Reflections on 20 Years in Education and Leadership

In my 20 years as an educator and principal, I’ve had the privilege of working across various schools—each one a unique learning experience. Every institution, regardless of its size or reputation, has shown me something about education. I’ve met teachers driven by passion, others by circumstance, and a few whose deepest desire is to make a lasting impact on society. Yet, one thing remains true: no teacher walks into a classroom just to make money. Unfortunately, the same can’t always be said for those who hire us.

Today, too many schools seem to be focused solely on profit, having lost sight of the real purpose of education. Only a handful remain committed to genuine change and progress, and I’m grateful that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a few of those rare schools.

Despite the growing trend of schools that operate like businesses, I’ve remained in this field, inspired by the passionate educators and leaders who still fight for quality education. It’s those people—and the hope that there are still institutions out there aligning with my principles—that keep me going.

What I’ve learned as a leader over the years is that our successes and challenges are shaped by our team. It’s our responsibility to take them along, guide them, and help them reach their full potential. I’ve also learned something unique from my own leaders—not always how I should be, but often how I should not be. A leader’s role isn’t just about guidance; it’s about creating more leaders along the way. I may not know how many lives I’ve impacted, but I always strive to make a positive difference, however small.

Life teaches us lessons, whether subtle or hard, and as leaders, we must take the blame for failures while giving credit to our teams for success. This is my first post across any platform, and while I’ve always believed more in doing than in writing (since it rarely fetched me a response), I’m sharing this in the hope that my fellow educators feel the same passion and purpose that drives me.

Let’s work together for a better system—one led by people with both passion and professionalism, where education is about shaping lives, not just delivering knowledge.

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