The goal is to help learners find a pathway to success that is meaningful to them. Through learning, writing, & speaking, I continue to aspire to this.
Orlando
Joined December 2008
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Add another year to the tradition!
Kallea and I started this in 2018 and it has been wonderful to see this video over the years!
May you have an incredible 2026 ahead!
"Try looking for one moment worth remembering before you leave school, something specific enough that you could tell someone about it. Who made the day a little lighter? Where did you see progress? What’s something that happened that you would hate to overlook?" Thomas C.Murray
Check out a preview of Tom’s new book, “How You Show Up,” in my newsletter this week!
You can find “3 Ways to Show Up When You’re Running on Empty” at georgecouros.substack.com/p/…
George Couros retweeted
I need to be better at this. Thanks for the reminder Mr Couros.
Taking care of yourself often can be one of the most selfless acts you can do.
In 2020, people could tell I was off physically, but they could not see how much I also struggled mentally.
I needed to do something different; otherwise, I am not sure I would have been here much longer.
So I committed to a few things.
1. Being thoughtful of what I consume.
This was not only food but also the media I was taking in. I loved listening to podcasts while I run, but I noticed that some made me feel like I was running with a weighted vest. It is hard to get physically better if you are consuming negativity in your mind.
2. Creating boundaries with my time.
Every morning, I take time to walk Suggs, exercise, and push myself physically. After that, I am ready to tackle the day.
That time is an appointment I keep every day, no different from honoring appointments with others.
When you say "yes" to everything and everyone else, you often say "no" to yourself.
3. Being present.
Whether it is with my family or my work, I do my best to be where I am. Give your best to where you are, and you might not have as much time doing certain things, but your time will be better.
I shared this before:
In education, when we are at work, we are often fully immersed in our job, and when we go home, we are fully immersed in our job. That is unsustainable.
It is essential to find time to disconnect from work and reconnect with yourself and those who matter most. It will ultimately benefit you in the long term.
When you take care of yourself, it often leads to being better to others in your life.
George Couros retweeted
Take a minute to read and share. You never know who needs to hear this message today. #togetherwearefife #educators #teachers #principals
Taking care of yourself often can be one of the most selfless acts you can do.
In 2020, people could tell I was off physically, but they could not see how much I also struggled mentally.
I needed to do something different; otherwise, I am not sure I would have been here much longer.
So I committed to a few things.
1. Being thoughtful of what I consume.
This was not only food but also the media I was taking in. I loved listening to podcasts while I run, but I noticed that some made me feel like I was running with a weighted vest. It is hard to get physically better if you are consuming negativity in your mind.
2. Creating boundaries with my time.
Every morning, I take time to walk Suggs, exercise, and push myself physically. After that, I am ready to tackle the day.
That time is an appointment I keep every day, no different from honoring appointments with others.
When you say "yes" to everything and everyone else, you often say "no" to yourself.
3. Being present.
Whether it is with my family or my work, I do my best to be where I am. Give your best to where you are, and you might not have as much time doing certain things, but your time will be better.
I shared this before:
In education, when we are at work, we are often fully immersed in our job, and when we go home, we are fully immersed in our job. That is unsustainable.
It is essential to find time to disconnect from work and reconnect with yourself and those who matter most. It will ultimately benefit you in the long term.
When you take care of yourself, it often leads to being better to others in your life.
George Couros retweeted
All of this!!!!!! I see entirely too many teachers being forced to engage in practices that do not positively impact student achievement or build their capacity.
“Teachers aren’t scared of change. They are scared of wasting time on things that make no significant impact in their classrooms.”
A teacher said this to me one day, and it has always resonated.
And it is not just with staff, but with the entire community as well.
As I share in the story about Coca-Cola, changing something for the sake of change is always a terrible approach.
But when people see their fingerprints over a shared-solution, they want it to succeed.
This is why in "Forward, Together" I emphasize "ownership" over "buy-in."
We often say, "You need to share your story!"
But creating your story, together, is much more essential in the process.
This doesn't mean ignore data and research. Those things are crucial to the work in education.
But as I share in the book, "Being better is often insufficient to make a change. We must feel an emotional connection to effect change."
You can read more about this idea at tiny.cc/ForwardTogether
George Couros retweeted
I can totally relate to this post from @gcouros as I have often struggled with work/life balance and have dealt with personal tragedies and health struggles. I am 30 pounds lighter today than I was in the spring and trying to make changes. Thank you George for sharing this!
Taking care of yourself often can be one of the most selfless acts you can do.
In 2020, people could tell I was off physically, but they could not see how much I also struggled mentally.
I needed to do something different; otherwise, I am not sure I would have been here much longer.
So I committed to a few things.
1. Being thoughtful of what I consume.
This was not only food but also the media I was taking in. I loved listening to podcasts while I run, but I noticed that some made me feel like I was running with a weighted vest. It is hard to get physically better if you are consuming negativity in your mind.
2. Creating boundaries with my time.
Every morning, I take time to walk Suggs, exercise, and push myself physically. After that, I am ready to tackle the day.
That time is an appointment I keep every day, no different from honoring appointments with others.
When you say "yes" to everything and everyone else, you often say "no" to yourself.
3. Being present.
Whether it is with my family or my work, I do my best to be where I am. Give your best to where you are, and you might not have as much time doing certain things, but your time will be better.
I shared this before:
In education, when we are at work, we are often fully immersed in our job, and when we go home, we are fully immersed in our job. That is unsustainable.
It is essential to find time to disconnect from work and reconnect with yourself and those who matter most. It will ultimately benefit you in the long term.
When you take care of yourself, it often leads to being better to others in your life.
"Some people will hate you because they think you are bad at your job, and others will hate you because they know you are good at your job."
Compliment Quick, Criticize Slow georgecouros.com/compliment-…
Taking care of yourself often can be one of the most selfless acts you can do.
In 2020, people could tell I was off physically, but they could not see how much I also struggled mentally.
I needed to do something different; otherwise, I am not sure I would have been here much longer.
So I committed to a few things.
1. Being thoughtful of what I consume.
This was not only food but also the media I was taking in. I loved listening to podcasts while I run, but I noticed that some made me feel like I was running with a weighted vest. It is hard to get physically better if you are consuming negativity in your mind.
2. Creating boundaries with my time.
Every morning, I take time to walk Suggs, exercise, and push myself physically. After that, I am ready to tackle the day.
That time is an appointment I keep every day, no different from honoring appointments with others.
When you say "yes" to everything and everyone else, you often say "no" to yourself.
3. Being present.
Whether it is with my family or my work, I do my best to be where I am. Give your best to where you are, and you might not have as much time doing certain things, but your time will be better.
I shared this before:
In education, when we are at work, we are often fully immersed in our job, and when we go home, we are fully immersed in our job. That is unsustainable.
It is essential to find time to disconnect from work and reconnect with yourself and those who matter most. It will ultimately benefit you in the long term.
When you take care of yourself, it often leads to being better to others in your life.
“Teachers aren’t scared of change. They are scared of wasting time on things that make no significant impact in their classrooms.”
A teacher said this to me one day, and it has always resonated.
And it is not just with staff, but with the entire community as well.
As I share in the story about Coca-Cola, changing something for the sake of change is always a terrible approach.
But when people see their fingerprints over a shared-solution, they want it to succeed.
This is why in "Forward, Together" I emphasize "ownership" over "buy-in."
We often say, "You need to share your story!"
But creating your story, together, is much more essential in the process.
This doesn't mean ignore data and research. Those things are crucial to the work in education.
But as I share in the book, "Being better is often insufficient to make a change. We must feel an emotional connection to effect change."
You can read more about this idea at tiny.cc/ForwardTogether
George Couros retweeted
@TALAS_EPTX members, be sure to join us next week (11/18) for our book study gathering as we continue into Perspectives 1-3 of @gcouros book “Forward, Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times”. We’ll meet at a local coffee shop here in El Paso.
"Be what you want to see in the world. I have never regretted acknowledging the good I have seen in others, but I have regretted not saying something." #ForwardTogether
Compliment Quick, Criticize Slow georgecouros.com/compliment-…
Be humble, or you will be humbled.
This is something that I really believe, and it is a reminder that no matter how much success you have, you should never take it for granted, as it could be gone tomorrow.
But humility doesn't mean you lack confidence. In fact, I would argue the opposite.
In #ForwardTogether, I share the spectrum of confidence with insecurity on one side, arrogance on the other, and confidence in the middle.
I define confidence as "appreciating where you are today, while knowing you can still get better."
Confidence means knowing that you have something valuable to share while also appreciating that you can learn from others. And doing all of that with kindness and respect.
Humility is one of the most important leadership traits one can have, but it doesn't mean you lack confidence.
It is knowing you have fallen in the past and can get back up, all while treating others with respect along the way.
Be humble, or you will be humbled.
"We often covet people across the world and diminish the efforts of those in our buildings and communities."
3 Things Schools Can Do to Turn Communication Into Community georgecouros.substack.com/p/…
George Couros retweeted
A score won't tell you how much courage it took a kid to read their paragraph aloud. That's progress worth noticing too.
George Couros retweeted
Hi George, This should be posted in every classroom for Administrators to see! Love it! Teaching is 95% social work and the components you listed above, prove time and time again that it helps build strong student-teacher relationships, and the numbers reveal it!
“The next time you feel the need to convince someone of your position, start asking questions and give the person a chance to persuade you of their position. If we are all about learning and growth, this will only benefit our own development.” #ForwardTogether
It is really tempting to guess what people want, but it is a guessing game.
Asking people what they need helps bring precision to anything you can offer.
One of the best “questions” you can ask in an interview is, “If I were successful in this job, what would that look like to you?” It helps you truly understand what is needed, and gives you an opportunity to share how your gifts can bring that vision of success to fruition.
Or you also might figure out that you are not a good fit.
And that is okay as well.
You do not want to be in a place where you can’t bring the best version of yourself.
Start by asking people what they need, instead of first sharing what you think they want.
By the way, I am going to be working with the American College of Education to discuss my career development, and hopefully I can provide advice to support others in their growth.
You can sign up here for the free November 19 webinar: tiny.cc/ACEwGeorge
cc @ace_edu
George Couros retweeted
Today I was on with @gcouros The Innovators Mindset, and it was a blast! I could talk education all day with him! #WeAreMomence
"You can use numbers, but do not be “driven” by them. Do not forget our students are human beings with unique needs, characteristics, qualities, and should be treated accordingly."
The Learner Is More Important Than the Number georgecouros.com/learner-is-…
“The ‘technology’ is not innovative; how you leverage it can be.”
In this week’s newsletter, I share how you can use a Substack or blog space to really build community in the mindset of “Forward, Together.”
You can read “3 Things Schools Can Do to Turn Communication Into Community” at georgecouros.substack.com/p/…
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Being "better than you were yesterday" should not be saved only for professional spaces.
I learned that lesson from my father late in his life.
My dad passed away over a decade ago, and I still remember the last thing we said to each other the last time we talked; I love you.
And as much as I said that to him, it was not until later in life that he consistently said it to me. He taught me that no matter how old you are, you can still grow, and he did. I am so grateful for that.
I am on the road often, and when I am in front of a group, I give it my all.
The thing I am working on is doing the same when I am home. I am getting better, but I definitely have work to do.
Growth is not just for professional endeavors.
Your “presence” is often the best present you can provide others.
Ensure that presence is provided in the most important spaces.
When you share only what you think other people want to hear, you can easily lose yourself along the way.
And in a time when people are really pushing back against AI, they are bothered by the lack of authenticity that we see in one another.
That is why in #ForwardTogether, I focused on separating the book into "Principles" and "Perspectives," and I share why that was important in the structure:
"The principles are most important when they are the hardest to maintain. The perspectives can help guide you in holding to those principles in the most difficult of circumstances."
You can never please everyone, but when you hold true to your principles, even in the hardest of times, the people who are meant to find you will.
I also share the following in the book, which I have to remind myself of often:
"Don’t dim your light because someone else isn’t ready for you.
Keep going.
And whatever you do, don’t become something you are not that doesn’t align with your belief system. You might get the job or opportunity you want, but the cost to yourself will never be worth it."
Hold onto your principles, and you will never lose yourself.