The Edge of Epiphany

June 2018

Change. Is. Scary. And really, some people move through change like the 7 stages of grief. Yes, change is hard. It’s harder for some than others. And a solid focus on outcomes - the goal - is vital. You have to remember that it’s worth it. It’s important work. Because sometimes it can feel like the clicheic salmon swimming upstream. (cue visual - I know you did)

As coaches, though, we are forces of change in the world of Professional Learning. And if we truly want to grow teachers - each and every single teacher - we have to maintain that focus.

It also means facing hard truths about our own selves and being willing to make swifter changes and accept feedback gracefully...so that we may be more able to help others through change. Our job, as coaches, evolves. It’s not change for change sake. We shift and change with purpose and intention to meet the needs of teachers and staff. We cannot remain the same; we must grow to grow others. We cannot coach the same way we did 3...5...15 years ago. The job changes and evolves. Our teachers’ professional learning needs change and evolve.

The phrase “The Edge of Epiphany” took on a life of its own in our office. One of our assistant principals said this phrase one day a couple years back, and it was just so brilliant, so perfect, for this feeling of being constantly on the edge of growth, of finding new ideas, of discovering, of creating…

The Edge of Epiphany... (Just sit silently in awe with that for a minute.)

Once he said this phrase, we sort of took it over. Because it’s where we live. We are constantly on The Edge of Epiphany. Be willing to be there, too.

- Ginny