#22 – Give Yourself Permission

Public education can be overwhelming – especially if you’re interested in creating change.

Where should you begin?

• The entire system at once?
• Pre-K for all?
• Afterschool programs?
• Teacher pay?
• Restorative Justice?

It’s a deeply personal system that affects tens of millions of students and families every year.

With so many ways to engage and with even more areas that need improvement – where should you begin?

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First, give yourself permission to create change.

Second, believe that real change can happen in public education.

Third, focus on action. Yes, there are multiple areas for improvement. Yes, we need to engage and discuss the best way to move forward. But what do we need more – action and results.

Instead of using your valuable minutes discussing and potentially complaining – use them for good. Use every minute for action. Use every minute for action that will create change.

The focal point in public education isn’t what needs to be done; it’s how do we get it done.

• Yes – all students should have access to a quality education.
• Yes – all families should have access to Pre-K.
• Yes – schools should be racially and socioeconomically diverse.
• Yes – teachers should be paid more.

Great – how do we get it done?

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Decide what fires you up. Focus on it intently and figure out how to create change at the level that maps your ambition.

• You want to increase teacher pay at the state level? Run for office or run for your state Board of Education.
• You want to increase teacher pay at the school level? Get 10 friends to each lobby their employers for $1,000. Take that $10,000 check to a local school and ask that it be awarded to the best teacher. Then request that teacher stay in the classroom for another year.
• You want to support the new education initiative at the district level? Call/email someone from that team and ask how you can engage.

There’s always a way. Spend time mapping your ambitions and mapping your actions to the right change.

Action Steps

1. Give yourself permission to make change
2. Believe change can occur
3. Focus on action
4. Figure out what fires you up
5. Decide what level you want to make a change (National, State, Local)
6. Organize friends and other stakeholders
7. Go make it happen
8. Repeat