Melanie texted this morning. “Is anyone doing a One Little Word post for tomorrow?” It was this same text last year that gave me the push to find a word, magic, and write. Before Melanie’s text today, I registered that today was Monday, but I dismissed writing. “I’ll get back to that in the New Year.”
But Melanie’s text reminded me that I already found a word. It was in the busy season of December, during a professional development session on coaching. I was reflecting on my role as a literacy coach and sharing that I often felt my work was just another thing for people to endure. I long for people popping by my office or stopping me in the hallway to talk about something they’re trying in their classrooms or with something they’re wondering about. I thrive off of collaboration and tackling new things-new wonders.
It was in this PD session that my word for 2025 struck me…CURIOUS. I want to be more curious in the new year and inspire others to be curious with me. I jumped in yesterday, tackling a book in my TBR pile. I realized that it had been a while since I had read professionally…a six month break after my latest stint in grad school feels long enough! In Confronting the Crisis of Engagement by Reeves, Frey, and Fisher they talk about engagement as “the mutually focused attention of students and teachers on curiosity, challenge, and learning.” That is exactly what I’m after.
My OLW’s from year’s past…
2024: Magic
2022: Forward
2020: Embrace
2019: Pause
2018: Admire
2017: Joy
Where There Is Joy 
Jessica,
I suspect “curious” will be a word as much for others you work with as it is for yourself. I know this post-covid teaching world has made student engagement more challenging. I’m curious about the ways you’ll find to promote engagement. Keep us posted!
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A great choice!
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Curious is a great word. It opens up so many possibilities. Learning is lifelong. It is that curiosity that lights a fire under us to learn and try new things. May your curiosity lead you to exciting places.
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Jessica, I’m loving the quote about engagement: “the mutually focused attention of students and teachers on curiosity, challenge, and learning.” That is a worthy challenge for 2025. May you and teachers and most importantly students catch the vision for this, and you can lead them.
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