On Tuesday I made my second trip to Home Depot to purchase supplies needed to add one more four-by-four section to our raised bed garden. I first loaded a cart and then my vehicle with 480 lbs of dirt including 4 more pavers and some lumber. It was truly something to behold.

Exhausted and sweaty, I drove home questioning my life decisions as I considered the effort and cost incurred setting up the garden beds when compared to their yield… which at this point I estimate as 3 peppers, 4 tomatoes, and a tiny watermelon. As a colleague used to always ask, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

My wondering if it is worthwhile to grow fruits and vegetables that I could purchase for much cheaper at the grocery store while also factoring in the risk of failure isn’t something novel. Resources like our time and money aren’t unlimited and so we understandably place a high premium on them. In fact, I see this so often in education, and honestly something I thought a lot about during this past school year.

Back in my instructional technology days, I explained to teachers that my job was to prepare them for whatever change was about to come by adding digital tools to their toolbox and showing them how to use each one. I prioritized order and selection by what would help them most now and give them more bang for the buck. Most days, I felt more like I worked in sales than as a coach.

Ultimately, most continued to do what has always worked while occasionally testing out a new thing or two that would interest or entertain their students, but it was the rare occasion that significant changes to how students learn were made in the classroom. It never felt personal towards me or a lack of will to help kids or ability to teach.

Like these raised garden beds, teachers weigh the investment of their time and effort with the potential risks, such as a drop in student test scores, falling behind in pacing, or catastrophic failure causing classroom chaos, whenever new initiatives or professional learning is introduced.

As school leaders, we have talked a good game about the importance of risk-taking and many of us truly believe it, but still feel the pressure of accountability for student performance thus communicating a message to our teachers that is more an endorsement than expectation. In spite of ringing hollow, the reality is that it keeps everyone safe.

However, it left educators at all levels largely ill-equipped and unprepared to “pivot” during “unprecedented times”, and the response to this need was swift and massive. Hours of guided and self-paced professional learning were created and shared along with an entire day each week to plan, and we all know we will not be afforded this again.

If you knew three years ago what 2020 would bring, what would you have done differently as a teacher or a leader? What changes might you have made to your focus on professional growth or expectations? Moving forward, what other factors might you consider when investing in new learning and initiatives that you hadn’t previously?

Ultimately, I don’t know if this raised garden is worth it or just one more demand placed on my time and bank account. It is very possible severe weather might destroy everything over the next few weeks. What I do know is that for the time being, I am learning, discovering, and enjoying being present in the moment, even if my garden may not be any more useful to me than knowing the mitochondria is the “powerhouse of the cell” or the quadratic formula. If another doomsday-type scenario occurs impacting produce and supply chains, my family will be prepared with the “infrastructure” to make our own hot sauce and savor a melon.