Lawrence Washington: An Educator Making a Difference in the Lives of Students
Lawrence Washington, the administrator/principal for a K-12 school district, is passionate about the power of education. “It can lift a child out of poverty and level the economic playing field,” he says. “It fills their mind with new ideas and takes their imagination to a higher level. A child who is educated is on track to changing the world. I believe so much in this that I have devoted my career to making sure that every student in my school will get the education they deserve.”
He was equally committed to learning when he started out as an English teacher in 1995. “Those were amazing days,” he says, remembering. “I had just graduated with my master’s in curriculum, instruction, and supervision. When I walked into my classroom for the first time, I was met by 25 strangers, kids I would be with for the next nine months. I learned very quickly how to manage the class and to teach the curriculum in the most effective ways. Along the way, I also learned a lot about what makes an effective leader.”
That experience would become very useful later on when Lawrence became the Dean of Students. “I was suddenly in charge of supporting hundreds of students and their education,” he states. “It was a juggling act for a while, but I got the hang of it and eventually became an assistant principal and then a principal/director.”
By working as a teacher and as an administrator, Lawrence has been able to develop a diverse skill set. “I’ve been able to learn about teaching, diversity and inclusion, HR, curriculum writing, behavior management, and leadership. Hopefully I will be able to use that experience to become the superintendent of a school district in about five years.”
With his extensive experience, he is often approached by aspiring education professionals for advice. “I suggest that they stay in college and get something higher than a bachelor’s degree. It just isn’t enough anymore, honestly. With a higher degree, you will have more career options. Another very valuable skill is being bilingual. I also recommend that people who want to work in education learn classroom management and leadership.”
Lawrence says that anyone who works in schools, be it in a classroom or in administration, is an educator. “That includes me. Each day, I remind myself that I must help students grow academically, morally, and socially. I try to pay close attention to each student I meet and to understand their unique personality and learning style. Doing so means that I can enable each student to grow to become the life-long learner and active citizen needed in our society. In short, I do all that I can to ensure that all students learn and are successful. It’s a good feeling when I see that happen.”
How success is defined will depend on the student, of course. As Lawrence explains, “It’s tied to how much they grow personally. This growth is the spirit of our challenge in school. Without educational growth, there can be no learning.”
He says that teachers can help by remembering that appropriate learning takes place through many different experiences. “This means that activities must be designed to lead the student from practical issues to theoretical principles. Learning also occurs as students freely engage in making choices while weighing personal responsibilities and the possible consequences of their actions. It is our role as educators to present principles, values, and reasons to students and to encourage them to examine the choices and decide whether to accept them.”
He loves when teachers employ a diversity of teaching styles. “That is very effective in making learning accessible to all students who learn differently, as educators know. When I teach, it is important that I find ways to utilize those differences in a democratic atmosphere that fosters cooperation rather than competition. Group work plays a large role, for it allows both a hands-on investigation of the content and an opportunity to build social skills. It also allows for individual strengths to be highlighted within the safety of the group. Students can also express their ideas in ways other than writing; posters, stories, three-dimensional art, and role-playing are some of the alternative activities available in my class.”
The ability of a teacher to be creative and understand how their students best learn will lead to wonderful growth, Lawrence says. “They will understand themselves better and express themselves in ways that are natural to them. They will even discover that education really can be fun.”
Lawrence admits that his words sound idealistic and that the reality doesn’t always match the vision. “Why should we let that stop us?” he asks. “There is something fundamentally idealistic about learning. Educators, including me, should never lose that spirit. If we can hold onto that, even on tough days, our students will become stronger for it.”