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.
The Power of Noticing
So, I’m simply asking us to take the first brave step to simply notice. Allow ourselves to be curious not only about what people say but what they don’t say. Curious about specific words people use or body language and to make space to ask (when the time feels right) genuine questions that invite sharing and the possibility of some disagreement even.
Look Again
“When everything around you seems dark, look again, you may be the light.” - Rumi
Trust through Community
So much of this is communication, folks. We are never done growing our communication skills.
Coherent Work
Often complaining is a sign of overwhelm, fear, or simply a breakdown in community. Frequently, it’s a combination of all of these things. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of seemingly disconnected initiatives coming our way. Then, we become fearful that we won’t be successful which is terrifying because we know how important this work is in schools. This lack of clarity and lack of interconnected work, interdependence, and coherence leads to a breakdown of community. Perhaps it would be easier if I just shut my door, did my thing, and maybe this too shall pass.
When it’s Too Much
It also helps to interrupt anxiety with gratitude. I am grateful that I can afford a full tank of gas. I am grateful that I can afford to fill our fridge with nourishing food. Gratitude reminds us to see and celebrate the good.
Group or Team
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over twenty years of experience in our profession is that not everyone does things the way I would do them but just because it’s different than how I would do it, doesn’t make it wrong. There are certainly exceptions. And certainly people whose actions we struggle to understand.
MEGHAN LAWSON 