Focus on What Matters: Cutting Through the Noise in Education

I’ve had an incredibly busy stretch of Travel and speaking engagements over the past couple of weeks—connecting with school leaders, educators, and district teams in multiple states. From the Thrive Conference to keynoting in Columbus, Nebraska, to speaking at the Montana Principals Conference, and then on to Lincoln County, Nevada, my time has been filled with conversations that remind me why we do what we do.

Through these experiences, one theme stood out: educators are doing incredible work for kids, and we cannot allow distractions to pull us away from what truly matters.

The Noise Around Us

Right now, education exists in a politically charged climate. At both the state and federal levels, conversations around policy, legislation, and external pressures often dominate the headlines. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the noise—bills being debated, policies being pushed, and the endless cycle of outside opinions about how we should do our jobs.

But here’s the thing: those distractions, while real, are not what define us. They are not what define the work we do every day in our schools and classrooms. What defines us is how we choose to show up for our students and colleagues.

Control What You Can Control

We don’t have control over every legislative decision. We don’t always get a say in the external pressures that are put on the education system. But what we do have control over is how we lead, how we teach, and how we support the students in front of us each day.

We can choose to bring energy and focus to our classrooms. We can choose to build and sustain a positive school culture. We can choose to stay centered on our core values, our leadership, and our mission to help kids grow.

Celebrate the Good Work

Educators are doing incredible things in classrooms every single day, and we need to recognize and celebrate it. Too often, the positive impact happening in schools gets overshadowed by negative narratives. But the truth is, meaningful learning is happening. Teachers are changing lives. Leaders are shaping futures. And we must be the ones telling those stories.

So here’s my challenge to you:

• Call it out when you see it. When you witness a teacher doing something amazing, let them know. When you see students growing and thriving, celebrate them. When you recognize a peer making an impact, acknowledge it.
• Be the one who amplifies the positive. If we allow the external noise to tell our story, we risk losing control of the narrative. Instead, let’s be the ones shouting about the amazing things happening in our schools.
• Stay focused on the mission. At the end of the day, we only get nine months with our students each year. That’s nine months to take a young person and help them grow—not just academically, but as a whole person. That’s the work that truly matters.

Keep Leading with Purpose

No matter what distractions come our way, we must stay focused on the work that makes a difference. Education is about people. It’s about Relationships. It’s about impact. Let’s keep leading, teaching, and serving with that in mind.

Darrin Peppard Dr. Darrin Peppard

Dr. Darrin Peppard is an author, leadership coach, consultant, and speaker focused on organizational culture and climate, and growing emerging leaders. Darrin is the best-selling author of the book Road to Awesome, and is the host of the Leaning into Leadership podcast. As a ‘recovering high school principal’, Darrin shares strategies and lessons learned from 26 years in public education to help leaders gain clarity, find joy in their work, and walk in their purpose.