Mid-Semester Momentum is Here

I can’t believe it is November and mid-semester is here, time for something many of us forget to do: notice what’s going okay so far!

Think about that for a moment. What’s gone okay so far this semester for you?

Maybe a student who barely made eye contact in August now smiles when they pass you in the hall.

Maybe you were asked to sit in on a meeting because others value your voice.

Or perhaps you simply found a rhythm in your day that wasn’t there at the start.

Maybe a teacher visits you often because when you speak with him, he leaves with his own ideas in hand.

These are the subtle, steady wins that often go unnoticed, but they are very important for YOU to notice. Those wins are your fuel.

You’ve made it through schedule changes, crisis drop-ins, classroom visits, staff requests, and more without losing sight of what matters the most: students.

They keep coming, and they keep coming to you. That’s not an accident. That’s a reflection of who you are.

You listen, you notice, you ask thoughtful questions, like solution focused questions that relieve you of the burden of coming up with solutions and place it on the student.

You bring calm when things feel scattered, even when a (problem focused) colleague doesn’t understand how you do all you do.

And even when you’re tired, you show up with compassion and curiosity. That’s not just admirable, it’s extraordinary.

Now, with holidays approaching and energy growing all around the school, let’s take a breath on this Monday and ask:

What do I need to keep doing that is working?

What small things help me stay focused and ready to go each day? (Coffee!)

What do I do that helps students feel like they can keep going, even when life feels hard for all of us?

Picture the next few weeks unfolding just a bit better than expected.

What would that look like in your office? In the hallway? In your emails with families and conversations with teachers?

You’ve already done so much good.

Now’s the time to build on what’s working, and give yourself the credit you’ve earned.

Gather the solution focused momentum up and embrace it.

It feels the best!