I’ve been “carrying” this video around with me in my own cognitive backpack for weeks thinking about all the different ways it can serve as a metaphor for the work we do in schools. I’ve shared it with literacy coaches as a platform to discuss the kinds of support we all need to do our jobs more effectively and efficiently. I’ve shared it with leaders in the work as an appetizer to discuss distributed leadership, particularly as we are all working toward a model of sustainability which includes the addition of well-prepared and accountable leadership teams in our schools. I’ve encouraged folks to share with teachers as a means to unravel the varying levels of support any one child might need as opposed to another and how we manage the different levels of readiness of all the kids we serve.
But I’m sharing it here today because it’s fall and it’s a perfect autumn day for a video about squirrels. And I want to hear how other people might use the video as a springboard into the rich and meaty conversations so many of you are having in your schools. Sometimes a story is the perfect road into the work. This one speaks volumes to me. What does it say to you?