What Does Simon Obas Achievement First Teach Us About Real Change?
When people ask me about Simon Obas Achievement First , they are often expecting a story about programs, performance metrics, or leadership titles. What I usually share instead surprises them. Real change in education does not begin with initiatives or mandates. It begins with belief. Belief in students, in educators, and in schools that they can grow without losing their humanity. My work has always been rooted in one guiding idea. Schools do not succeed because systems are perfect. They succeed when people inside those systems feel trusted, challenged, and supported to do meaningful work. Learning Early That Systems Alone Are Not Enough I did not enter education thinking about large-scale reform. I entered it thinking about students sitting in classrooms. About teachers standing in front of them every day, carrying both responsibility and hope. Early in my career, I noticed something important. The same policies produced very differe...