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An educator says, “I would really love the opportunity to do this.” What do you do next? Do you simply open the door because you recognise their enthusiasm, or do you pause and ask a few questions to understand whether they are actually ready for what lies on the other side? I think this is one of the quieter responsibilities of mentorship. Sometimes, people come to us because they want to grow, take on more responsibility or experience a different side of their profession, and that desire deserves to be encouraged. However, encouragement should not mean handing someone a responsibility without first helping them understand what the responsibility requires. There is a Difference... There is a difference between wanting to perform a role, having some knowledge about the role and being ready to perform the role competently . These things can exist together, but they are not automatically the same thing. Professional competence is broader than what a person knows. Epstein and Hundert (200...

 A teacher once asked a question that many educators may quietly relate to: “How can I help this young learner? He seems uninterested in anything I want to teach him. In fact, it is hard to motivate him with any item. I have tried everything within my power, and it has been frustrating.” It is easy to understand the frustration. When a learner does not respond to the stickers, toys, sweets, praise, privileges or other rewards we introduce, we may begin to conclude that the child is simply not motivated. But perhaps there is another question worth asking before we arrive at that conclusion: What if the learner is not unmotivated, but we have not yet understood what moves them? M otivation Is More Than Getting a Reward For many years, the conversation around motivation has focused heavily on what we can give a learner for doing something. Complete your work and get a sticker. Answer correctly and get a sweet. Finish the task, and you can play. These strategies can sometimes be useful...

 When people begin building a career, consultancy or professional practice, it is quite common to look around and ask, What are people looking for? What services are in demand? What seems to be working for others? There is nothing wrong with understanding the market, but sometimes, in the eagerness to become visible and attract clients, professionals begin presenting services that reflect what they think people want rather than what they are genuinely skilled and prepared to provide. This can create an uncomfortable gap between what we present and who we are actually becoming . For instance, someone starts out offering a wide range of services because those are the things they see others offering, only to realise with time that some of them do not align with their training, interests or strengths. The challenge becomes even greater when the professional knows this internally, even though nobody else may recognise the gap. Interestingly, this process is not necessarily unusual in p...

Have you ever noticed that a child can struggle to remember something during an examination, yet suddenly remember it when someone gives them a small clue such as, "Remember when we were discussing this at the dining table?" Sometimes, it is not even the exact words that come back first, but the setting, the person who explained it, the time of day, the conversation that took place, or even what they were doing immediately before the lesson. That has always fascinated me because learning is not only about what goes into a child's head, it is also about the experiences and cues that surround that learning. This is why I find the idea of having a familiar learning space at home quite interesting. For some children, there is a particular table where homework is done, books are opened, questions are asked and conversations about school happen. Over time, that space can become associated with learning. A child may sit there on a particular evening while a parent explains fract...

 Have you ever had a conversation with someone and left wondering whether they still see you as the person you used to be? Maybe they knew you when you were starting your career, looking for opportunities, asking questions, seeking guidance, or trying to find your place. Years later, you've grown. You've acquired new knowledge, developed new skills, built experience, and perhaps even become a recognised voice in your field. Yet, every now and then, you meet someone who still relates to you as though nothing has changed. It can be confusing, and you begin to wonder whether they have noticed your growth at all. You question whether they've seen the work you've put in over the years or whether they haven't updated the picture they carry of you. If you've ever felt that way, you're certainly not alone. The First Picture Is Often the Strongest One of the fascinating things about human beings is that our first impressions are remarkably powerful. Social psychologi...

 One thing I've noticed over the years is how quickly we form opinions about people. A learner answers back in class, a parent sends what appears to be a rude message to the school, a colleague remains unusually quiet during a meeting, a staff member questions a decision, and before long, we've already concluded what kind of person they must be. "She's difficult." "He's disrespectful." "That parent likes trouble." "She's always negative." Maybe; or maybe not. The older I get, the more I realise that behaviour is often the part of the story we see, while everything that gave birth to it remains hidden. That is why I've come to believe that before we react, especially as teachers, parents, school leaders, and professionals, we should ask ourselves one more question. "Could there be something I'm yet to understand?" That single question has the potential to change conversations, preserve relationships, and preve...