Our students don’t just notice how we treat them or how we treat other students. They learn from how we treat each other too. Whether we realize it or not, we are modeling what it means to be an adult.
Green Bean Moments
An Inside Job
I’m writing this to share that maybe that thing we are afraid to do or think we can’t do or that thing that feels inconvenient might be exactly what we need. When we remove the friction points and stay the course on a commitment we made, especially one that is about our wellbeing, we remind ourselves that there is more to us and this life than our work. We remind ourselves are we are human beings not human doings.
Do for One
We all have hard jobs and parts of our jobs that don’t give us energy but what if we sought to multiply energy with moments like this? Because I can tell you, these little acts are helping me reframe a lot of the tough stuff.
School AS Community
It’s not a guide or a how-to. Our work as leaders is too complex and our communities too nuanced to be distilled down in that way. Instead, it’s rooted in principles and perspectives that illuminate possibilities in a heavy world.
Unbothered in 2026
If there is any resolution worth considering, let’s start being ridiculously in charge of our time. Too much of our time is spent being bothered. Bothered by what people say and do. Bothered by many things that don’t actually matter or won’t 5 years from now.
The Start of a Tradition
In a world that seems to value the personalized and on-demand, traditions and shared experiences seem rare anymore and all the more special. Traditions can connect us, nurture belonging, invite reflection and gratitude for the present moment, and encourage us to find the significance of seemingly small moments.
Connection over Perfection
Many schools will take a much deserved winter break after this week. I’m so happy and excited for staff and students who are looking forward to this time away. I’m also holding space for those who may not be as excited.
Insecurities are Loud
But if we don’t start to figure out how to lead ourselves first from every seat in the organization, and if we don’t start to recognize the role we play in our own misery or the way we contribute to the very culture we hope to improve, we have little hope for the future in schools.
Pausing to Notice
I’ve come to realize that many of us are desperately wanting to capture moments. With our phones in our pockets, we hurry to grab our phone, so we can remember. But in the hurry to take that perfect photo, the memory is sometimes lost.
All We Have
Whatever each moment brings, let’s allow ourselves to live fully in it. It’s all we have in the end.
MEGHAN LAWSON 