Heart Out

*Prior to reading this article, please take time to scroll back in the Perfecting the Practice webpage to read the first installment of this article trilogy written by Dr. Sara Morton.

Part 2 of 3 installments which was preceded by Part 1: Head Up and will be followed by Part 3: Smile On

Now that we walk with our heads up, ready to examine, engage, and explore, we must be aware of our posture as we enter communal spaces. A former colleague shared a story about how her district superintendent would walk onto a school campus gracefully and purposefully. She described the woman walking with her head up and shoulders back. This description created a visual image of a person who entered every situation heart first. To this day, I still consider what it means to walk into the space of others with my heart first. I am a task-oriented person. I make lists, and during exceptionally busy seasons, I make lists for my lists. However, I am learning that exceptional teacher-leaders prioritize heart work to facilitate genuine connection, leading to task completion. Fortunately, I have exemplary models who have taught me how to slow down my task-oriented posture (head first) and enter shared spaces with my heart guiding the interaction. Three important lessons I have learned are that heart-out teacher-leaders are good at reading the room, recognizing the whole person, and responding compassionately.

Reading the Room

Heart-out teacher-leaders gauge the emotions in the room before they press forward with the task at hand. When someone asks me how I am doing, my typical response is, “Great” or “Fabulous.” I rarely mean it, and they seldom follow up with wanting to know more about what is great or fabulous. We all know the question is a matter of being polite as we prepare to launch into the real reason for the interaction. Still, there are people in my life for whom this rote response won’t cut it. Do you have family members, friends, or colleagues who won’t take your surface-level response as the answer? How do they know to dig deeper? How did they learn to look past the facade and move straight to the heart? Do you think this skill is nature or nurture?

Since I have already set the stage that if I have any skill in this area, it must have been nurtured, I will share one strategy that has shaped how I have developed a heart-out approach. The Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) has a free publication called SEL Three Signature Practices Playbook 2019. The first of the three practices is the Welcome Inclusion Activity. This activity is intended to bring forward the voice of every person in the room and build meaningful connections within the group. The philosophy behind this opening activity is that “the more we fully share ourselves and are fully received and understood by others, the stronger and safer our learning environments become” (CASEL, 2019, p.10). Safe learning environments lead to constructive risk-taking and vulnerability. I have been practicing this with my colleagues and students. I am amazed at how much more I know each of them and how much more we willingly bring our authentic selves to individual and group interactions. These interactions lead to a deeper awareness of what lived experiences have shaped and are shaping the whole person.

Recognizing the Whole Person

Heart-out teacher-leaders recognize that everyone is balancing challenges beyond the confines of the classroom or job. Using genuine interactions to support an understanding of the cognitive load an individual is carrying fosters empathy, which creates an environment where individuals feel understood and supported. I work in a heart-out environment. I often say, “Concordia is a family-first workplace.” I have felt this way since the beginning. I am a diligent employee who strives for excellence in my vocation as a faculty member. Still, I know that if the moment arises when I need to drop everything to take care of an ailing family member or rescue my stranded child who has a flat tire on the side of the road, it will not be held against me. That is the ethos of this institution, and it is the foundation from which I extend similar grace to my students. Not all students have the sole responsibility of being students. My students carry multiple roles (e.g., spouse, parent, caretaker, coach, employee, student, etc.). To ignore or exclude these roles when interacting with them about projects, assignments, and deadlines would be to see them as one-dimensional beings. Heart-out teacher-leaders recognize that humans have been created to be multi-dimensional and that, often, external experiences deepen the value of what each person brings to their role. Awareness, appreciation, and acknowledgment help teacher-leaders better understand the needs and tailor support accordingly. This can lead to increased trust, collaboration, and overall well-being within the team.

Responding Compassionately

Heart-out teacher-leaders take action by supporting their team with compassion. I recently learned that action is the key difference between empathy and compassion (Strauss et al., 2016). This prompted me to think about my actions or lack thereof and my primary response when others’ circumstances emotionally move me. While I am still contemplating this concept, I have been able to discern that the relationship I have with others often is a defining factor in how deeply I will respond. The following is a non-comprehensive look at the spectrum of my responses:

 Empathy

• Responding with heartfelt care and concern
• Listening intentionally
• Validating feelings

Empathy Moving Toward Compassion

• Praying diligently
• Purposefully follow-up
•  Offering words of encouragement or a minor level of support

Compassion

• Providing tangible resources
• Engaging with others and providing connections
• Being sacrificial with time to serve and support

Pursuing genuine relationships establishes trust and provides opportunities for deeper levels of connection through acts of compassion. 

Ultimately, embracing a heart-out approach enhances collaboration and productivity and fosters a sense of belonging and mutual respect. As we move toward a head-up, heart-out, smile-on leadership style, it is important to remember the impact of entering shared spaces emotionally alert, responsive to the wholeness of people, and ready to respond with compassion.

CASEL. (2019a). SEL 3 signature practices playbook 2019.

Strauss, C., Taylor, B. L., Gu, J., Kuyken, W., Baer, R., Jones, F., & Cavanagh, K. (2016). What is compassion and how can we measure it? A review of definitions and measures. Clinical psychology review, 47, 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.05.004

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Dr. Sara Morgan began her career in education as an instructional assistant at Salem Lutheran in Orange, California, before pursuing a teaching credentials in multiple subjects and education specialist fields. She obtained a Master of Arts from Chapman University and an administrative credential before serving as a Program Specialist for students with autism. In 2012, Dr. Morgan transitioned to full-time work at Concordia University. In 2023, she achieved a Ph.D. in Education focusing on Disability Studies.

At Concordia, Dr. Morgan teaches in the credential program, catering to students aiming for multiple subjects, single subjects, and education specialist credentials. She celebrates that the program is designed to integrate all candidates, fostering a comprehensive understanding of child development and providing opportunities to incorporate inclusive teaching practices. Concordia students are uniquely positioned to grasp the nuances of the Establishment Clause and Dr. Morgan is dedicated to debunking misconceptions and fears surrounding religion in public education.