I was raised in a household where practice was seen as a church in which you prayed to your own potential. Practice was a gift, giving you an opportunity to develop a new skill, connect to a new group of people, or come one step closer to mastering a craft.

My upbringing is perhaps why I’m so excited to be back in school. . . .  Schools are filled with many different types of people and groups, many different types of problems and possibilities.  At base, then, every educator has a chance to practice what is perhaps the most fundamental human act — communicating.

Every time you stand in front of a classroom or in the center of a huddle; every time a student shares hard or good news with you; every time a parent is anxious or asks a tough question, you have the chance to practice communicating.  To get better at it.  To have the opportunity to keep practicing.