Every Child's Voice in our School Matters

Recently, I had the incredible honor to be a mainstage speaker at the 2026 ISTE+ASCD conference in Orlando, Florida! Standing on that stage was very meaningful, but what made the experience truly unforgettable was the opportunity to share the story of one of my former kindergarten students, Salima.

Many years ago, Salima entered my classroom as a shy and thoughtful student. She was kind and struggled to manage a stutter, which limited her comfort level when speaking. Like many young children, she was still discovering her confidence and learning where her voice belonged in the world. At the time, none of us could have fully imagined the path ahead of her. Today, Salima is in law school using her voice to advocate for others through her internship with The Innocence Project. Let that sink in...the same child who barely spoke in kindergarten is now helping fight for justice for people whose voices have often gone unheard.

As I reflected on her journey while preparing for my mainstage talk, I kept coming back to one important truth: relationships matter. In education, we spend a lot of time discussing curriculum, technology, instructional strategies, assessment, and innovation, and while all of those things matter, connection is at the heart of each meaningful learning experience.

Every child enters our classrooms carrying unique experiences, gifts, fears, dreams, and potential. Some students walk in confidently and share who they are with the world while others need more time. Some students need encouragement. Others need someone to believe in them before they can fully believe in themselves. That's why personalized relationships are foundational to our work as educators and school leaders!

When students know that a teacher or leader genuinely cares about them, it changes everything! Relationships create trust, and trust creates safety and agency. Agency then creates confidence, and confidence gives students the courage to grow into who they are meant to become. As educators, we often do not get to witness the full impact of our work in real time because many of the seeds we plant take years to bloom. Although we may never fully know how a kind conversation, a moment of encouragement, a safe classroom environment, or simply believing in a child shaped their future, we can be assured that our work matters!

I'm thankful that every now and then, life gives us a glimpse of our impact. For me, Salima is one of those glimpses. Watching her grow into a strong advocate showed me that education has always been about more than academics. The strongest teachers help young people discover their voice, their confidence, and their purpose.

As I reflect this summer, I find myself thinking about all of the students whose stories are still unfolding. Some are still learning to trust their voice. Some are carrying burdens we cannot see. Some are waiting for one trusted adult to notice their strengths. Some simply need reassurance that they matter. That is why every interaction we have with our students matters. Every relationship matters. Every child matters. This work is not always easy. In fact, education is incredibly demanding, but we should always remember that we are helping shape lives for the better.

Here are 3 ways to uplift students' strengths and voices in our schools:

• Recognize and build on individual strengths. Intentionally identify each child's unique talents, interests, and cultural assets, then provide opportunities for them to use those strengths in meaningful ways. Shift the focus from what students need to improve to what they already do well and how those strengths can fuel future growth.

  
  

• Create authentic opportunities for student voice. Invite students to share their ideas, perspectives, and feedback through classroom discussions, student-led conferences, advisory groups, surveys, and leadership opportunities. When students see their input influencing decisions, they start to develop confidence and ownership.

  
  

• Offer meaningful choice in learning. Design learning experiences that allow students to demonstrate their understanding in multiple ways, pursue topics that interest them, and make decisions about their learning process. Choice increases engagement, empowers students, and helps every learner feel seen and valued.

To every educator who feels exhausted but is still pouring into children, I want to say thank you! Thank you for building relationships. Thank you for creating spaces where students feel safe and supported. Thank you for seeing the potential in a child before they can see it in themselves.

You may never fully know the impact you are making, but trust me, somewhere down the road, one of your former students is standing tall, using their voice to change the world!

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