The schools we have are the schools we’ve created.

Our systems and cultures have been built day by day, week by week, year by year, decade by decade,

One decision at a time.

But maybe it’s time to dismantle some of our systems, our habits, and our past ways of being.

Maybe it’s time to rethink. To ammend. To clean house.

Maybe it’s time we surrender the space that some things consume in order to make make more room for other, more important things.

What if 2019 was our year to focus a little less on maintaining classroom control and a little more on building caring classroom community?

A little less focus on managing students and and little more on empowering and engaging them. 

A little less focus on what we care about and a little more on they care about

A little less focus on being expert and more on little more on being curious.

A little less focus on end product and little more on meaningful process.

A little less focus on equality and and whole lot more on equity.

A little less focus on teacher control and a little more on student choice.

A little less focus on dispensing knowledge and a little more on dispensing hope

A little less focus on giving assignments and little more on giving options..

A little less focus on subjects and a little more on students.

A little less focus on destination and a little more on the journey.

A little less focus on the problem and a little more on the solution.

A little less focus on what they can’t do and a little more on what they can.

A little less focus on knowing and a little more on exploring.

A little less focus on punishment and reward and a whole bunch more on forgiveness, modeling, and encouragement.

A little less focus on students following directions and a little more on students setting direction.

A little less focus on outcome and a little more on effort.

A little less focus on judgement and a little more on acceptance.

Imagine a whole year of thoughtful surrender and replacement.

A little less of that. . .

To make space for a little more of this.

What will your “less of that” in order to make space “more of this” be in 2019?

I’d love to hear from you.