Instruction is so much more complex than baking. But the world outside of the classroom has little truths to offer us too.
From Cookies to the Classroom
Portraits are Not Add-Ons
Portraits of a Learner are not meant to be posters on a wall. They serve as north stars for students AND staff. We cannot give to others that which we do not have for ourselves. Portraits give us an opportunity to take the chaotic world of school and make it more meaningful and coherent.
A Note about 1st Days
Whether you’re creating a new staff orientation day or welcoming a new member to your office team this summer, how might you make the first day special?
Wired for Story
That kind of feedback is my favorite. It’s so raw and honest and it’s an indication that some walls were let down…all of which is needed to build trust and a better future together.
Somebody Hates You
If you are high integrity and doing great work for the right reasons and the right way, then chin up and keep going. Stay close to the truth-tellers who are rooting for you and can give you a more balanced view of the work and your role in the work.
Be a Beginner
I hope you have an opportunity to be new to something this summer, and I hope you are able to enjoy the learning process along the way too. I believe new experiences have much to teach us and many of those experiences are transferable to the classroom.
Awake for It
Certainly, the song and the waves are moving to see. But in the moments before the light drop, when the graduates are sending their text messages to loved ones, that’s my favorite part. Because if you look closely, you can see many of them are brought to tears, overcome with gratitude for the adults in their lives who have loved, cared for, and guided them over the years. It’s as if they are meeting the magnitude of that love and this moment for the first time. It’s so raw and honest and human.
The Rest is Figuroutable
You are human. And so is everyone else.
We are the World.
Our homes, neighborhoods, and our schools serve as the center of every child’s universe, and we get to make that universe as good as it can be, so they can go out there and create an even better world for all of us, seeing what can be and what every living creature deserves. George Couros wrote about this yesterday, “Instead of preparing our students for the ‘real world,’ how do we help our students make the real world better?” What a tall order and yet what a profound honor. May we never forget what a powerful privilege it is to faithfully and dutifully serve our communities to the best of our abilities with joy and hope for the future.
Thank you, PAATA!
Thank you, PAATA, you inspire me. Keep shining.
MEGHAN LAWSON 