Through the Adults

I’ve had some really meaningful conversations this past month with teachers and administrators. Conversations that were deeply reflective and pushed our thinking.

Many of the conversations have centered on the student experience and the best methods for impacting the student experience.

If the adults and the work of the adults is not well-cared for, this impacts students. Too often, we leap over the adults in pursuit of what is “best for kids.”

We also talk about leaders versus managers in schools. And often say things like leaders are focused on instruction and managers are focused on operations or on “being a boss.”

I’m not sure why we are so either or in this profession. It’s yes AND.

How are we supposed to focus on instruction if the building is not well-managed? Managing is the floor not the ceiling but without our foundation, our house cannot stand.

It is much easier for a teacher to be calm, caring, and relentlessly focused on learning when the school is calm, caring, and organized for learning.

We say things like well I’m a principal that is focused on students. Well, a big part of your job as a principal is the adults…who you need focused on the students. So, if nurturing the growth and development of adult learners so they can do their best work with students isn’t work that brings you fulfillment, that’s going to be really hard for you and your staff longer term.

Of course it’s important and meaningful for leaders to have positive relationships with students. What I’m saying, however, is that leaders are most impactful when they are strategic with their approach. Mathematically speaking, there are more kids in the school than adults. And each adult plays some kind of role in supporting kids. So, pour into the adults, and they will pour into the kids.

What does it mean to pour into the adults? As Katie Martin says, teacher create what they experience. I had the pleasure of hearing George Couros speak this week. He explained it this way, “A culture of innovation for teachers cannot be created through a culture of compliance for adults.”

We manage things not people. And it’s our job to understand the difference as leaders. We need to make sure the “things” don’t get in the way of good instruction and meaningful learning experiences. We need to invest in the growth and development of the adults, amplifying, nurturing, celebrating, and leveraging everyone’s strengths in service of the greater good.

There are no small moves in a school. In fact, I call them mosquito moves in Legacy of Learning. As the Dalai Lama said, “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try spending the night with a mosquito.”

Being a leader often feels like death by paper cuts. But what this should tell us is how much the little stuff matters. We can be daunted by that or we can be empowered.

Every classroom visit. Every positive note. Every staff meeting or PD that models what we expect to see.

Every interaction is an opportunity to grow the culture.

One of the best ways to take great care of students and their learning is to take great care of educators and their learning.

Be the culture you wish to see and watch your school change.

As Peter Block says, “How do you change the world? One room at a time. Which room? The one you’re in.”

So, keep showing up.

Manage things not people.

Love people through the process of growing and evolving.

Trust that this is how we create the world we wish to see inside of school.