This week, Jen Schwanke and I talk about the importance of proximity and presence in our work with schools. I hope the ideas remind you of the power of being connected and visible with those whom you serve, no matter, what role you play. You read more thoughts in the short post I wrote below. Or listen in for more conversation and takeaways!

Staying Connected to the Work, Not Just the Ideas

I’ve been reading a lot of Wendell Berry this year. A friend recommended him years ago, and I finally picked up his books after spending time in rural Kentucky visiting schools I serve there.

Berry writes about a fictional farming community along the Kentucky River, spanning decades of change from the 1930s through the 1970s. He was not just an author and professor. He was also a farmer. Through his stories, he shows what happens when a way of life shifts under the pressure of growth, efficiency, and modernization.

Yes, tractors, highways, and large-scale farming brought progress. But they also brought loss. Small farms disappeared. Communities dispersed. Relationships changed.

In one scene, Andy Catlett, now an older man, attends a conference on agriculture. As he listens, he realizes something unsettling. The experts presenting no longer farm. They study it. They write about it. But they don’t live it. And yet they are the ones telling farmers to “go big or get out.”

That moment stuck with me.

Because it raises a question for all of us in education. What happens when we get too far removed from the work we’re trying to influence?

A few weeks ago, I attended an evening event at a local school. The principal opened the doors to the community. Students in JROTC uniforms greeted guests. The band performed. Students led us to classrooms where they shared how they had grown through clubs, internships, athletics, and college partnerships.

It was a powerful night.

Walking those halls, talking with students and teachers, and being present in the life of the school reminded me of something simple: Doing the work is different from talking about the work.

And I say that as someone who spends a lot of time talking about schools.

So I’m reminding myself of two things.

If I want to stay relevant in serving schools, I have to stay close to them.

Not just through research or conversations, but through presence. And there is always a danger, even for people like me, of pushing ideas that sound good in theory but don’t fit reality. The same “go big or get out” mindset can show up in education when we chase growth without purpose.

Growth for the sake of growth is just action without purpose.

I was reminded of that recently in a conversation with Dr. Fernando Branch (an upcoming guest on my podcast and principal of Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy in Denver). A few years ago, he made a decision to help students obtain passports because he believed exposure to the world could expand their thinking and opportunities.

Since then, students have traveled to Costa Rica. This year, they’re going to Italy. Families are getting passports too. Students are showing up differently because their view of what’s possible has changed.

That’s not growth for growth’s sake. That’s purpose-driven leadership.

It’s also a reminder that what works in one school is not a prescription for another. Every community is different. Every school has its own story. But every student deserves a school that expands their opportunities.

As I continue coaching, visiting schools, and having conversations with leaders, I’m reminded how easy it is to drift into becoming an “expert” who talks more than listens.

We have to resist that.

That’s why I encourage principals to bring teachers and even students to conferences. The smartest person in the room is the room. We are better when we learn together, not in silos.

Student-centered leadership looks like leaders regularly asking students what is working and what is not. It looks like inviting student voice into decisions that shape the school. It looks like prioritizing time for collaboration among teachers, leaders, and students.

As I think about what works in schools, I want to stay grounded in the real work happening in classrooms and hallways, not just ideas about it.

And I think that’s why you’re here too.

Leaders who care about growth are always looking to learn. But the goal is not just to learn more. It is to stay connected to the people and the purpose behind the work.

So as the year gets busy and your to-do list grows, don’t lose sight of this. The relationships you build with students, teachers, and your community are where the real impact lives.

Long after the meetings, the plans, and the initiatives are done, that’s what will last.

Now It’s Your Turn

How often do I intentionally seek input from students and teachers about what is working and what is not?
Am I pursuing growth with clear purpose, or simply responding to pressure, trends, or expectations?
What is one way I can increase authentic student voice in leadership decisions this month?

The post MONDAY MATTERS with Jen Schwanke and Will Parker – Staying Connected to the Work appeared first on Principal Matters.