Grow Big Dreams
Originally Published February 2019
I have a sign in my office that reads, “Grow Big Dreams.” It was a gift from a colleague a number of years ago, and I have kept it with me because it really speaks to what we must do as parents, educators, and advocates for students. We must grow big dreams!
Growing big dreams means we must first recognize that each of us has unique dreams and second be willing to do things differently. Students today have unlimited possibilities ahead. But if our students are to be engaged, equipped and empowered to succeed in the future, they need us to lean into developing our school district to be more innovative, flexible, and bold!
John Dewey, a noted educational reformer who lived from 1859 to 1952 is credited with the following statement: “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.”
So true! Our students need educational leaders, teachers, parents, and a community who put what they need first! That could mean some uncomfortable changes for us adults as we explore new and innovative ways of teaching and learning. But it will be worth it when our students are engaged in deeper learning, equipped to handle any challenge they face, and empowered to make a difference in the world around them.
Each year we ask our students to be uncomfortable and try new things: new teachers, new classrooms, new courses, new ways of grading, new expectations in these new settings, new content and new assignments.
As educators we should constantly be in pursuit of new ways of learning that can enhance our understanding of education, even if it makes us uncomfortable, And as parents and community members, we should seek out new information that can lead us to a deeper understanding of the people and world around us.
So, let’s do what our students need. Let’s be innovative with our instructional practices. Let’s find new ways of doing business. Let’s step out of our comfort zones to design an exceptional educational experience for students today and tomorrow. Let’s be bold in our pursuit of learning!
Let’s Grow Big Dreams!
