The Edison Way: Education as Unique as Our Learners
Posts Tagged "Kindness"
The Selfless Hearts Shaping Our Kids
May 05, 2026
Sometimes I wish time travel were real. If it were, I’d go back and visit every teacher I “tormented” (or, more accurately, learned from) as a kid. Back then, I just wanted to survive the class and move on. I had no idea how deeply they would shape me decades later.
Now, as I approach 30 years in education, I find myself longing to thank them—not just for the academic lessons, but for the ones that built my character. Teachers have a unique power. Next to parents, few adults influence a child’s future more profoundly. The best educators pour their hearts into other people’s children every single day, driven by a quiet belief in each student’s potential.
Teaching means facing challenges, setbacks, and sometimes even ridicule with grace and dignity. It requires selflessness, humility, and a passion that goes far beyond a paycheck. Great teachers give pieces of themselves, so their students can become their best.
Over my career, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside many outstanding educators. But the team I’m privileged to lead right now is truly extraordinary. They don’t just show up—they fully embrace Edison’s mission and core values while modeling what it means to be an ideal team player.
Every day, I watch them patiently guide students through difficult moments with calm and compassionate care. They arrive each morning committed to transforming young lives, one interaction at a time. This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and it feels especially meaningful. While I deeply appreciate everything they do for Edison’s students, I am equally inspired by them.
To every teacher reading this, thank you. Your work matters more than you know. The seeds you plant today will bear fruit for generations.
From Fear to a Window Seat: Helping Kids Embrace Challenges
April 20, 2026
Recently, I had the privilege of taking a group of Edison’s high school students on a multi-night trip to Washington, D.C. For many of them, it was their first time on an airplane and their first extended time away from family. The emotional roller-coaster was real: fear and anxiety mixed with excitement, joy, and pure enthusiasm.
The trip pushed our students in multiple ways, being away from home, trying things they had never done before, and confronting difficult moments in our nation’s history. This trip wasn’t easy, but as President John F. Kennedy famously said when he spoke at Rice University about the moon landing, “We choose to go to the moon... and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
As educators, part of our responsibility is to challenge young people. Of course, we want to protect them, but protection should never become a barrier that keeps them from stretching, trying, and growing. Real development happens when we step into the unfamiliar.
One of my favorite quotes captures this truth beautifully. Max DePree said, “In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” Growth requires facing new and sometimes uncomfortable situations. Each time we navigate challenges successfully, we build resilience. The more we do this, the more natural it feels—and the bolder we become in seeking our next opportunity for growth.
It falls to the adults in a child’s life—parents, teachers, and leaders—to see their potential and gently but firmly push them toward it. When we consistently shield them from difficulty or let them avoid hard things, we unintentionally limit their potential. In doing this, we risk raising children who remain children in adult bodies.
I know this can be tough. Kids push back with familiar refrains: “I can’t do it.” Or. “It’s too hard.” The temptation to rescue them in these moments is great. But standing alongside them—offering guidance, reassurance, and presence—gives them something even more valuable: a sense of security knowing someone who has walked this path before cares deeply about their success. When they reach the other side, the pride and confidence they feel prepare them for even bigger challenges ahead.
A powerful example from our D.C. trip was a young lady who had never flown before. She desperately wanted to join us but was scared of flying. On the first flight, she sat in the middle seat between me and another chaperone. Takeoff and landing were the hardest parts for her. Yet by the time we reached our gate at Reagan National, she was already talking about wanting to fly again. On the return flight, she specifically asked for a window seat so she could look out and take in the view.
By encouraging her to face her fear, offering calm reassurance, and simply being there with her, we helped her turn something daunting into a rewarding triumph. That’s the kind of growth we want for all our students.
Kindness over Niceness
February 17, 2026
In the first team meeting of every season, regardless of the sport, when I was growing up, my coaches would always share with the parents and players their strategy for the upcoming season. They wanted us to understand the plan so we could work toward a common goal, usually to win a championship. Now, as a coach, I prepare my team’s strategy and present it to them at the beginning of a season. I want them to buy into the strategy so we can be the best we are capable of that season. Having a strategy is vital for athletic teams to be successful and reach their potential. The same is true for organizations like The Edison School.
About a year ago, I worked with a couple members of Edison’s administrative team to develop the strategy that we believe is setting us up to impact kids and their families for years to come. There are three parts to Edison’s strategy that compliment our core values and help us live out our mission to foster a community of connection and dignity, ensuring every child receives the unique support they need to thrive.
We partner with parents – parents know their kids better than anyone, and we are intentional about our role in the lives of their child. We know parents are the driving force in their child’s education, and we want to come alongside them to help their child grow and reach their potential. One thing we do to partner with parents is have them fill out a form at the start of a school year that asks a guiding question…”What should education as unique as your child look like?” The answer to this question drives our partnership for the sake of their child.
2. We prefer kindness over niceness – kindness comes from a place of care and concern for the well-being and personal growth of someone else. Kindness requires the courage to have honest and often difficult conversations with others to help them become their best. Niceness avoids difficult conversations because they make us uncomfortable. At Edison, we would rather get uncomfortable with each other because it makes us better.
3. We treat everyone with dignity – A child’s value is not based on what he/she does, the grades they earn, how well-behaved they are, or what they can do for us. Their value and worth are inherent by the simple fact that they are alive, and every human deserves to be loved, seen, and cared for.
This three-part strategy is simple and intentional, allowing Edison to transform the lives of our students and their families.