by Jan Irons Harris
With rumpled hair and floppy robe, I go to the kitchen before the sun rises to retrieve my morning cup of coffee. After selecting an inspirational cup and filling it with my favorite brew, I light a candle and sit before my laptop. Mother’s Day is approaching. As such, I am reminded of the lessons I learned from Mother simply from watching her through the years. My mother, Sarah Perkins Irons, and my father, Bobby E. Irons, provided a loving home for my sister, Rhonda Irons Anderton, and me. Daddy made a living for his family and my mother made life worth living - as they say. She gave us her best and she brought the fun. She set an example by her actions. She was a Proverbs 31 woman who rose early. Mother popped out of bed each morning, ready to go! I have no memory of her lounging or sleeping in late. When she came to the kitchen, she was dressed with cute clothes, and hair and make-up ready for the day. She delivered her morning cheerfulness with the kitchen table lovingly set for breakfast, and had our lunch bags filled with PBJ sandwiches, chips and a cookie and/or apple. She wrote an “I love you” note and placed it in the brown paper bag. Mother opened the curtains to let the sun in as soon as she walked in the room. She turned on the radio, and I caught her moving to the beat more than once. She was and is a happy person and that happiness shows in her winning smile and demeanor. She established routines that provided stability for us. She was at school in the afternoon pickup line early, and she had a snack for us. She cooked supper every night (unless there was a special event), and after supper we had a delicious, homemade dessert. As soon as she put the dishes away, she announced, “The kitchen is closed!” We knew there would be no more snacking. It was time to wind down for bed. We faithfully attended church. In fact, I never saw the end of The Wizard of Oz until I was grown! We didn’t have ways to record and watch shows later (in the 60s), so I watched the beginning of Dorothy’s adventure, and then we left for church. I watched Mother give her best - not to the world first - but to our family. Mother didn’t wait to provide a pretty table or celebration for company. She did it for us each day! Her high standards were displayed in the excellent meals she cooked for us. One day around supper time, a neighbor, Dr. Rivers Lindsey, came by to get his daughter, Stacie, who had come over to play, and he saw the attractive food on the kitchen counter. There was fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, rolls, congealed salad, and cupcakes. He asked if we were having company for supper? No, it was just a regular night at our house. The table was set and ready for Daddy to walk in the door. As usual, he would be welcomed by the aroma of a home-cooked meal at 5:15 p.m. Mother has the gift of hospitality and often entertained our friends and family. My sister and I are the daughters of a beautiful mother. When we lived in Virginia, our neighbors called her Miss Alabama! I saw Mother primp in the afternoon before Daddy came home. She taught my sister and me to put energy/effort in our appearance. Don’t look slouchy or unkempt. Look nice when you start your day and freshen up before seeing your husband. And, don’t complain! Don’t sigh when you sit down and be positive! Smile! Mother loathes lounging. She told us, “If you don’t have to go to work, don’t lay around watching television. The good life can kill you! Get up! Do something!” My parents are believers in walking. They log the number of miles they walk each day and usually can report walking between 400-500 miles each year. Mother went to exercise class throughout her life and she took care of her body. We learned to respect our body and not even take over the counter medicine without need. She didn’t want us to over lift or over do, but exercise, eat well and strive to be healthy. Mother created celebration rituals that we continue to maintain. Rule #1: Balloons are necessary! She put balloons on our mailbox when our birthday arrived, and we faithfully had birthday cake and a party to celebrate. She created a celebration for significant events for each family member and often took cake to widows when it was their birthday, too. Mother planned for an exceptional quality of life for us. She and Daddy took our entire family to Disney almost every year. At last count, I believe we had been 27 times. They took us on other trips such as trips to the beach, Washington D.C., New York, New Orleans, and Williamsburg. Mother did not like flying so I was fortunate to travel with Daddy to Hawaii and Europe. Mother loves pictures and we have boxes and albums full of captured memories. Nobody loves Florence more than my mother. She took us to parades and local events routinely. Additionally, Mother taught us to be dependable. She took care of little details and she expected us to do the same. When a special event was held for me in Huntsville, I was standing at the door when my parents unexpectedly arrived! They drove 1 1/2 hours after Daddy got home from work to attend a reception for me. Then they had to drive back to Florence. When I expressed my appreciation for their efforts, Mother said, “You can put on my tombstone: You can depend on me.” She said they didn’t want to miss this fun event. Several years ago, we ran into a friend at Walmart. His wife had passed away over a year before and he was still mourning her passing. He looked sad and depressed. When we got to the car, Mother said, “Did you see how sad he was? When I go, I want you to live life, celebrate holidays and enjoy your life. That’s what I do. I enjoy every day.” Mother is a role model and I admire her. She took care of us, and she put us first. She is our greatest cheerleader. My sister, Rhonda, my daddy, Bobby Irons, and I were the lucky recipients of her love and hard work on our behalf. She maintained a clean, warm, loving home for us. We had hot, delicious meals every single day. She was there for us everyday. Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am or ever will be, I owe to my dear mother.” Mothers are often taken for granted. I’m sure I took mine for granted. Now that she turned some of these home responsibilities over to Rhonda and me, I appreciate her hard work and dedication even more. Mothers are gifts from God. I learned these 10 lessons from my mother and many more. May we all show our appreciation and love to our mothers not only on a Hallmark holiday, but every day of the year.
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And, in the blink of an eye.....summer packed up its bags and went away until next year. So, we find ourselves in the midst of "Back to School-ness." As such, I'm reminded of the best teachers I have ever known. During my time of reflection, I identified the common qualities of these extraordinary teachers.
The best teachers I have ever known... 1. are organized. 2. respect time. 3. love their subject matter and work to improve their teaching of it. 4. encourage students through recognition. 5. are value-added employees. 6. are optimistic. 7. are professional. 8. have high standards. 9. communicate well. 10. engage students. This reflection causes me to pause and ask myself: Am I organized and punctual? Do I seek continual improvement of my craft? How do I recognize excellence in my area of responsibility? How do I encourage my students? If I quit my job today, would my supervisor mourn my departure wondering who would do my work or would he/she rejoice? Do I look for new ideas and contribute extra efforts to improve my school/district? Am I upbeat and look for the best in all situations or am I the "prophet of doom?" Am I professional at all times? Confidential? Do I produce work that is noble and reflects favorably upon my profession? Do I have high standards? If I teach math, for example, do I look for national competitions/honor societies for my students' benefit? Am I a good communicator? How do I share the good news/challenges related to my students with their parents and them? Am I an encourager? How do I engage my students in class? Do I give them opportunities to stand before their peers to demonstrate mastery of the curriculum? Do I assign responsibilities to students to promote leadership and growth? At the end of my day/year/career, there is nothing I long to hear professionally more than this: "You were the best teacher I ever had." Amber Kent, one of the best teachers I have ever known and Dade County's Teacher of the Year 2018, created an Illumination Award to recognize students of character, such as Camryn. She worked hard for the past three years preparing meals for the hungry in our community. Shown below left to right: Board Member Jennifer Hartline, Board Chair Carolyn Bradford, Superintendent Dr. Jan Irons Harris, Camryn, Teacher Amber Kent, and Principal Tracy Blevins. Wholey and I visited Washington, D.C. On July 24, 2019, God gave me the opportunity to visit the U.S. Department of Education!
The day I met Secretary Betsy DeVos was an amazing day that I will never forget. It was an honor for me to accompany Joy Hawkins, Executive Director of the Governor's Office for Student Achievement, GA State Superintendent Richard Woods, and their staff members to meet with the U.S. Department of Education Secretary. I was asked to share about innovative programs we have in Dade County. I shared about our recent partnership with NASA and the 3D printer that will be used for our students to make parts for the Space Station. I talked about the Great Promise Partnership (partnerships with local industry) and REACH Scholarships. I had an opportunity to talk about the needs of rural communities - specifically, the need for wifi and how much E-rate helps. I told Secretary DeVos we are increasing the rigor in our classes and we are creating caring cultures through our district-wide character ed plan and PBIS. It was an honor for me to meet Secretary DeVos, a gracious and focused leader. The number one topic during our meeting: the need to meet each individual student's needs. Throughout the conversation, it was clear to me that Secretary DeVos expects everyone to raise the bar for our deserving students. Left to right: Donovan Head, GOSA Deputy; Joy Hawkins, Governor's Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) Executive Director; Ryan Pelfrey, GOSA; U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos; GA Superintendent Richard Woods, Dr. Jan Irons Harris, Dade County Schools Superintendent; and Matt Jones, GA Department of Ed. Chief of Staff. Jan Irons Harris, Ed.D. ![]() I’m excited! Rowman and Littlefield Publishers and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) released my second book, Leadership, According to Solomon, recently. This book unites my two passions - education and Bible Literacy. Leadership, According to Solomon is not a traditional textbook. It’s a story about one school leader’s quest for wisdom. It’s a story that delineates seven qualities, according to Solomon that successful, wise leaders possess. It’s a story that reflects my imagination of perfect beginnings and endings. The characters in this story represent the best of us - who we are and who we long to be in our oscillating leadership roles. Katy Carter, a Master Teacher and principal, aspires to become a superintendent. She remembers a favorite graduate school professor who extoled the merits of identifying and securing a mentor. So, Katy asks her superintendent, Dr. Martin, to serve as her mentor and he agrees. Through lessons provided by her mentor, Katy learns the true meaning of leadership. Dr. Martin defines a job description for leaders, and identifies a leader for Katy to study: King Solomon - the richest, wisest king that ever lived. He introduces Katy to Solomon’s book of Proverbs, found in The Bible. These timeless truths, from America’s favorite book, equip Katy, a successful school administrator, to become a better leader. Dr. Martin shares, from his observations and from studying Solomon’s proverbs, seven qualities that wise leaders possess:
Additionally, Katy and her mentor provide examples of leaders who personify each of the seven qualities. Throughout the book, Katy reflects upon the proverbs related to each of the seven qualities. In the conclusion, Dr. Martin talks about the three types of people: the foolish, the wicked, and the wise. The reader will find a compilation of proverbs related to each of the seven qualities in the Appendix along with Reflective Questions for each section of the book. Like Solomon, Katy is not perfect; she wants to grow into a mature and wise leader as she assumes more responsibility and seeks continual improvement through professional learning and reflection of experiences. Over time, and with guidance from her trusted mentor, she develops a clearer understanding of what is required to improve her skillset and become an enduring, wise, and “even more” successful leader. I want to be a wise leader, don’t you? May we embrace lessons from this story that will be helpful to us as we, like Solomon, strive to solve problems with wisdom, and, therefore, help others entrusted to our care. I dedicated the book to my favorite teachers: Mr. Wayne Higgins (Elementary), Ms. Brenda Mitchell (Middle School), and Ms. Carolyn Eck (High School). We honored each of these outstanding educators on March 10, 2018 at Childhaven (a foster home in Cullman, AL). All proceeds from the book will go to Childhaven. Solomon said, “Blessed are those who find wisdom… for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 3:13-15 left to right: Jan is with Ms. Brenda Mitchell, Ms. Carolyn Eck and Mr. Wayne Higgins
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AuthorJan earned her bachelor's degree in math/education from the University of North Alabama and her master's degree in math/education from the University of South Carolina. She earned her doctorate in school administration from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She is married to her college sweetheart, Wholey Harris. She and Wholey live in Florence, Alabama. Archives
May 2023
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