Page 18 - EdViewptsSpring2017

Kintsugi

By Paul Semendinger, Ed.D., Principal, Hawes Elementary School,
Ridgewood, NJ

My son came home from You invest in the best repair tool Most often as school leaders, we try to
possible and work diligently and hide our mistakes. We cover them up.
college, and brought up a Japanese carefully. But, despite all your efforts, We run from them. Often, even when
word, kintsugi, that immediately opened the cracks are still very noticeable. confronted with them, we fail to admit
up my mind to many thoughts. You now have a few choices: them.
It’s wonderful to find new words and 1. Put the bowl back on the shelf, We make excuses.
new ways of thinking. even though it is now a flawed We find scapegoats.
*** piece with very visible defects. We justify.
Let’s walk through a scenario together. 2. Put the bowl in a cabinet. It is too We do this because we don’t like admit-
You have a porcelain bowl on a shelf precious to throw out, but you can’t ting mistakes. We strive too hard to be
in your home. You love that bowl. have a broken thing on display. perfect. When we do this, we become
It was given to you from your dear 3. Throw the bowl away. “You can’t flawed leaders.
grandmother. One day, while dusting, keep everything,” you say. ***
you accidentally drop the bowl. 4. Go back over the break in the
Fortunately, it lands on the carpet and is bowl with a lacquer that highlights Kintsugi – (noun) To repair with gold;
The art of repairing with gold or silver
not shattered, but it is broken into three the cracks and then put the item lacquer and understanding that the
uneven pieces. The breaks seem clean. back on display for all to see. original piece is more beautiful for
If you repair them just right you might Which will you choose? having been broken.
not even be able to see the cracks.
***

Educational Viewpoints -16- Spring 2017