Finding the Fuel to Struggle Well
The Baylor Center for School Leadership hosted Culture of JOY on Monday, September 9, at the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center for more than 250 education leaders from Central Texas to Madrid, Spain. This half-day professional learning event focused on the concept of joy—not merely as something to find in one’s profession, but as a sustaining force. As Dr. Jon Eckert, co-executive director of the BCSL, emphasized, “Joy is not freedom from struggle. Joy is the fuel to struggle well.”
Eckert challenged the group to consider that, “when we focus on our own happiness, we miss joy.”
In his definition, Eckert noted that happiness is circumstantial, fleeting, self-focused, and withers in struggles; whereas with joy there is an overflow of enduring love and gratitude for others, and it effervesces through struggle.
Eckert quoted Hebrews 12:1-2a to illustrate how Jesus’s example shows us how to live a joy-filled life in all we do.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross.
“The depth of our struggle determines the peak of our joy,” Eckert encouraged the group, before offering tools and resources designed to help educators reconnect with the purpose that first drew them to the profession.
Amanda Forbes, Edify’s vice president of education, attended Culture of JOY and said the day was impactful and felt grounding for educators, giving them substance to take into the year ahead.
“I work internationally with a variety of schools and today I longed for them to have this experience reconnecting with a sense of calling and mission that educators have,” Forbes said. “I mean, that’s why we do what we do. But we can so quickly forget and get caught up in the bureaucracy, the busy-ness, the politics, and just the challenges of being in the classroom. So, I just love that sense of reconnecting with purpose and the why for educators.”
The intention behind Culture of JOY is not to give educators more to do, but to lighten their load with tools to make their days at school a time they look forward to. With feedback, engagement, and well-being (FEW), a concept illustrated in Eckert’s book Just Teaching, educators can work toward this goal. Each piece of FEW is related to strengthening relationships among colleagues and with students.
Sharina Hubbard, principal at Dean Highland Elementary School in Waco ISD, said it is the heart work that helps us struggle through the hard work.
“It’s a network where we can build alongside like-minded colleagues and friends. Since being part of the Center for School Leadership on the advisory board, and participating in Culture of JOY and Just Leadership, I have grown as a leader in my craft,” Hubbard said. “I’ve gotten more confident. Being involved in this work confirmed that I’m on the right track.”
Meg Parker, director and dean of the schools of arts and humanities at Legacy Christian Academy, added to that saying, “Culture of JOY shows you the teacher you want to be.”
“That can be very inspiring or that can shift your mindset of who you want to be,” Parker said.
A panel of students also contributed to the event, expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to share their perspectives. They emphasized how meaningful it was to be heard and to contribute to the conversation about joy in education.
Raven Chapple, MA fellow, remarked, "Culture of JOY was perfect timing. It was refreshing to hear so many voices discussing the true meaning of joy and what that looks like for both educators and students. I immediately applied what I learned in my classroom. The event was well-organized and packed with insightful sessions, each led by presenters who truly understood the unique challenges and opportunities in education today."
The Baylor Center for School Leadership will host Just Leadership on February 3, 2025, and Just Schools Academy in July 2025. Stay connected to hear more from the BCSL on research, connecting with colleagues, and professional learning opportunities.