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Who Gets to Write Your Story?
I’ve always been fascinated by the stories we tell ourselves. This last week, while in Chicago for a conference, I saw & Juliet, the musical that asks a simple but intriguing question: What if Juliet didn’t die? Instead of accepting Shakespeare’s ending, the show imagines Juliet choosing a different future, discovering that her life doesn’t…
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The Vacation I Didn’t Plan
After that first Disney trip in 2008, I learned an important lesson. Every vacation we took after that included access to a swimming pool. Whether we were traveling to Aruba, Europe, Walt Disney World again, Pigeon Forge, Dollywood, or even on a cruise, I always made sure there was a pool. More importantly, I intentionally…
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The Best Part of Disney Wasn’t on the Schedule
When I adopted my son in February 2008 in San Diego, both of our lives changed forever. A few weeks after our adoption, during spring break, we celebrated in what felt like the most magical way possible. We flew across the country to Walt Disney World. Up until then, he had barely been outside our…
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The Most Important Meeting on Your Calendar
Every leader has meetings that seem impossible to miss: cabinet meetings, budget meetings, one-on-ones, board meetings, and community events. Yet the most important meeting on your calendar may be the one that never gets scheduled: the meeting where you stop long enough to think. One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is also…
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Home Has a Way of Finding Us
Today Waco was covered by a haze that had traveled more than 6,000 miles from Africa. Scientists can explain exactly how it happened. Strong winds lifted dust from the Sahara, carried it across the Atlantic, crossed the Gulf of Mexico, and eventually drifted into Texas. For most people, it was simply an unusually hazy day.…
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The Monkey’s Fist
Growing up in southern Africa, I often heard stories from the bush that carried lessons far beyond the animals they described. One of the most memorable involved monkeys and a simple trap. The trap itself was surprisingly uncomplicated. A hollowed gourd would be secured to a tree and baited with fruit, nuts, or some other…
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Osala Ukutshelwa Ubona Ngomopho
“Those who do not learn from being told learn through bleeding.“ Among the Zulu people of South Africa, there is an old proverb: Osala ukutshelwa ubona ngomopho. Literally translated, it means, “The one who does not listen will see through blood.” More naturally, we might say, “Those who do not learn from listening learn from…
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The Memory of Indlovu
Indlovu is the Zulu word for elephant, a creature that throughout much of southern Africa symbolizes strength, memory, wisdom, and endurance. It feels like an appropriate place to begin this reflection because I grew up in Africa, where many of the stories and observations that shaped the way I understand life came not from classrooms,…
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Lessons from Project Hail Mary for Educators
Project Hail Mary Spoiler Alert. I give Project Hail Mary – 👎👎👎👎. If you don’t get this reference, you are not ready to read this article. Today I watched one of the most powerful movies I have seen in a long time, and I cannot stop thinking about it. Project Hail Mary. One thing I…
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Understanding Students’ New Expectations for Education
Recent discussions highlight that students are recalibrating their expectations due to political and global turmoil, resulting in caution about education as an investment. They seek immediate, practical value from schooling, desiring skills that aid in navigating an unpredictable future. By redefining education’s role, we can help rebuild students’ confidence in their paths forward.
Brandon D. Hill, PhD 