Before we can truly lead others and hold them accountable, we must first lead ourselves and hold ourselves accountable.
The New Accountability
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.
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.
Sincerity in Learning
If you want to inspire meaningful learning for students, inspire meaningful learning for staff. Sincere classroom learning begins with a sincere and consistent effort to trust and inspire the educators who work hard every day to make a meaningful impact on students. When we take good care of adults and their learning in schools, it allows them to take great care of kids and their learning. - Legacy of Learning
Disciplined about the Good
So, in our efforts to commit to systems, processes, and structures that grow academic achievement, let's not forget to create an environment that is disciplined about noticing and nourishing the good in others. As Elizabeth Gilbert says in her book, Big Magic, “The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them." Let's help people find them. And let's create an environment that helps us find the beauty in others too.
Super Bounce
As we bring 2023 to a close, many of us will be focused on our own resolutions and that's wonderful. But I have to wonder if the way to truly create a new reality inside and outside of our schools is to start thinking about how we are going to grow and learn together. Less bounce. More super bounce.
A Reflection for Winter Break
I need to learn that trust that I am enough and doing enough and not everything is worth the same level of effort. And some of this stuff isn't worth much if any effort at all.
Three Things to Leave Behind
And the only thing you control at the end of the day is you. So, you either change yourself or you change where you grow. These are our only options. But let's be thoughtful about who we build with in 2024.
MEGHAN LAWSON 