The Shift That Changed Eerything

Staying the same can feel both easy and hard. Easy, because we get used to routines. Hard, because when change arrives, it often demands more of us than we’re ready to give. In education, that reality is clearer than ever, especially with so many new teachers stepping into classrooms without traditional training, simply because schools need bodies in the building.

Strong education leadership once inspired me to grow, pursue advanced degrees, and commit to the classroom. I remember receiving professional development for teachers that was customized, creative, and transformative. That kind of support is rare now, and it’s one reason teacher burnout prevention has become such a challenge

I understand both sides of the teacher shortage. It’s strange to me now because there was a time when I loved every moment of being an educator. I drove 50 minutes to work each day, and still came home on Fridays ready to take my kids to watch my students perform or play. Teaching was glorious. I even earned my doctorate in education because I couldn’t imagine leaving the profession; I saw my future there.

But then leadership changed. And with it, everything I loved about the profession shifted, too. After 11 years, I walked away. I thought I was done. For two years, I explored other paths, but eventually I wondered if I had left too soon. So I returned. Yet within months, the same feelings I had when I left the first time came flooding back. Nothing had improved; in fact, much had worsened.

What’s missing now is the spark I once saw: meaningful professional development, leadership that inspires, and creativity that reshapes entire schools. I once worked under a leader who transformed her school from a chaotic “Joe Clark beginning” into a thriving community, raising CCRPI scores, morale, and decreasing discipline along the way. That kind of leadership made me want to stay, grow, and pour everything I had into education.

We can get back there. But it requires reflection and the willingness to change. Leaders often don’t realize the impact they can have on teachers, not because of programs or policies, but because of presence and vision. One leader changed my entire life without even knowing it. She pushed me to grow, believe in myself, and envision a future I hadn’t considered. Because of her, I became Dr. Ogletree. Because of her, Root to Tree Consulting exists today.

She embodied what true leadership is: impact, change, partnership, strategy, and movement. That experience showed me the power of resilience and determination, not just for students, but for the teachers who guide them every day.

So I’ll leave you with this question: What are you willing to change to bring back the spark?