Collaborate and Grow

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It’s a soggy morning filled with drips and plops and heavy skies. The remaining leaves, in vibrant hues, are shining valiantly beneath leaden clouds. We’re not quite to the time of year when the trees look as they do in this gorgeous shot, but we’re getting there.


Last week I wrote about the essay that’s attached to this photo in Dear Teachers. In October’s theme of people, we sometimes need to sit and listen to ourselves- alone.

Other times, we need the help of others. My twitter feed was filled this week with this blog titled This is what teachers need: Smiles and Love by Chris Dyson, a head teacher in a primary school in the UK, posted on Viv Grant’s leadership coaching site, integritycoaching.co.uk. I liked how he gave examples of what he has done to reduce teacher stress. And why:


“Stress = worry.
Worry = anxiety.
Anxiety = no risks.
No risks = boring lessons.
Boring lessons = lack of inspiration.
Lack of inspiration = a negative experience for the students.. and a long, long, long year ahead.”


When people, and I’m talking anyone, feel comfortable and valued, they buy into the situation and participate collaboratively. The sum becomes bigger than the parts. I was writing about diabetes this week and that suddenly blew up into a connection with the world of education that revolves around this theme: Things Comply. We Collaborate. The visuals (by the amazing teacher Julie Woodard) I used in that piece ended up being tweeted by MindShift this weekend, too. A resonant theme that applies to us all, if we allow it.

Here’s to a week of building comfort and being comfortable. Of valuing and being valued. Wherever and however that works for us.

With that, when we sit in solitude, we will not feel lonely.

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