Instead of putting too much pressure on ourselves to execute perfectly these last couple of weeks, let's extend deep care to ourselves, our students, and each other.
That Time of Year
Bruised Apples
All I know is that it felt special to have someone looking out for me that day. And I see educators looking out for kids in so many ways in our schools too. Perhaps they are extending kindness to students that one special person extended to them when they themselves were in school. And that's the ripple effect. That's a legacy of learning.
The Value of Free Space
But it does make me wonder what it would look like to simply make more space for a little bit of nothing in our work, so our brains can process, invent, reflect, and refresh.
Turning Fear into Excitement
I'm sharing this because we need to normalize fear. We are human beings. Of course we are scared. Sometimes even terrified. But if we don't push through discomfort, if we don't learn to talk to ourselves in ways we would talk to someone we love, we won't have what it takes to solve the world's really complex and daunting problems. Our future and the future of this world quite literally depends on our response to discomfort.
The Power of 1%
Imagine if an entire staff committed their 4.5 minutes a day or 30 seconds each bell to an impactful instructional move and did so every day for an extended period of time. Even when we didn't feel like it. This kind of radical commitment and consistency on something that requires little time and effort on our parts can lead to incredible growth.
Generous with Our Emotions
When we nurture the conditions needed for people to show up as their best and biggest selves, we make it possible for people to do their best work.
Serious & Enjoyable
n travel situations, there are a lot of variables, a lot of necessary safety precautions, and a lot of people. This is also true in schools. But it's the people who manage to keep safety and order while also ensuring the experience is enjoyable that make us want to come back.
Burnout or Boreout?
No judgement here. Only love. Your feelings are your feelings. But I want you to know that you deserve to feel better. You deserve to find your work meaningful, manageable, and even fun. Our students are relying on us to bring green flag energy to school. We deserve it and our students deserve it too.
Buried under Shoes
On the other side of these piles of shoes is a beautiful, more calm life filled with sunrises and present moments and self-compassion.
Happy Accidents
In our effort to innovate and lead and make our marks, let's make sure we don't miss the opportunity to learn from those unexpected little happy accidents and instead of hiding them or running from them, embrace them and allow ourselves and others to be transformed by them.
MEGHAN LAWSON 