The quote above by Warren Buffet was passed along on Twitter the other day. It's a great quote that leads to the question, What trees are you planting?
As we do our work each day at home and in our professional lives, we are basically planting seeds that will sprout in the near future and far future. This begs us to think about those seeds and what plants will grow today and in the future.
As educators our plants are the children we teach, the programs we create/nurture, the systems we invest in, and the example we display.
Children
What do we do that impacts children positively today and in the long run? How can we make sure that we singularly and collectively do what's best for each and every child in our schools and systems? Where do we need to advocate, learn, and create more and better?
Programs
Each day's work contributes to programming that will make-up a child's overall education and the collective education of a school and system? What program elements matter in this regard? How do we take this work seriously and invest good effort so our programming creates the vitality of dynamic teaching/learning programs--programs that matter with regard to children's lives.
Systems
How do we work in our systems to sustain good work and make positive change? When do we speak up in this regard? What kinds of independent and collective work can we do to strengthen the systems where we work? Why does this matter.
Example
How does our work day to day provide a positive example for the students and colleagues we mentor and work with? How can we be a better example of what it means to teach well? How can we learn from one another in this regard? What is our commitment to the profession and the work that's possible?
Each of us is but a seed, a glint of light, a drop of rain, and a grain of sand in the sea of time, we are ever so small in this universe, but each of us, nevertheless, has incredible power to affect positive change and nurture good work. This is not always easy, but together we can pave the way in this direction.
What trees are your planting with your time, care, and contribution? How do you do this work in reasonable yet effective ways?
