Great work can be overlooked. But it’s never taken for granted. When someone slows down, pays attention, and looks closely, true craftsmanship always reveals itself. The same is true in education—excellence shows up in the details, the discipline, and the pride taken in doing the work well. People notice, and your best effort matters.
It's a funny thing about life;
if you refuse to accept anything but
the best, you very often get it.
— W. Somerset Maugham
Watch "Crafted with Pride" on the Educators Among Us Podcast
As we walked along the tents and tables that were snuggled up tightly at the street fair, it took experienced expertise to find the talent among the trinkets. Mundane merchandise was muddled about in a maniacal manner making it more difficult to distinguish the gimmicks from the gems camouflaged within.
Having developed a keen eye for spotting craftsmanship, we found great stuff. Genius is noticed in the meticulous care that shows it was crafted with pride.
You get the best out of others when
you get the best out of yourself.
— Harvey Firestone
Educators are likewise distinguished by their disciplined devotion to the craft.
Mastery is unmysterious. It's recognized by those walking through our offices, classrooms, and hallways because they can attest to our attention in the details.
Some give up when realizing the level of commitment necessary for excellence.
Our best is the result of caring more than others would/could reasonably be expected, turning intentions into habits that continuously advance the quality.
Do you not know that in a race all the
runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
― 1 Corinthians 9:24
Education is only truly transformed when educators take pride in what they do.
Excellence in schools is never achieved by one person―it's always as a team.
We're not waiting for Superman to save the day. We run this race together, making each other better, encouraging stamina, and pursuing the worthy prize.
Whatever we do, we take pride in our work and always seek to keep improving.
Giving less than the best sacrifices the beautiful talents that make us educators.
Do your best. Always do your best. And then do your best to do even better. The stakes are high and the results matter.
Listen to "Crafted with Pride" on the Educators Among Us Podcast
