I’ve always been surrounded by women. I grew up with three sisters, and I have two daughters and a wonderful wife.
Yet when I think of the people that I look up to as heroes and leaders, I inevitably think of men… I was tempted to list some here, but that’s not what this post is about.
The simple fact is that women should rule the world.
I’m not talking about Madonna or Britney Spears, I’m not even talking about Hillary Clinton… I’m talking about down-to-earth, community focused, compassionate women… I’m talking about the force of Yin in a world of Yang… I’m talking about women who lead by example and women who are nurturing and caring.
Two places where I connect to some pretty amazing women are in my Twitter and blogging networks. Tonight I came across a tweet by Claire Thompson about a post by Betty Gilgoff:
I met Betty when she invited me to present to a couple of her TLITE groups. Here is the subject of her post:
There has been considerable research done proving that loans, support and education for women in developing countries has a significantly better impact than when similar services are provided to men. Women are doing amazing things to change our world… and yet I seldom see women being highlighted as true leaders and role models.
So here are a few real educational leaders worth watching, and more specifically reading: (Alphabetically)
Kim Cofino: Her blog says ‘always learning’ but she is ‘always teaching’, and she really gets collaboration!
Liz B. Davis: From her Two for Tuesdays, to her book and presentations, she is always helping others learn.
Vicki Davis: The Cool Cat Teacher leads the way with world-flattening collaborative projects.
Heidi Hass Gable: Parents are educators too, and Heidi is an educational partner, thinker, and leader.
Sue Waters: Like Liz, Sue shares a wealth of knowledge and she is extremely supportive to people in her network.
The wonderful thing about my digital network is that I could easily add another 10 inspirational women to this list… but for now I’d rather leave the list as something manageable to look at and explore. Please take the time to ‘visit’ these wonderful leaders and learn from them. And feel free to share a link to one of your inspirational leaders with me.
Also, ask yourself Who Have You Helped Today, and if you can’t come up with a name, then take Claire’s advice on Betty’s blog post and maybe donate some money for loans through Kiva… when you do so, think about loaning it to a girl!
David,
Thanks for including me in your list of inspiring women. I am honored to be included among so many great women. I also find Kim, Vicki and Sue to be important members of my learning network. Thanks also for introducing me to Heidi.
Now to stir the pot just a bit… I have been included in other lists of inspiring WOMEN and, while I am happy and honored to be recognized (especially by you since I respect you a great deal), there is also something just a tad condescending about qualifying the list by gender. What if it had been about the top black or Jewish or gay educators to follow?
I am writing this here, because I feel safe enough with you to say this. I know that you respect me as a person, not just as a woman. So, I hope you won’t take this the wrong way!
I do appreciate your recognition a great deal (really!). However, I’ve had this on my mind and thought I would put it out there. I hope you won’t feel I am picking on you personally, just trying to start a conversation about this gender thing, which nags at me from time to time.
Hi Liz,
That is a very good question, and no offense is taken, just as no offense is intended.
Having two daughters, I have become keenly aware that there are very few worthy female role models that are spoken about and looked up to these days. Instead we have scandalous pop stars and movie stars as well as unrealistic body image expectations placed on girls by the media.
Wathcing the Girl Effect video really made me think about this and think that more women who are inspirational should be recognized as such. But you made the list for many reasons, and the fact that you are willing to ask this questions, with such a non-threatening approach, further suggests why I put you on the list. All five of you work hard to be community oriented, sharing your ideas passionately and respectfully… I would even say with grace. This approach is different that the approach taken by many male leaders (in my opinion).
Many years ago I read the book,
The Tao of Leadership, which I think looks at Leadership from a feminine approach. Although I think that both men and women can lead with this approach, I also think that women actually have an advantage here, especially around compassion, and a supportive community focus. Twelve years of coaching competitive water polo taught me that boys and girls are hard-wired very ‘differently’… both with advantages and disadvantages compared to one another.
Pehaps I’m merely biased, but I think our world would be a better place if there were more women in powerful leadership roles… and I don’t think that will happen without making attempts to showcase female leaders that are worth following.
When showcasing women, is it necessary to point out they are women? It might be just as powerful to talk about us as people and about the qualities you admire. I’m sure your readers would notice that you had only chosen women without you pointing it out.
The “hard-wiring” perspective is tricky. Teaching in an all boys school, I see all kinds of boys. I see what they have in common as well as what makes them individuals. As a parent of a boy and a girl, I often question my observations about their differences, is it gender or is it just personality? My sample size at home is very small.
I am and have always been a feminist. I do believe that there is sexism in the world and it does help to highlight women (among other under-represented groups)in positive ways. But that can also lead to a “separate but equal” mentality.
I also agree that men are often more aggressive in their blog commentary when they disagree. I wonder if I couch my perspective in too much sugar. Does that take away from the power of my argument?
I would certainly include you among the leaders in our community that I respect and admire, for many of the same reasons that you chose us. Your compassion and belief in community is inspirational to us all. Perhaps it is because you are so in touch with your feminine side. (Thanks for continuing this conversation – I always enjoy pushing the envelope with you)
Thank you for adding me to the list.
I often think that it is tough when there are lists of great educators with no women but we have to make an intentional list of women.
I’m so thankful that you intentionally go out of your way to notice and appreciate a wide diversity of people. At some point the gender, race thing won’t matter as much, for now, I guess – it does.
Thank you so much for including me on the list in such great company!
Good afternoon all!
I must admit that I’ve been thinking a lot about the gender stuff – more specifically how women are portrayed, how we are judged, and how we are often belittled in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways.
Barry Oshry speaks about systems, dominance and “otherness.” http://seeingsystems.blogs.com/my_weblog/2008/09/the-story-indic.html
In that context, women are the “others” and our language reflects this difference (waiter, waitress, actor, actress) – and that’s why this differentiation bothers me, I think. Because it implies that I am different and perhaps “less than” the men around me.
Does this offend us because deep down, we’re afraid that it’s true? That we really are less? Would it offend if we were confident in our value and worth, regardless of the intent?
What I’ve been learning and practicing is to trust in myself and ignore the “distractions” around me. http://www.iwasthinking.ca/2008/12/15/an-eagle-knows-its-an-eagle/
I am getting better at being proud and confident of being a woman – and of knowing that I don’t have to do things (like manage a team or a project) the way the system or society or the “old boys club” tells me I’m supposed to (CONTROL them, have inflexible rules, apply consequences, punish, etc…). Instead, I’m learning to trust my “feminine” way of leading (influencing, building relationships, creating trust, sharing my passion, using my creativity).
It is a softer kind of power – yet every bit as powerful when I trust in myself!
Here’s what I’ve come to believe: the world will not change until we change ourselves! When we stand up and just expect equality while being ourselves, we will indeed have taught everyone around us how we deserve to be treated!
So thank you – for including me on your list, for believing in me even when I haven’t believed in myself, for supporting me to be MYSELF!
You’re pretty incredible, my friend! As the others above have noted – I also respect you immensely, and that makes this that much more of an honor!
Take care,
H
Kia ora Dave
Can’t argue with you there! Silvia Tolisano, Kim Cofino, Sue Waters and Michele Martin are four women who got me into blogging and taught me how to do it. Their team worked hard for more than a month to provide volunary assistance to Homers like me. There wasn’t a bloke on the team. They were the team.
Catchya later
from Middle-earth
David, what a treat to read this blog post. First of all I came to it from the perspective of living in a household of boys to men. My young men have grown to be funny, sensitive, caring and good friends. I wonder who their role models are? I wonder if they learned to treat people as people by living in our family and watching the interactions between their parents rather than believing the advertising media. Or were my explicit comments during advertisements what sunk in “hm, does it look like they are selling cars in that ad or selling sex.” “oh, Mom!” We live by example and hopefully our children see the examples we live by are the parameters they will live by as well. Or at least they will take the good examples and discard the bad. A great thoughtful post. You generated a great discussion.
Cheryl
Just wanted to leave a quick comment to share kudos for writing such a thoughtful and accurate posts.
As a man, who has always had a hard time dealing with other men, especially those saturated in machismo and testosterone, I agree that the world needs to move more towards the feminine.
As the father of a little girl, I see her future as one where she will not be judged as a woman, but as a capable, compassionate, and intelligent human being.
In closing, I would like to share a link to a project run by my best friend. I have mentioned it on Twitter, but I would like to add a plug here as well, because it seems to fit your message. I hope you don’t mind.
Daraja Academy will be the first free secondary school in all of East Africa. In January 2009, 25 girls from Kenya will be given a chance for a secondary education which would otherwise not be possible, given their current economic situation.
The mission of the Daraja Academy is to cultivate a community of individuals with a sense of cultural awareness, social conscience, and environmental responsibility, all while instilling talents that will enable them to open doors to a global society.
More here: http://daraja-academy.org/
I thank you and all of your readers in advance for any support you can give to this grassroots project.
I will be heading to Kenya next week, to learn more and will share what i find via the network.
Liz’s comments have inspired me to write another post: Unintentional Bias. She has again earned her spot on my inspirational list.
Vicki,
Yes, I like that you say ‘for now’, it lifts my spirits to think that gender and race will not matter in the future.
Heidi,
Thanks for both your thoughtful comment, and also for the advice you shared on my ‘Unintentional Bias’ post too.
Ken,
As well as Kim and Sue, Silvia Tolisano and Michele Martin are both great educators that I’ve ‘met’ online, and I thank you for sharing who your mentors are.
Cheryl,
We really do live by example, and just as your comment in my ‘Let’s Talk About Sex’ post said, ‘it is about being a good citizen online and in the community, it is about being respectful of oneself and others.’ I think it starts in the home and it seems you’ve done a great job there!
Jabiz,
We share the same hopes for how our girls will be seen in the future. Also, thanks for the link… an uplifting project that inspires hope!
Looks like sometimes it is worth coming late to the conversation 🙂
When I read your post the other day my response was that I was honored that you had included me on your list since I’m such an admirer of your work. Gender never entered my mind.
Yet when I read On Growing Facial Hair and Gender and Blogging and Top 25 Lists, Oh My! my instinctive response was do we really need to be having a debate on gender. These were posts by woman talking about male gender bias.
Chuckling as I enter into the gender debate — but if you look at the big collaborative projects what proportion of them are coordinated and facilitated by men as opposed to women? All the large projects I’ve been involved with have been coordinated by all women perhaps I have unwittingly been exhibiting gender bias myself?
David, I’m so glad that you posted about ‘The Girl Effect’. It is a simple, but powerful message and I hope that most of the people who read this post will take the time to watch the video.
Dave,
Great list, thank you for sharing.
Liz and I are leading a conversation at Educon2.1 in January 2009 on the topic of in the hopes that we can bring to the table these three question as they pertain to the edublogosphere:
1. Is any group noticeably absent?
2. Is any group over represented?
3. What does/would equity look like?
Our blogroll, our Reader, who we follow on Twitter is all personal to us and the five impressive women you chose to showcase reveals a bit about your educational interests – thanks again for sharing.