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Thoughts on Teaching, Leadership, and Educational Technology

Dream Small

1/1/2019

6 Comments

 
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Dream small.

“Wait, what? Dream small?” you may be thinking. “I thought we were supposed to dream big. I thought we were were supposed to have big dreams.”

We are. But we also need to dream small. Let me explain.

Recently, a song I had never heard before made its way into my earbuds as a Spotify suggested tune. The song is called “Dream Small” by Josh Wilson. As I listened, the lyrics completely resonated with me, especially this second verse:

“It’s visiting the widow down the street
Or dancing on a Friday with your friend with special needs
These simple moments change the world
Of course there’s nothing wrong with bigger dreams
Just don’t miss the minutes on your way to bigger things
‘Cause these simple moments change the world”
​As I listened, it made me think of what we do in education. We have so many big goals for our students, and rightfully so. Teaching them to read and write. Helping them master the various components of mathematics. Building responsibility and character. Preparing them for college and the workforce. All important things for sure. Make no mistake, these should be our goals for our students.

But this song served as an excellent reminder that we cannot overlook the small things on the journey to our bigger goals, for it’s the little things that often times have the biggest impact.

A smile.

A high-five or fist bump as students enter your classroom each day.

An encouraging pat on the back.

An observant comment such as “I like your shoes. Are those new?” or “Did you get your hair cut?” 

Asking about a student’s weekend, and then giving your undivided attention as he or she tells you about it.

These simple moments can change a student’s world. These simple acts can make students feel valued, feel loved, something far more important than a perfectly executed lesson. 

It’s so easy to get bogged down with all we have to do — the demands on teachers and administrators are great. We are responsible for a ton! But let us not forget the power contained in a smile, a compliment, or a few moments of undivided attention. Let us not forget to dream small. Even a tiny pebble can create a large ripple. Or as another verse in the song says, 
“A tiny rock can make a giant fall.”
6 Comments
Pam Hernandez link
1/1/2019 01:10:32 pm

Amen, my friend. It's the everyday "small" moments that matter the most.

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Brent link
1/9/2019 04:32:11 pm

Thanks for reading, Pam!

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Penny Ottman-Feeney
1/2/2019 11:59:36 am

Those little moments actually add up to mean a lot! Great post!

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Brent link
1/9/2019 04:32:52 pm

Thanks for reading, Penny!

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Amanda Boyd
5/21/2020 09:24:56 am

So, here I am...a year later and in quarantine. I have followed you for many years...you were still in the classroom when I first met you. All these years, however, and you still prove to be a genuine mentor of sorts for my career and thinking. These days, it seems, if we don't celebrate the small wins, we will lose the big ones. Our learners (in NE Ohio) are doing their best to stay afloat and succeed in this time of unrest. Thank you for the encouraging words...I always seem to find them at the just right time.

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Brent link
7/2/2020 04:53:07 pm

Hey, Amanda! My sincere apologies for the delay -- just saw your comment. Thank you so much for your message. Your words of encouragement mean a ton! :)

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    About Brent

    Brent has worked in the field of education as a teacher and administrator for 29 years. A former elementary school teacher and principal, he is currently Coordinator of Elementary Education in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District in Southern California. Read more about Brent here.


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