Learner. Human. Joyologist.
In a fast-paced world of strategy and innovation, what if the most “edgy” thing we can do is to simply be grateful for this beautiful life, this meaningful profession, and the good people inside of our schools? What if instead of adding more to plates this school year, we filled our conversations and our work with more love and appreciation? What if we remained steadfast in our focus on those simple things that matter most instructionally?
I try to carry that lesson with me into schools. No job is below me. No detail is too small. It’s about honoring the work and the people who do it. It’s about the culture we’re building—one choice at a time.
I worry about this so much that I wrote about it in Legacy of Learning, “You are giving others the strength to move forward, the strength to believe in themselves, the strength to try to make this world a better place. Knowing this makes being an educator so meaningful. But we don’t have to suffer while we make this kind of impact. In fact, the more we can live well and be well, the more our impact will grow.”
It dawned on me today that if I want this in our school district, the best way to get it is to see the little kid inside of others. When they are yelling, unreasonable, seemingly unfair, they are afraid of something or longing for something too. Picturing their little self allows me to approach them with more compassion. It’s not that I will “treat them like a kid” but I will love them in the ways I needed love then and need it now.
There’s a fine line between being selfless and about others and about the work without being too small.
This may be the most obvious but underrated way we change our schools, our communities, and ultimately the world.
But if we continue to do more and more, there is less space. Emotional space. Space for mental clarity. Space for joy. Space to reflect not just on what we want to achieve but space for how far we’ve come.
Noticing is a small thing that makes a big impact, and if you’ve read Legacy of Learning, you know I’m about mosquito moves. Big moves can intimidate me. Small moves executed consistently? That I can do.
If we don’t figure this out, it will be difficult to endure, and we need healthy people in schools. As Zach Mercurio, author of The Power of Mattering says, “We can’t have healthy organizations with unhealthy people.”
So, as someone fresh on the heels of being new and a beginner, I thought I might shed some light on what may be helpful. As you on board new staff over the summer, here are a few thoughts on how to make people feel special and supported.
MEGHAN LAWSON 