Running has always been my thing. I’ve run marathons, tracked miles, chased personal records, and planned vacations around race weekends. But in 2023, in the middle of a race, I tore my ACL.
That injury took me off the course for a while, but when I came back in 2024, I came back ready. I bought brand new racing shoes. The newest running watch. I hired a running coach to build my training plan. I even made detailed spreadsheets to track my pace, heart rate, and progress.
But here’s what I didn’t do: I didn’t run. Not consistently. Not in the way that leads to real progress.
I ran sometimes—and sometimes fast, sometimes far—but I wasn’t doing the main thing consistently. And here’s what I learned: You can do everything else right, but if you don’t do the one thing that actually moves you toward your goal, you won’t get there.
I haven't run a marathon since that injury. I even got eliminated in the first week of our central office step challenge! Why? Because I’d focused on everything around the goal—but not the goal itself.
That doesn’t mean I’ve failed. It means right now, running isn’t the main thing in my life—and I’m at peace with that. But I also know that the goal I set—a sub-3 marathon—won’t happen until I make the main thing the main thing again.
Whether it’s in leadership, in the classroom, or in life, we all have a tendency to over-plan, over-prepare, and do all the extras. But none of that replaces showing up and doing the work.
Want to grow your students? Teach every day with purpose. Want to build a strong team? Invest in relationships. Want to lead change? Model it with your actions. Want to run a marathon? Run.
School Leaders Who Drive Real Student Achievement
In schools, real change happens when leaders—not just administrators, but teacher leaders—focus on the one thing that will move student learning forward. And that requires a combination of three critical elements: data, collaboration, and laser-focused instructional action.
- Using Data to See the Reality: Data isn’t just numbers—it’s a mirror that reflects where students truly are. School leaders who make a difference know how to gather and interpret multiple sources of data: formative assessments, common assessments, behavior patterns, attendance, and even student work samples. But collecting data isn’t enough. The key is making the data actionable. Leaders need to identify the areas where intervention will have the biggest impact rather than trying to tackle everything at once.
- Harnessing Teacher Collaboration: Once data points the way, collaboration turns insight into action. When teachers come together in PLCs or structured teams, they can discuss student learning, share what works, and examine what isn’t moving the needle. Collaboration creates collective ownership. Instead of isolated efforts, teachers leverage each other’s expertise, observe one another’s classrooms, and align their strategies around a shared goal. This isn’t just professional development—it’s professional practice.
- Focusing on the One Instructional Move that Matters: The most successful leaders resist the temptation to implement every new strategy or trend. They help their teams identify the one high-leverage instructional move or structure that will produce measurable growth for students. For example, this could be a structured discussion protocol, a particular scaffolding strategy, or a consistent formative assessment routine. Once identified, leaders ensure it is implemented with fidelity—consistently across classrooms—so that its impact compounds.
- The Multiplier Effect: When building leaders integrate these three elements—data, collaboration, and focus—they create a multiplier effect. A single instructional move, done consistently across classrooms, produces measurable growth across the school. Teachers feel supported and confident, students experience continuity in learning, and the school culture shifts toward a shared responsibility for achievement.
- Leading by Example: Finally, building leaders model what they ask of their teams. They participate in the data discussions, observe classrooms with intention, and celebrate incremental gains. This visibility and engagement reinforce the message: progress is possible when we focus on the main thing.
Whether it’s in leadership, in the classroom, or in life, we all have a tendency to over-plan, over-prepare, and do all the extras. But none of that replaces showing up and doing the work.
Why Consistency Matters Most
School improvement at my own Title I school began with an honest look in the mirror. I worked with our staff to treat data not as a compliance task, but as a story about our students’ experiences. We examined multiple sources—common formative assessments, reading and math screeners, behavior trends, attendance patterns, and authentic student work—to understand where learning was thriving and where it was stalling. Instead of launching a dozen initiatives, we asked a harder question: Where can one focused effort make the greatest difference right now? That clarity allowed us to target specific skill gaps and student groups with precision, ensuring our time and energy were directed where they would have the strongest impact.
Once the data showed us the “what,” teacher collaboration determined the “how.” Our PLC teams became the engine of improvement. Teachers analyzed results together, identified students who needed extension or intervention, and shared instructional practices that were producing growth. Classroom doors opened more frequently for peer observations, and conversations shifted from “my students” to “our students.” This collective ownership built consistency across grade levels and classrooms, so students experienced aligned expectations and supports throughout the building. Collaboration stopped being an event and became part of our professional culture.
From there, we narrowed our instructional focus to a small number of high-leverage practices that we could implement with fidelity across the school. Rather than chasing every new idea, we committed to strengthening core Tier 1 instruction—particularly consistent formative assessment routines and targeted scaffolding strategies that ensured all learners could access grade-level content. I stayed actively involved in this work by participating in data meetings, conducting focused walkthroughs, and celebrating incremental progress with staff. Over time, this alignment created a multiplier effect: one shared instructional focus, reinforced through collaboration and guided by real-time data, led to measurable gains in both achievement and student confidence.
And that’s the part that humbles me—in the best way. Progress doesn’t come from the gear, the plan, or the perfectly color-coded spreadsheet. It comes from lacing up on an ordinary Tuesday when no one is watching. It comes from slow, unglamorous miles that don’t make social media and don’t feel impressive in the moment. The main thing isn’t flashy. It’s faithful.
The same is true in our work. School improvement doesn’t happen because we bought a new program, attended a great conference, or built a beautiful action plan. Those things can help—but only if they support the real work. The real work is the daily instructional moves in classrooms. Real student achievement isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right thing, together, consistently. Leaders who help their teams identify and implement that one high-leverage instructional strategy—guided by data and strengthened through collaboration—unlock growth that is sustainable, measurable, and transformative.