What will your students and colleagues remember about you years from now and how will you know it mattered?

This week, two unexpected moments stopped me in my tracks…moments where my past met my future and reminded me why I chose, and continue to choose, this work.

The first moment came at my son’s basketball game. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a young woman approaching with a warm smile.

“Mrs. Kaufman? Oh my, I can’t believe it’s you. Do you remember me?” she asked, her voice bubbling with excitement and pure joy.

Her face was unforgettable. In an instant, I pictured her in my reading classroom—focused, engaged, applying skills I had explicitly taught, receiving feedback, and trying again. And now, here she was, a more mature version of that same bright and eager student.

“I’m in my last year of college,” she said. “I’m going to be an educator.”

We embraced. Are those tears in your eyes, Mrs. Kaufman? There couldn’t be a more perfect career for you, Katrina. In that moment, I was transported back to my own days as a struggling reader and to my favorite teacher, Mrs. Roth whom I’ve written about in my book, The Leader Inside, and in a recent post, A Visit to My Teacher. Was history repeating itself? Had the confidence Mrs. Roth instilled in me inspired me to pass it on to my own students? Now, I have the privilege of working alongside teachers so they can be their best for their students.

The second moment happened in the most ordinary of places, standing in an aisle at CVS pharmacy. I pressed the button for customer assistance, and a young man appeared, his eyes lighting up.

“Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it’s you!” I smiled instantly. He shared his name—though I’ll admit I had forgotten it, which is unusual for me. Then he said, “I was in your reading class. I remember a lot about it, but one of the best parts was the stories we told and wrote. You had us doing a lot of writing, Mrs. Kaufman. It wasn’t just about reading and writing—it was about getting to know who we were as people.”

Those encounters left me reflecting on the power of moments. They reminded me of Meghan Lawson’s words in Legacy of Learning: “As human beings, we are wired for moments. Moments of connection. Moments of joy. Moments of learning and reflection.”

They also brought to mind Zac Mercurio’s reflection in The Power of Mattering: “The experience of feeling significant to the people around you is called mattering. Psychologist and researcher Isaac Prilleltensky describes two factors that induce it: feeling valued by the people around us, and adding value to the people around us.”

These were moments that didn’t happen in the rush of a lesson plan or the pressure of performance. They were born from authentic connection, seeing the learner in front of me as more than a student, and letting them see me as more than a teacher.

And yet, they also left me wondering: Does administration have the same lasting impact as a classroom? My role has changed, but the heart of my work hasn’t. As Meghan writes: “The world doesn’t need more perfect people or more people who are focused on winning the approval of others. The world needs rolled up sleeves and whole hearts.”

Whether in front of a class or leading from behind the scenes, rolled-up sleeves and a whole heart are what shape the legacy we leave behind. The truth is, every interaction, every email, meeting, hallway conversation, has the potential to become that moment for someone else.

This week, my students-turned-adults reminded me that our legacy is not the lessons we write, but the people who carry pieces of those lessons with them into the world. And that’s the kind of work worth showing up for, again and again.

Moving Forward

So, what does this story invite us to do? This year, let’s continue to:

• Build connection with intention.
  
• Lead with curiosity and a willingness to learn alongside others.
  
• Strengthen communication so every voice feels heard and valued.
  
• Approach problem-solving with creativity and collaboration.
  
• Deliver high-impact instruction that empowers students to think deeply and act boldly.
  
• Create moments of mattering that remind others they are both valued and able to add value.
  

Let’s keep asking ourselves: What will my students and colleagues remember about me years from now and how will I know it mattered? 

Because in the end, that question isn’t just about looking back. It’s about how we choose to show up today and every day.

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Actionable Idea to Implement Tomorrow:

In one of his blog posts, George Couros challenges us to ask meaningful questions to our students, not just for conversation’s sake, but to help shape the learning experiences we create.

Years ago, I used these five questions from George Couros’ and Dr. Katie Novak’s book, Innovate Inside the Box with my students, and they changed the way I approached teaching. Now, I use them with teachers, flipping the perspective so they reflect on their hopes, needs, and vision for the year.

Original Student Questions:

What are the qualities you look for in a teacher?

What are you passionate about?

What is one BIG question you have for this year?

What are your strengths and how can we utilize them?

What does success at the end of the year look like to you?

Flipped for Teachers/Educators:

What are the qualities you look for in an administrator?

What are you passionate about in your teaching right now?

What is one BIG question you have for this year?

What are your strengths and how can we utilize them as a team?

What does success at the end of the year look like to you?

Try this: Use these questions, whether with students, teachers, or your leadership team, not as a one-time opener, but as a living document for the year. Return to them in mid-year check-ins and end-of-year reflections. Let the answers inform your decisions, your relationships, and your next steps.