Over Spring Break, I flew to Edinburgh, Scotland to visit one of my sons, Jack, who is spending this semester at the University of Edinburgh. My sister, Colleen, joined me after flying in from her home in Oklahoma. Scotland exceeded my high expectations and traveling reminded me of some important life lessons. In this post, I want to share some of those lessons and how they connect to teaching.

Cherish time with loved ones. The historic castles, palaces, and buildings were beautiful. The gardens, waterways, and views from mountains were breath-taking. The food was delicious. But the best part of the trip was experiencing it with Colleen and Jack. If I discovered something first, I looked back to see Colleen’s reaction. It was like I was experiencing it a second time when I saw her surprise. It gave me joy to have Jack show us some of his favorite sites and vistas. The photos of the places were numerous and lovely, but they don’t compare to the smiles on Jack and Colleen’s faces. This reminds me of the importance of building relationships in our schools, with colleagues and with students. It’s the people that matter the most, more than any experience.

Collaborate. The trip couldn’t have been what it was without Colleen’s insight, flexibility and skills. Jack provided information, directions, and tips. Yes, I could have gone it alone, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as interesting. This reminds me of the importance of working together in schools. We are better together, and through conversation, both students and teachers come to richer understanding.

Plan with intention and follow unexpected paths. We had a wish list of places to go. It was based on our preferences and passions. And I’m happy to say that we were able to check off most of our wish list items. However, the side trips were some of the funnest, funniest, and most breathtaking. When we decided to go left instead of straight, to take that extra train trip, or to try a restaurant because it looked and felt just right, we were not disappointed. This reminds me of the importance of planning lessons with intention, including content, processes, and questions/vocabulary. In classrooms, we do this by taking the identities and interests of our students into account and focusing on priority standards. However, when something sparks a student or a group of students, we can take detours that may lead to stronger outcomes.

Slow down and look up and look down. Look again. When I was on the beach, by looking down I found many treasures I would have missed if I had been looking straight ahead. Along a hill, a street, or a path, if I stopped to look back or up, left or right, I saw more. We visited several places a number of times during our trip, each time capturing more of the view. And often the light had changed due to the time of day, or as the weather changed from moment to moment. This gave us a new perspective. This reminds me of going into topics deeply in schools, focusing on quality over quantity. And not to make assumptions, rather to ask questions and consider the lens with which you are viewing a situation.

This trip was such a treat and I will look back at the pictures and cherish the memories for years to come. I also hope that, as I go into the ending part of the school year, refreshed from time away from work, I can keep the lessons in mind to be fully present and intentional in the work I do with colleagues and students.

“The journey changes you; it should change you.
It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness,
on your heart, and on your body.
You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
– Anthony Bourdain