We are back on the playground with another head of school, or in this case, Director of Schools, plural, for the Cranbrook Educational Community. Talking to Jeff, who not so long ago led the accreditation team for Wheeling Country Day School, was a glimpse both into the past and future. With a history as a regional education leader and affection for none other than Mr. Rogers (another unexpected theme popping up in these Walks), as well as his penchant for what he calls 'continually interrogating and reinterpreting' practices, even ones misunderstood to be traditions, Jeff embodies what the modern school can be. He sees potential in open space, opportunities in mistakes, and a responsibility to take an active leadership role in the greater community.

Cranbrook, located in greater Detroit, is a living, breathing example of the ever-evolving 'neighborhood' Fred Rogers spoke of for so many years, with its publicly-facing spaces, reimagined...well, everything, and its potential for sharing in the greatest responsibility of all: the growth and education of children.

What a place.

#MeetMeonthePlayground #Leadership #Parenting #LearningDifferences #Education #Inspiration #GENed #Cranbrook #MrRodgers #FalkSchool #Campus #Outdooreducation #CommunityEducation #PlaceBasedEducation #ModernEducation

Today we talk Kaizen, good change. One percent better.

It's a gentle and accessible philosophy that can be applied to nearly every aspect of personal and professional life, which is ironic, considering it was born out of the post-WWII capitalist boom. The difference between Kaizen and most other business philosophies, however, is its focus on modest, incremental improvements instead of splashy results or 'big-bang' takeovers. It's about process, not policy, and certainly not perfection. And the beauty of Kaizen is how it can apply to each of us in our own way.

So sit a little straighter today. Maybe walk a little farther. Believe in yourself a little more. Support your students a little better. And then do it a little more tomorrow, and a little more the next day. Before you know it, you're changing your small part of this big world. Kaizen.

Next week, we return to our regularly scheduled programming with a new addition to our Meet Me at the Playground subseries. We'll also continue with extra videos and episodes and some fun ways to say thank you as we round this special project into home.

Thanks, everyone. Keep walking.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Kaizen #OnePercentEveryday #Philosophy #Japan

As Liz mentions regularly, today's Walk is based around a topic she has long struggled to feel comfortable discussing unless around those who have experienced the same. It's also a story that, in large part, feels like the one we didn't know this project was building toward. So with that in mind, she walked with five others who share an invaluable bond that each wishes the other didn't share: child loss.

Sometimes, the flowery language and the perfect caption just aren't necessary. There aren't 'right words' and searching for them often leaves the recipient more frustrated than they began. So in the immortal words of Ginny Delaney, 'Shit. That sucks.' And to those out there dealing with a similar, isolating feeling, you're not alone. We hope this small community can offer you the slightest glimmer of light.

And finally, a sincere thank you to Jessica, Jon, Amanda, Chris, Mark, and Liz, for the time and the stories.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #StillBorn #InfantLoss #Grief

Gratitude...Compassion...Love...Patience...Self-Respect...Humility. Six words to recite each morning. Six words to live by from man who's lived a half dozen lives...a doctor, lawyer, ethics mediator, husband, father, Princeton man. He acknowledges that his words aren't necessarily your words, or even the right words, but in listening to his story you'll hear each one ringing true.

This is the story of Dr. David Meyerberg, a man who, in the 1980s, helped pioneer the field of neonatal care and, in turn, save countless families the heartache of unnecessary loss. A man who then turned his sights to ethics in the field and supported colleagues with compassion, and finally to the law, bringing real, practical experience to the last leg of a 'three-legged stool.' Incredible.

Liz called Dr. Meyerberg, a man whose name she knew from Linsly and Princeton networks, at the request of one of her students, his son Jonah. In doing so, she found the first walker she didn't already know. Thirty-nine walks with friends, family, colleagues, students, and boy, did she find a good one for 40.

And while we're talking numbers, we're in the home stretch of this project originally called '50 Walks'. So be on the lookout for some special bonus episodes, pieces of flair, giveaways, and whatever else we can cook up to mark the occasion. But first and foremost, listen, read, catch up, and keep walking.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Doctor #Neonatal #SIDS #KennedyBaby #JFK #BirthScore #Pivot #MedicalEthics #Attorney #WestVirginia

Sarah Tucker is a force. She's an impact maker to the highest degree. A dedicated public servant who has spent years navigating political minefields and coming out the other side as a trusted voice pushing for yeses in a room much more known for nos. When Dr. Tucker, the Chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission in West Virginia, finds a problem, particularly a problem for the students she is called to serve, she doesn't shrug it off as an unfortunate part of life. She and her team find a solution. It's not always the right fix. It doesn't always last. But the state, and the kids within, are lucky to find her when they go looking for help.
That dedication - the protectiveness that has made her such an effective educational leader - also permeates into her personal life. You'll find in this Walk a couple of professional parents, in different stages of motherhood, perpetually learning to balance the work they love with the ones they love a whole lot more. The 24-hour-a-day, nose-to-the-grindstone priority shift. You'll hear the ebbing and flowing of impostor syndrome, the grief of loss and the impact it has on future decisions, the uncertainty of the next step with July 1 always on the horizon...and the joy of coming home.
What a walk. Thanks, Dr. Tucker.
#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Chancellor #Action #Motherhood #Loss #WVPol #FoodInsecurity #HigherEd #WestVirginia #CommunityCollege

When Ed Lando enters your orbit, whether as a trusted teenage safety net or a friend heading for a walk, he is locked in. He is presence in every sense of the word. He's looking you in the eye...direct, decisive, and warm. And he's ready to talk. Such was the man who walked for more than an hour, speaking to philosophies of business that more than doubled as philosophies of life and certainly carried more depth than their base mantra of 'keep it simple.'

Ed spoke about his key pillars of leadership: sincerity and trust, but also adds a bit of faith in the future and agency in the present to reinforce those beliefs. These are evident in this discussion and any other you may be lucky enough to have with the man. Call it ego ('there's a difference between ego and arrogance') or faith ('it's going to work out in the end'), but he believes in his...your...everyone's ability to make it work ('and if it's unworkable, then fix that') through positive actions based on two small words.

Not much simpler than that. Thanks for the Walk, Ed.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #Culture #Simple #Trust #Sincerity #SimonSinek #Business #Recruiting

Last week we talked about not sweating the big stuff by accepting and appreciating the fact that life always moves on. The sun will come out tomorrow and all that. This week, we're talking about the small stuff. The first thing in the morning, easy but sometimes annoyingly tedious tasks that make the world the slightest bit more welcoming at night. You know, the stuff that makes 12 and a half year old Jadon ask, 'but why?' and makes his mother, Jessica say the words she swore she'd never say...'because I said so.'

But these small wins aren't important just because someone said so. Or just so you get into a clean bed at night. Or just for the sake of passing the time. They are important because they give us hope, they prepare us for the road ahead, and they offer a hint of success when we feel like we're 'doing literally everything wrong'.

As this Walk stretched beyond the parent and gave the child a voice too, we found the words 'big and small' popping up in a variety of ways. Of course, making your bed as soon as you wake up is a small way to set the tone for the day. But finding your voice and embracing your faults are small ways to help you feel big. Or at least keep you from feeling small. Trying and failing and learning and trying again help establish 'keystone habits' and resiliency from the pressures of perfectionism. And accepting the vision of yourself from the eyes of your children...well that can change the whole game.

Here's to small wins and growing big. Thanks for Walking, Jessica and Jadon.

#WalkwithMe #WalkwithLiz #GENed #Parenting #Leadership #LearningDifferences #Inspiring #MakeYourBed #Preteen #Anxiety #WendyMogel #PanicAttacks #HockeyMom

You can't prove a negative and life isn't lived in the rearview mirror, so it's hard to say what path we 'stepped off' in order to find the experiences that make us who we are. But it sure feels like a blind leap of faith when it's happening. Whether you're burnt out and need a refresh in the Old World, or just not interested in looking for it, life can find a way of giving you just what you need, just when you need it. Such was the case for Sharon, a former college roommate and one of Liz's first examples of chasing what feels right above what seems next.

From new mantras like 'don't sweat the BIG stuff' to finding the beauty in the meandering nature of life, Sharon is a source of comfort, of grace, and of the courage it takes to step off the treadmill whenever it's meant to be.