Space Between the Frames

In his two-week-old book, Poke the Box, Seth Godin writes about Scott McCloud's publication, Understanding Comics, noting the following:

"The secret of comics isn't what you see in each frame. It's the little gutter, the space in between the frames. Because the artist doesn't draw it, that space is left up to you. It pulls you in. You create the narrative as the story moves along" (63).

That comment reminds me of schools. Many times, what [insert group here: parents, media, etc.] don't see is "the little gutter". That space is where the teacher-student relationship can flourish; that is where students learn how to make decisions--some bad, some good. The good decisions should grossly outweigh the bad ones, depending on the quality of the teacher-student relationship. Society can prattle on all it wants about standardized exams as indicators of x.y, or z, but, in all honesty, relationships are what matter. Just ask any teacher who has been there.

Good schools are about relationships. Good teaching is about relationships. Leadership is about relationships.