest of their day. More than quadruple the number of children are being served by the new GT program.
The tide is rising.
One person made a difference, and that one person was me. It can also be you.
Genealogy Jen’s Challenge of the Week – Name one thing that you will do this week to be the one person who makes a difference. Remember, one thing or a small change can make a big difference.
Bonus Points – If you’re a parent of school age children, join or form a parent group.
This post is part of Hoagies’ Gifted Education monthly blog hop series.
To read more perspectives about forming parent groups. Please, click the graphic below.
So true! One person can make a difference, no matter how big or small.
Heck yeah! I’m glad that I’m not the only one who thinks so.
I don’t understand how people think that one person can not make a difference? There has been so many times in my life where one person has changed my life drastically in different subjects that controlled my life. Great post.
Right? Small and simple gestures by others have made a difference.
OF COURSE one person can make a difference! Even a tiny gesture — like being kind to a stranger, or believing in a child — can have a positive impact. But good on you, Jen, for going way out of your comfort zone to be an agent of positive change. You’re living the words of another fellow who knew a thing or two about making a difference: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Thanks Heather. I love that quote. I want more compassion and courage in the face of adversity, so that’s what I strive to do. ( I think I need to print that quote from Ghandi to put in my wallet too.)
This was fantastic, thank you for sharing these moments with us! I work in the field of special education, and I completely agree with you on the fact that gifted students, as well as special needs students, do not get the attention that they deserve. Personally, my feeling is that it is because it cost’s more from the school to assist in anything more then basic teaching/standardized testing.
Nonetheless, I really liked when you stated, “It only takes one ordinary person with the courage and tenacity to follow through with something they are passionate about, and to make a difference.”. Very true! 🙂
The world could be much different if we could think like this…
Jen, thank you for sharing your story!! I am so glad about the full time position. I think your story will inspire many other parents. 🙂
Thanks Emily. I feel so grateful for the change. I hope it helps other parents… That would be an even bigger difference.
I loved this and found it inspiring. I am running for a gifted coordinator (a volunteer position) in my daughter’s school and pledge to make more of a difference next year regardless of an outcome.
Thank you. I look forward to hearing back from you about the difference you were able to make.
i totally agree with you that one person does matter. she or he just has to make sure that they are heard. Also, the name is Mahatma Gandhi. Sorry to point it out but being an indian, i am very emotional about this person and couldnt stop myself when i saw it spelt wrongly!!
Neha, I am so embarrassed. I checked 3 times to make sure that I spelled his first name correctly, and didn’t even check Gandhi. (Which is what I’ve always heard him called anyway. When you are that famous, you can go by just one name and everyone knows who you’re talking about.) Thank you so much for catching that, and letting me know. I really appreciate it, and thank you so much for reading and commenting.
Good for you, Jen! You are an inspiration to us all!
I believe Neha was referring to where you put the H – it makes a difference in pronunciation (or it’s supposed to). His name was Mohandas K. Gandhi. “Mahatma” means “great soul” and is an informal title. He is also referred to as “Gandhi-ji” – still an informal term of respect, but more familiar.
(I’m also Indian!)
And now you know WAY more than you’ll ever need to know about that! (But go ahead and watch the movie “Gandhi”!) 🙂
Thank you for sharing that with me. I can never know too much. I love learning about different cultures, and appreciate you sharing with me!
I love how encouraging this post is! It is sometimes easy to forget that even the smallest things we do can make the biggest difference. Thank you for the insight 🙂
Great post, as always!
This is a lesson we need to remember ALL the time. It’s too easy to become complacent, thinking “No one has been able to change things before me…why would my efforts be any different.” I think this is a cop out….We’re busy, we’re not motivated enough, we are experiencing volunteer burnout, we don’t believe in ourselves, and as you mentioned, we are afraid to fail. But we all possess the power to affect change, if we want it badly enough, and possess the courage to follow through.
Benjamin Mee, as quoted in We Bought a Zoo, says, “You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” 20 seconds to hand in your application to run for the school board position.
Recently I experienced this 20 seconds as I stepped out of my comfort zone and made a single phone call that initially really intimidated me. The outcome of that phone call changed the tide of what appeared to be a losing battle. Before making the call, my attitude was more “Well, I guess it can’t hurt”, not believing in my own abilities. It wasn’t until afterward that I learned the real lesson, as you’ve stated: “Most people are ordinary. They become great leaders when they make extraordinary choices, despite obstacles.” It was an infinitely small success in the scope of world events, but it was my success, and it was empowering!
Awesome Deb! I just watched that movie with my boys a couple of weeks ago. The smallest things can make a huge difference. Great work on your victory.
Great post! One person surely can make a difference, and it’s up to each of us to keep trying. Your words remind us of those beliefs and encourage us to continue to fight the good fight.
Thanks Ann. You never know when the one time you do try will matter, so it’s best to keep trying.
I can’t tell you how much I love this story. I love that you fought for it. I love that you were an example to your children and to all the other parents out there who may be afraid of speaking up. I love that you said “just ok” isn’t good enough for your kids.
I love that although you may have lost the battle you won the war.
Thanks for the dose of inspiration.
Thank you! It is always better to voice your concern, and stand up for what you believe in, especially when it comes for advocating for the needs of your kids… even if it doesn’t turn out the way you hope that it will. PS Thanks for sharing my post with your Twitter followers as well.