Leading with Grace, Even On The Most Difficult of Days
By Jessica Cabeen
Educators are at a defining point in our profession. Just read a blog, scroll social media, or view articles about education today. Burnout, breakdowns, blow-ups, and burdens fill our feeds, take over our conversations, and seem all-consuming right now. It can feel almost suffocating thinking about everything that is not going according to plan, and at our darkest can make us question the calling God has commissioned us with as teachers.
So in all of the heartache and hardships: how can we find hope and healing this season?
I will sing of your strength—I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. Psalm 59:16
Lead with Prayer.
How do you start your day? If the first thing you do is read your email, check your social media notifications, or turn on the news it could trigger you to feed into issues or concerns instead of fueling on God’s word.
Instead of plugging into social media, news, or email try pouring into God’s word to start your day. Wake up in the Word by picking a Bible study, completing a chapter, or focusing on a specific verse. By starting your day in the Word you can better regulate whatever else comes up in your classroom.
Kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24
Lead with Praise.
As we move into the second quarter of a challenging school year, instead of focusing solely on what is going wrong, what if we started to look at what is going well? On our campus, we regularly check-in and nominate students for positive phone calls home. As the principal, I keep a list of staff I have sent notes to during the year and set a goal of writing one note of appreciation as well to staff in our school. This month our campus is completing a 2×10 challenge: picking one student and spending 2 minutes with them for 10 days in a row. Whatever works for you, find regular and intentional ways to show God’s love to others and see how that can also change your own outlook as well.
God is within her, she will not fail. Psalm 46:5
Lead with Purpose, Not Perfect.
The verse above has been part of my morning meditation for the past month. Too often we think we have to know all the answers, show up at 110% every day, and when we veer from those expectations failure seems insurmountable. What if instead of thinking we have to complete everything with perfection, we leaned into our understanding that God is directing the course, and our imperfections are exactly what he planned?
The next time you feel yourself going low, getting dark, or belittling the work you are doing try reframing the circumstance. Instead of thinking about what went wrong, focus on what went right. Celebrate the small success and watch the work you have been called to do flourish in this season of struggle and stress.
Jessica is currently a middle school principal in Minnesota. In 2017 she was awarded the Minnesota National Distinguished Principal. Jessica is the author of Hacking Early Learning, Lead with Grace, Unconventional Leadership, and co-authored Balance Like A Pirate. When not at bus duty or checking in with students and teachers in classrooms and the hallways she speaks at schools, districts and conferences about leadership, learning, and how to balance everything in-between.