This decision and delaying the project design workshops were important in letting the fire burn slowly for a while before adding another log. When we’re rushing around in education to get a charge out of being busy, as Meghan put it, we tend to throw logs and all sorts of combustibles onto other people’s fires, fires they might have been perfectly comfortable to let get low enough that everyone felt safe around them. If you’ve sat around a campfire this summer, you know putting another log on the fire is often a group decision, not one for one person alone.

n The Culture Playbook, Coyle talks about how difficult it can be for people to give feedback and even the question, "How can I support you?" can be challenging for people to answer. This is particularly true if the person asking holds a position of authority. He suggests asking three more specific questions that open the door to meaningful feedback and dialogue.

Instead of blaming teachers, let's do the hard work of examining ourselves as leaders. Examine our practices. Examine our systems. And work with educators, students, and our community to build better systems. Our kids deserve it.