A challenge brought by the San Diego Area Writing Project Summer Institute group of brilliant educators I am part of was to consider the textual lineage that shapes my identity as an educator.  The provocation that words shape who we become and ideas hold the possibility to change the future, is quite possibly the most liberating thing for any educator.

When I began teaching in Early Childhood Education I studied Reggio Emilio philosophy, fell hard, and have been implementing that kind of work in classrooms ever since.  Reading Visible Learners as I began in public education reawakened the synergy between students and teacher that I hold so dear and maybe forgot why, the heart work in engaging with families, and the absolute power of observation!  Seeing what is possible for children leads me to one of the best quotes I live by, "If four-year olds can do this, imagine what fourteen-year-olds might do."

I read Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni early in my career leading a large non-profit children and family organization.  Ours was a start-up, from nothing to a yearly doubling adventure with my department being one of the pillars of our community work. As we were all leading large and small meetings with our teams, our leaders were also trying to lead us, and all of us leading each other.  It quickly became clear those of that signed up for this journey were all done with boring meetings that did nothing to improve our programs.  We channeled Lencioni's story and I've reread this book several times remembering the key reasons I can't hardly sit through a staff meeting today. It's inspired me all throughout  my career to lead with clarity, purpose and vision. I'm still learning.

Liberate, by Dr. Michelle Sadrena Pledger, whom I know and love, is a new and different type of book that I keep on my desk.  These are every morning readings and practices for me to continue to integrate ways of seeing and valuing each other's brilliance, cultures, backgrounds, stories, and identities.

Bell Hooks, All About Love, is a required read in High Tech High Graduate School for Education that I underline over and again feeling all the feels, but most importantly, integrating for real authentic purpose in my classrooms. 'In friendship we are able to hear honest, critical feedback.  We trust that a true friend desires our good".  One of the things that makes me craziest is when I hear teachers call their students "friends".  The idea is lovely and I've been known to use it from time to time, but the WAY it's used is what harms. Friends are real and honest and desire our good.  Always.  We aren't critiquers or bosses.  We are together, making each other better. Another Hooks great is, "Love was not what made you feel bad, hate yourself. It was what comforted you, freed you up inside, made you laugh."  I am made for the freeing up of people.

Brene Brown's Dare To Lead and her Podcast, have wrung me inside and out time and time again.  It is the single biggest go-to I have for leading meetings, shaping teams, interacting with parents and colleagues, and shaping class culture.  Among the gems, this one sums up the whole for me: "Leaders must invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings." We are all fearful humans who have feelings whether we recognize them or not it affects EVERYTHING we do as educators.  We must address this consistently and create places of trust and belonging.

Finally, Glennon Doyle Melton in Untamed reminds me that I might just be a "goddamn" cheetah and was never meant to be anything else.  I can do hard things.  Owning who we are and embracing our full selves is our path to setting our students free to be all they are as well.

What is your textual lineage that shapes you as an educator?