To Lead is to Serve
Lauren Ambeau currently serves as Deputy Superintendent in Friendswood ISD. Her previous experiences in education include classroom teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, elementary and intermediate school principal, Executive Director of Elementary/Intermediate Teaching and Learning, and Assistant Superintendent. Lauren is a former college athlete at Texas A&M where she ran both track and cross country. Lauren frequently presents to educators and leaders on organizational transformation, workplace culture, learner-centered instruction, strategic planning, and leadership. She also speaks to teens and young adults about leadership and character.
"To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength."
-Criss Jami
Recent Posts
The “Basic Needs” of Workplace Culture
I have made a tremendous amount of mistakes as a leader.
I made a really big mistake my first year as an intermediate school principal. I dared to open up a conversation around the purpose of grades at my second staff meeting of the year. Not good. I knew it was not a good move the minute the words left my mouth. Arms crossed, words flew, faces reddened, voices got louder, policy was quoted, history was fiercely protected. Defenses around self-preservation were high and emotional “armor” thickened by the minute.
Leadership is Listening With Your Eyes
Have you ever worked for someone who advocated for your success above their own and who relentlessly pushed you towards your best self? They pushed you not because they would benefit or even the company but because they cared… deeply for you. They believed deeply in you and your impact. They felt so strongly the world needed your influence and recognized their role in making this happen.
Sometimes the greatest gift we give others is the use of theirs…
The message of Heritage Park also gave me hope– hope that we as educators will take the struggles that have seemed to surround us as of late and establish partnerships of service with our churches, as well as take time to sit down as leaders to co-construct the collaborative roles schools and churces can play in serving our communities and children based on all we have learned as a result of our recent crises, better known as opportunities.
Reimagining Education In the Heart of a Pandemic
My last blog post was on September 21, 2020. The words in the post were fueled by a struggle to answer the internal calls I was feeling to not waste this crisis and use this rare opportunity to reimagine learning for students in public education, while also longing for a taste of predictable rhythm and routine.
Striking a Balance Between Rhythm and Revolution- Don’t Waste this Crisis.
It’s been a year and eight months since I have written. It’s interesting that the desire and burn to write again comes in the heart of the pandemic. But maybe it’s not so interesting. It’s in times of crisis that we are given the opportunity to re-evaluate, re-purpose, and re-imagine. I am learning that it’s in times of crisis that we have two choices- to rush back into predictable rhythm and routines or to acknowledge the ache and discomfort and seek out the revolution.
Be the Keeper of Your Spirit
Here we go… into the spring semester! I find the day before the return to school after two weeks to rejuvenate and refresh is a great time for reflection. I’ve been doing a little research on how tragedies affect communities over time. What brought me to this research was the “out of breath feeling” I have not been able to get ahold of this school year. This feeling of not being enough personally, but also of not being able to lead a school that is ENOUGH for our community and students’ needs at this time.
Nine Hard Truths About School Culture for Campus Leaders
Recent interviews and reflection of hiring practices have caused me pause. I will take a “culture builder” on our team any day before a “content expert.” Don’t get me wrong knowing the content one is hired to teach is vitally important but inevitably there is a candidate in the mix who knows the content well, but can ALSO contribute the growth of a positive campus culture. Failure to select candidates that aspire to grow positive classroom cultures in which the voices of all students are heard results in a content expert who cannot connect with kids.
Meet Your Inner Genius
I miss teaching. I miss designing lessons for kids. I miss the daily gratification at knowing you helped one of your toughest smile or taste success. I miss car rides home from a long day lost in thought about what I can do differently tomorrow to reach the one I missed today. However, all good campus leaders never allow their hearts to stray too far from the classroom. After all it is the act of teaching we are obligated and privileged to support.
Restoring Hope in Public Education
I have been struggling… a lot. I have been struggling with promoting innovation in rigid structure of a seven period day. I have wondered if we can be the agents of change we want to be. Public education is in crisis- there is a movement of vouchers, private schools, home schools, etc. People are looking for other agencies to do it better. We have businessmen making policy for education. Funding is decreasing, class sizes are getting bigger… I WAS on the brink of losing hope.