|
November/December 2009
Thoughts of retirement might spark images of leisurely days spent on the golf course, but John Hoyle, who officially retired in August, is more likely to barrel into his golden years with the same momentum and energy he has displayed throughout his prolific career in educational administration. For his students and colleagues, his zest for the next big phase of his life comes as no surprise. As a longtime professor of K-12 administration in the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development at Texas A&M University, Hoyle has garnered numerous honors over the past 34 years, including two Living Legend awards — one from the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration and another from the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration. In 2005, Hoyle was elected by more than 3,000 colleagues in the United States and Canada as one of the top four “exceptional living scholars in educational administration and leadership.” Hoyle has penned more than 100 scholarly journal articles, 12 books and individual chapters for more than 22 titles. Yet, most Texas school administrators have come to know Hoyle as the director of the Administrative Leadership Institute (ALI), a conference for public school administrators that he has spearheaded since 1983. The organization has found Hoyle’s guidance so distinctive that, in 2007, ALI established the Hoyle Award in Educational Leadership. Prior to becoming a professor at the university, Hoyle was a student there. An Oklahoma native, Hoyle attended Texas A&M University on a baseball scholarship in the early 1950s. Upon graduation, he worked as a teacher, coach and administrator in Odessa and Midland ISDs. Along the way, he earned three degrees from Texas A&M, including a doctorate in education and social science. Despite his career accolades and milestones, Hoyle remains humble. “Teaching has been my love, so everything I’ve done is just based on that,” he says. “What I hope that I have done in my career is to encourage students, to get them enthusiastic about their role in education. This kind of thing spills over, after all; when you’re passionate about what you’re doing, other people will be too.” Drumming up enthusiasm among students in education administration has never seemed to be a problem for Hoyle. A popular speaker and professor on campus, Hoyle has received two distinguished teaching awards from the Association of Former Students. When news began to spread on campus of his upcoming retirement, many doctoral students scrambled to get their dissertations done before Hoyle’s departure. In his professorial career, Hoyle has chaired about 120 doctoral committees. He’ll chair about another 15 in the near future. “It’s hard work; it’s the greatest pressure there is as a professor, because your reputation rides on quality,” he says, and then adds with a laugh, “but it’s a great compliment that so many students told me I can’t leave until they finish their dissertations.” In addition to assisting students through the dissertation process and teaching administration and leadership on the Texas A&M campus, Hoyle notes that through involvement with organizations like ALI, he has had the opportunity to work with public school officials throughout Texas. “I’ve always enjoyed talking with superintendents, because they’re powerful in leading the state,” Hoyle says. “One of the things I’ve really tried to do is to work closely with state leadership and superintendents, and to make a contribution in that way.” Hoyle says he might spend only the first year finishing up dissertations, but there’s plenty more work ahead after that, he believes. As part of the visiting faculty at Sam Houston State University, Hoyle plans to stay active. He also plans to continue his consulting work with school districts wanting to spiff up their leadership training. Recently, Hoyle ventured into executive training for law enforcement — a market he will continue to pursue in retirement. His church even benefits from Hoyle’s love of teaching; he regularly leads an adult Sunday school class that focuses on heroes of the Bible. For all the classroom time Hoyle will continue to clock in retirement, the longtime educator does understand that his new “three Rs” now include recreation and relaxation. “There will be a fair amount of time just hanging around my grandkids and my family, and maybe I’ll do some fishing,” he says. “But in general, I don’t plan to slow down much.” ELIZABETH MILLARD is a freelance writer who also contributes to District Administration, a national magazine for school administrators. |
