Folks, I’m Scared Too

Just Out Here Building a School and Pretending I'm Not Freaking Out

I’m just going to say it…this is scary.

What we’re doing here at PivotED? It’s different. It’s unfamiliar. And yes, it’s uncomfortable. It goes against almost everything we’ve been taught to expect from school, from how we were raised, to how society defines “success” in education.

I know it’s scary for you. “What if my kid falls behind? What if this isn’t enough? What if we’re messing something up?”

And I’ll be honest with you, it’s scary for me too. What if I don’t get it right? What if I let someone down? What if this bold new way doesn't “look” like school enough to calm all the doubts? This isn’t something I was trained in. It’s something I learned through years of experience and watching what can work for kids, what sparks curiosity, what builds confidence, and what doesn’t.

The model we’re building isn’t born from a manual. It’s built from lived moments, honest mistakes, small wins, and a deep belief that learning should feel human not mechanical. But even in the uncertainty, deep down… it makes sense.

It makes sense to lean into how kids really learn: through connection, exploration, repetition, curiosity, and confidence.

It makes sense to stop forcing every child through the same mold, on the same day, at the same pace.

It makes sense to stop pretending that a standardized approach is the only “safe” way.

And it makes sense to lead with trust in kids, trust in the process, and trust in something bigger than test scores.

Don’t get me wrong, we still teach the important stuff. We still have structure, and we still hold expectations. But we’re not measuring success by how many worksheets get turned in or how fast a child hits a benchmark. We’re measuring it by something deeper: growth, resilience, confidence, ownership of learning, and joy. This isn’t a rebellion against traditional education. It’s a response to what we know now, what research says, what our guts tell us, and what kids show us when we pay attention.

So yes, I’m scared too. Not because I don’t believe in this. I absolutely do. But because it’s bold. It’s personal. And it matters too much to do halfway.

But I also know this: Every time I see a child light up because something finally clicked…Every time I watch a student take ownership of their progress…Every time I see learning happen in real time without tears, without shame, without comparison I know we’re on the right track.

This is not about doing school “better.” It’s about doing it differently, on purpose.

And even if we’re walking forward with shaky hands, we’re walking in the right direction.

If you're scared too, you're not alone.

Let’s build something wonderfully weird anyway.
Even if it’s messy. Even if we’re unsure. Especially then.

Thanks for being here.
Thanks for thinking differently.
And hey, keep being AWESOME.