If there is no wind, row…

I have a poster of a Latin proverb hanging in my office. I am not sure where I first read it, but it says, “If there is no wind, row” – but I do know as soon as I read it, it resonated with me.  Whether it is in our personal life, professional life or the life of an organization like Saline Area Schools – we all face periods where there is no wind to fill our sails.  It is inevitable.

The success of a person or organization is often defined not by how they respond when the wind is blowing, but rather when it is not.  How do we react?  Are we able to dig in, grab an oar and row, or do we wait for the wind to return?

As a school district, we must be prepared to row.  Making progress for the benefit of the students and the community requires a mindset that does not stop when momentum is not on our side.  Even more important, we need to help our students develop the mindset of the being able to seize the moment when the wind stops.  They will face those moments throughout their lives.

The best way for the adults in the school community to help the students understand this concept is to model it. According to a recent Educational Leadership article, providing students with experiences that help them build their “reservoir of resilience” will serve them well in whatever they encounter in life.