Hi friends,
It’s the end of our homecoming week, which means that it’s been busy, but super fun.
I tell you, friends, I stumbled upon this week’s video, and it really had my head turning for a while. It’s an endearing story. Take a look when you have the chance, maybe even before reading further.
Here’s a question I got to pondering: How many of us would do our jobs if we knew we would never retire?
I’m not sure about you, but the Oregon pension is not too shabby. (Well, I’m on the third rung, which isn’t great, but those first-round draft picks are crushing it.) For many, the pension is that pot at the end of the rainbow. And the strings attached to the pot - to mix a metaphor - forces them to stay in the game. Maybe longer than they should.
For a very few others, I don’t think this impacts their vocational math much. They love teaching, and they’d do it either way. And I can think of at least one person in my building who I know will need to be forcibly removed from her classroom when it simply becomes physically impossible. She loves kids so much and is so good at her job; there’s just no turning it off for her.
And so, at the ripe age of 46, I’m forced to ponder which camp I’ll wind up in. The more convicting thought looming around my brain is how much I take my job for granted.
There’s a line in the video that says something to the effect of, “Most spend their days dreaming of retirement; she spent her retirement dreaming of her kids.”
And it’s so true. I took a few years off to run a PD company, and I slowly felt the fire inside me start to fade. I needed to be around kids. And now that I am every day, I don’t know that I appreciate it like I will when I hang up my lanyard.
I feel like I need to savor it more. Sigh …
A bit of Mike stream-of-consciousness this week. Hope you don’t mind.
Talk soon!
P.S. Last chance to take the survey!
P.P.S. Man, I’ve gotten some seriously honoring feedback from folks in the comments of the survey. I’ve nearly teared up a couple of times. And it’s anonymous, so there's no way to respond. So, I’ll just say “thanks.” The feedback helps keep me going. Appreciate you!
Weekly Video
Use in staff newsletters, encouraging emails, etc.
Veteran Teacher Returns to Kindergarten
Possible Caption: Maybe retirement isn’t the only path.
Vote below, and we’ll track your favorite videos in our archive.
Looking for a past video. Check our archive.
Monthly Admin Survey
Gain insights from your admin peers around the country
One more week! Take the survey if you haven’t! I’ll drop results soon.
Weekly Quote
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
Yogi Berra
Weekly Staff/Student Discussion Question
Use in a staff meeting, student discussion, ask your own kids … see what happens!
Question: What is something adults have made unnecessarily complicated?
Weekly Emailable PD
Use in staff newsletters, emailable PD messages, etc.
Suggested Email Body:
This week’s resource focuses on a foundational part of classroom management: being firm, being fair, and showing care. When expectations are clear and corrections are calm and predictable, students can better understand the boundaries and trust the person holding them.
The challenge is maintaining consistent expectations while recognizing that students may need different support to meet them. Fairness means protecting everyone’s dignity, keeping the standard visible, and helping students find a manageable next step.
These slides offer practical ways to build boundaries students can trust. By teaching routines, correcting privately, and communicating belief in students’ ability to succeed, teachers can reinforce accountability, strengthen relationships, and keep learning moving forward.
