We Are All Educators: A Story About Unity, Purpose, and Belonging
More than fifteen years ago, I made a small shift in language that reshaped how our school community understood itself. At the time, we used the words faculty and staff as if they described two separate groups, even though every adult in our building played a role in shaping students’ lives.
Thriving Educators, Thriving Schools: The Ripple Effect of Joyful Learning
One lesson from the Day of Joyful Learning is simple: thriving schools begin with thriving educators.
Early on, I asked my teachers how we could create opportunities for growth, creativity, and well-being beyond scheduled professional development days. Their ideas were inspiring. We implemented many of them, and the results were clear. Teachers volunteered to lead sessions, present workshops, and participate with energy and enthusiasm. We repeated the day a few times and saw the same pattern each time: when educators feel valued, have space to collaborate, and are given opportunities to be creative, the impact spreads across the school. Engagement rises, collaboration deepens, and school culture shifts in positive, lasting ways.
Seeing People, Inspiring Learning: A Leadership Lesson I Still Carry
Ten years ago, I created a professional development day that my teachers still talk about with joy, The Day of Joyful Learning. That day was more than a typical PD session. It was designed to engage the whole educator, the mind, body, and spirit. More than forty educators led workshops for their colleagues, sharing practical strategies to inspire them and students, being active together through dance, music, art, and play, and reflecting on their profession through mindfulness and meditation.