This Isn't Just Another Book — It's the Start of New Conversations

I was entering grades in my computer lab Friday afternoon when my principal stopped by.

"Duke, can I ask you something? I've been watching what you do with parent communication, and I'm curious. How many other teachers in our building do you think would be willing to give parents their cell phone numbers?"

I looked up from my laptop. "Honestly? Maybe two or three."

"That's what I thought. So how do we get more teachers comfortable with that level of connection?"

I leaned back in my chair. "You don't start with convincing them to copy my methods. You start conversations about why we're here and what that means for how we connect with families."

That conversation has been replaying in my head all week.

My principal wasn't asking me to train other teachers on my approach. She was asking something deeper: How do we shift culture so that genuine connection with students and families becomes normal instead of exceptional?

The answer isn't more professional development sessions. It's not another district initiative. It's not even persuading people to adopt my specific strategies.

It's starting conversations that help people reconnect with why they chose education in the first place.

Here's what I've noticed after five weeks of writing these blogs:

People aren't just responding to my stories—they're sharing their own. Teachers are opening up about their struggles to connect with families. Administrators are admitting they feel caught between supporting teachers and managing compliance. Parents are expressing relief that someone finally understands their perspective.

The conversations are spreading naturally because people recognize something authentic in them.

That's exactly what Volume II is designed to do.

Not create a one-size-fits-all system for everyone to implement, but provide conversation starters that help school communities discover what meaningful connection looks like in their unique context.

When your English department discusses the chapter on family partnerships, they won't conclude they need to hand out personal phone numbers. They'll start talking about what genuine collaboration could look like with their students' families and their specific teaching situation.

I learned this lesson during my administrative years.

I used to think change happened when I found the right program and ensured proper implementation. That approach never created lasting transformation.

Real change happened when I started asking different questions in our team meetings. Instead of "How do we improve our test scores?" I started asking "What do our students need to thrive?" Instead of "How do we increase parent involvement?" I started asking "What would make families feel truly welcomed here?"

Those conversations transformed our school culture. Not because we discovered perfect solutions, but because we finally began discussing what actually mattered.

Volume II is built around those kinds of questions.

Questions like: How do we know if we're building authentic relationships or just managing interactions? What would change if we approached every decision by asking what's best for the young people we serve? How do we maintain hope and purpose when external pressures feel overwhelming?

These aren't questions with cookie-cutter answers. They're questions that help you and your colleagues discover what's true for your students, your families, your community.

The goal isn't creating uniformity. The goal is fostering authenticity.

My approach to connecting with families involves personal phone numbers and celebration calls during class. Your approach might look completely different. An elementary teacher's methods will differ from a high school chemistry teacher's approach.

But the foundation—that we're here to help young people grow and succeed—remains constant across all contexts.

What excites me most about Volume II isn't that people will read it.

It's that teams will engage with it together. Principals will use it to initiate conversations they've been wanting to have. Teachers will find words for experiences they've been processing alone. Families might finally understand why certain educators feel different from others.

Those conversations will create impact that extends far beyond anything contained in these pages.

Because here's what three decades in education have taught me:

The schools that truly serve students well aren't necessarily the ones with the most resources or the latest programs. They're the ones where people communicate honestly about their experiences and make decisions based on what helps kids flourish.

Volume II simply provides a framework for starting those essential conversations.

So when you engage with this book next week, consider reading it with others.

Discuss it with your team. Explore it in department meetings. Share relevant chapters with your administrator. Use it to begin the conversations your school community needs to have.

Because the purpose was never to create another education resource that gathers dust on shelves.

The purpose was to spark meaningful dialogue that transforms how we think about serving the students and families who trust us with their most precious relationships.

That begins Monday. Are you ready to join the conversation?

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