“I Believe in School”
The concept of sharing one’s core beliefs publicly gained prominence in the 1950s through Edward R. Murrow’s radio show, This I Believe. While many may not know the original broadcast, its legacy lives on through NPR, podcasts, and countless classroom assignments. I discovered it when a colleague used it to inspire his English students, and I’ve since seen it spark college essays and self-reflection exercises.
The premise is beautifully simple: individuals share their fundamental beliefs in brief essays. As Executive Director Dan Gedimen explains, “The goal is not to persuade Americans to agree on the same beliefs. Rather, the hope is to encourage people to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from their own.”
The essays captivated me from the start. Some came from luminaries like Muhammad Ali and Albert Einstein, others from everyday people whose words carried equal power. Their clarity and simplicity resonated deeply with my lifelong quest to understand the core values and missions behind ideas, actions, and institutions. Through these essays, I discovered my own belief in the power of belief itself.
As I begin this blog, I realize my passion stems from a singular conviction: I believe in school. Notice I say “school,” not “education” – the latter has become too entangled in political controversy. I’m not here to debate standardized testing or teacher compensation (though yes, teachers are undervalued). Instead, I want to explore school as the sacred space where we entrust our children, where knowledge is shared, identities are formed, and values take root. I want to examine what makes school the most vital social institution in our world today.
When I started teaching in 1987, I couldn’t see this bigger picture. While I recognized schools were important, I lacked the perspective that thirty years of experience has given me. Through this blog, I hope to share what I’ve learned – to step back from the daily challenges facing teachers, coaches, students, and parents, and remind us all why this institution matters so profoundly.
I BELIEVE IN SCHOOL
