sTeven M. garcia The reflecTive PrinciPal
The Rubik’s Cube of
School Leadership
W hile strolling through the streets of a popular Cape Cod town this summer,
I passed by a toy shop window and a familiar, rainbow-colored, 3 x 3-inch
cube caught my eye. It was a Rubik’s Cube, a three-dimensional puzzle that I have
teachers with programs and assign-
ments, hoping to ensure successful
alignments even as we seek assistance
not played with since the early 1980s. I purchased the cube to satisfy a summertime from others who have faced similar
regression to my simpler adolescent life, as well as to pass time during the waning challenges. Ultimately, we take risks and
dog days of August. But as I attempted once again to master the challenging feat of see successes with some of the decisions
matching the colors on each of the cube’s six sides, I thought about how this game we make. However, we also experience
reveals lessons that we all face as educators and leaders. Every year, we encounter disappointment and disillusionment
and solve challenges that must be addressed on several levels, just as the Rubik’s when our best efforts fail to deliver—
Cube puzzle must be solved side by side and layer by layer. when we don’t get the puzzle pieces to
line up correctly.
The Teaching layer I remember the first time I actually
Each day teachers make decisions “school administrators matched all sides of a Rubik’s Cube. I
before, during, and after classroom was 12, it was late at night in the base-
lessons to successfully engage students
are regularly challenged ment of my childhood home, and I was
in the learning process, maneuvering to implement various fighting to keep my eyes open. My goal
through numerous machinations to was to match just one side of the cube.
address diverse learning styles and skills. courses of action in Twisting and turning the columns and
Their struggle to differentiate lessons rows, I completed the red side, and
and activities that correspond to the
order to arrive at the then I completed the green side. With
various needs of their students requires right solution.” another effort, I matched the yellow
a similar investment of time, thought, side. I turned the cube around, and to
planning, and reflection needed to my amazement, I realized that I had
solve the Rubik’s Cube puzzle. In a similar process, we can match the inadvertently completed the puzzle with
Effective teachers must break down colors on three sides of the Rubik’s all six colors aligned!
lessons into small components, rein- Cube before we are forced to start over As an adult, manipulating the child-
venting them again and again. And just in order to succeed on all sides. hood puzzle again on a warm sum-
when they think they’ve created a lesson mer day enabled me to reflect on the
that engages all learners successfully, The administrative layer responsibilities we hold as educators
they notice other possibilities and School administrators are regu- and the challenges we must conquer.
combinations that might work better. larly challenged to implement various As we strive to make the decisions that
courses of action in order to arrive at will benefit the students in our class-
the right solution. The search for con- rooms, schools, and districts, we must
tinuous school improvement, for understand it requires the same sort of
example, requires school lead- persistence, examination, collaboration,
ers to study, plan, implement, action, and reflection needed to solve
analyze, reflect, and adjust the Rubik’s Cube puzzle.
throughout the decision-making The puzzle’s final lesson as we strug-
process—the same skills and gle with difficult decisions and changes
actions necessary to conquer the throughout the school year is to remain
Rubik’s Cube. faithful to the ultimate prize—enhanc-
Just as we must match the dif- ing student learning. Then, when we
ferent colors of the cube, school least expect it, all of the colors will
leaders must satisfy various school match. p
constituencies. Some groups
may be less satisfied than others steven M. garcia is principal of Valhalla
with our decisions, yet we struggle Middle School in Valhalla, New York. His
to incorporate disparate needs in our e-mail address is sgarcia70@optonline.
plans. Likewise, we evaluate and match net.
www.naesp.org Principal n January/February 2009 47