Dr. Traci Childress (she/her)
@tchildress.bsky.social
Innovative & Inclusive Leader | Coaching & Professional Learning | Reflective Leadership & Leadership Development | Education | Early Childhood | Change Management | Social Justice | Poet
Leading with both collaboration and expertise is hard. Too much of one can erode the other. I’ve been reflecting on that balance & how gender & transparency shape it.
#leadership #collaboration #womensleadership #transparency
#leadership #collaboration #womensleadership #transparency
Collaboration, Expertise, and the Ethics of Leadership
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the challenge of holding presence, groundedness, and collaboration while also meeting goals and moving things forward.
open.substack.com
April 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Leading with both collaboration and expertise is hard. Too much of one can erode the other. I’ve been reflecting on that balance & how gender & transparency shape it.
#leadership #collaboration #womensleadership #transparency
#leadership #collaboration #womensleadership #transparency
This week, both kids were home sick. I made two pots of soup. The sky stayed gray. The work got real. Nothing dramatic, but something was shifting under the surface. I wrote about it. Two Pots of Soup, Weather, Work, and the Rest of It
#writinglife #reflection #lifelately #slowliving #personalesay
#writinglife #reflection #lifelately #slowliving #personalesay
Two Pots of Soup, Weather, Work, and the Rest of It
Both of my kids have been home sick this week.
tracichildressedd.substack.com
April 11, 2025 at 1:20 PM
This week, both kids were home sick. I made two pots of soup. The sky stayed gray. The work got real. Nothing dramatic, but something was shifting under the surface. I wrote about it. Two Pots of Soup, Weather, Work, and the Rest of It
#writinglife #reflection #lifelately #slowliving #personalesay
#writinglife #reflection #lifelately #slowliving #personalesay
“I’m starting to see my journals less as records and more as terrain.”What if the old journals stacked in your closet weren’t just diaries—but a kind of map? This piece is the beginning of a pilgrimage: A return to myselfbefore the love story
#Reflection #narrartive #story #growth
#Reflection #narrartive #story #growth
Before the Love Story
Re-membering My Own Life
open.substack.com
April 7, 2025 at 11:26 PM
“I’m starting to see my journals less as records and more as terrain.”What if the old journals stacked in your closet weren’t just diaries—but a kind of map? This piece is the beginning of a pilgrimage: A return to myselfbefore the love story
#Reflection #narrartive #story #growth
#Reflection #narrartive #story #growth
“Leadership is not about control. It’s about creating spaces where people can tell their truths, and from those truths, imagine something new together.” From "Like a Poet: A Personal Theory of Change in Five Movements" If you're holding space for transformation may this offer something meaningful.
Leading Like a Poet
A Personal Theory of Change in Five Movements
open.substack.com
April 4, 2025 at 11:31 PM
“Leadership is not about control. It’s about creating spaces where people can tell their truths, and from those truths, imagine something new together.” From "Like a Poet: A Personal Theory of Change in Five Movements" If you're holding space for transformation may this offer something meaningful.
Marriage Is an Infrastructure, Divorce an Excavation: When I left my marriage, I didn’t expect to lose the shape of my community, the texture of my days, or the ease of knowing where the salt lived in the kitchen. Read my essay to learn more.
Marriage Is an Infrastructure, Divorce an Excavation
There are moments when we make the right choice and still find ourselves in free fall.
open.substack.com
April 4, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Marriage Is an Infrastructure, Divorce an Excavation: When I left my marriage, I didn’t expect to lose the shape of my community, the texture of my days, or the ease of knowing where the salt lived in the kitchen. Read my essay to learn more.
A Eulogy for My Past
A Eulogy for My Past
Grief, Growth, and the (Cheesy) Soundtrack That Saved Me After Divorce
open.substack.com
March 31, 2025 at 5:30 PM
A Eulogy for My Past
Reflecting as the new week begins.
Holding the Thread
A Liberal Arts Education and the Life It Made Possible
open.substack.com
March 31, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Reflecting as the new week begins.
Last week brought grief. The dismantling of the Dept. of Ed is not abstract to me—it's personal, it's about kids. I wrote through the anxiety, remembering Germany, my grandfathers, and what it means to stay in hard conversations. #Writing #Resistance #Hope
Two Things Can Be True
The Courage to Stay in the Conversation
open.substack.com
March 27, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Last week brought grief. The dismantling of the Dept. of Ed is not abstract to me—it's personal, it's about kids. I wrote through the anxiety, remembering Germany, my grandfathers, and what it means to stay in hard conversations. #Writing #Resistance #Hope
I’ve been thinking about the years I lived in Germany, how the history I encountered there feels relevant now. I used to imagine I would’ve joined the resistance.Now, as an American, I wonder what choices I’m making. #Resistance #Memory #WhatWeCarry #HistoryAndNow
Where the Stones Remember
Reflecting on A Personal Journey Through Germany’s Memorials, Resistance, and the Lessons We Still Need
open.substack.com
March 27, 2025 at 12:46 PM
I’ve been thinking about the years I lived in Germany, how the history I encountered there feels relevant now. I used to imagine I would’ve joined the resistance.Now, as an American, I wonder what choices I’m making. #Resistance #Memory #WhatWeCarry #HistoryAndNow
What if childcare directors were seen as changemakers, not just managers? My latest piece explores how ECE leaders can drive equity + culture in early learning. #ECE #Leadership #Equity #CulturallyResponsive
The Power of Culturally Responsive Leadership in Early Childhood Education
Imagine walking into a bustling early childhood education (ECE) center: children are playing, teachers are guiding small hands through activities, and caregivers come and go, trusting that this space ...
open.substack.com
March 24, 2025 at 1:25 PM
What if childcare directors were seen as changemakers, not just managers? My latest piece explores how ECE leaders can drive equity + culture in early learning. #ECE #Leadership #Equity #CulturallyResponsive
I spent years interviewing early childhood educators. One voice still echoes: “People call us babysitters. That’s not what we do.” This leader left direct service, and I wonder: where is she? Where is early childhood education headed? #ECE #Equity #EarlyLearning
Revisiting the Voices of Early Childhood Leaders
A System in Crisis and the Urgency for Change
open.substack.com
March 17, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I spent years interviewing early childhood educators. One voice still echoes: “People call us babysitters. That’s not what we do.” This leader left direct service, and I wonder: where is she? Where is early childhood education headed? #ECE #Equity #EarlyLearning
What if leadership wasn’t about answers, but listening deeply enough to change the conversation? My elders taught me that leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about connection. Coaching isn’t control—it’s partnership. Are you making space to hear others, or just filling the silence?#LeadWithEmpathy
Beyond the Script
Leadership, Coaching, and Conversations That Transform Us
traci835573.substack.com
March 17, 2025 at 2:47 PM
What if leadership wasn’t about answers, but listening deeply enough to change the conversation? My elders taught me that leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about connection. Coaching isn’t control—it’s partnership. Are you making space to hear others, or just filling the silence?#LeadWithEmpathy
When do we get to claim an identity? When are we enough, as leaders, writers, or creators? Too often, we wait for titles or validation before stepping into who we already are. But leadership, like identity, is never finished. It evolves as we do.
Why The Unfinished Leader
A Reflection on Identity
open.substack.com
March 14, 2025 at 9:01 PM
When do we get to claim an identity? When are we enough, as leaders, writers, or creators? Too often, we wait for titles or validation before stepping into who we already are. But leadership, like identity, is never finished. It evolves as we do.
Reposted by Dr. Traci Childress (she/her)
🚨 Trump and Musk want to fire federal workers, gut public services, and hand our government to billionaires. We’re not letting that happen.
📢 Join us this Thursday at 8PM ET for a mass call to hear how we fight back—together.
📢 Join us this Thursday at 8PM ET for a mass call to hear how we fight back—together.
March 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
🚨 Trump and Musk want to fire federal workers, gut public services, and hand our government to billionaires. We’re not letting that happen.
📢 Join us this Thursday at 8PM ET for a mass call to hear how we fight back—together.
📢 Join us this Thursday at 8PM ET for a mass call to hear how we fight back—together.
Leading is personal. Who I am shapes the way I lead. Leadership isn’t just about strategy or efficiency; it’s about being aware of the impact I have. Leadership is a constant learning curve. #ReflectiveLeadership #InclusivePractices #CriticalPedagogy
Understanding How to Lead with Awareness of Others’ Needs
A Reflective Approach
open.substack.com
March 7, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Leading is personal. Who I am shapes the way I lead. Leadership isn’t just about strategy or efficiency; it’s about being aware of the impact I have. Leadership is a constant learning curve. #ReflectiveLeadership #InclusivePractices #CriticalPedagogy
When systems tighten their grip—through budget cuts, policy shifts, or fear-driven narratives—it’s easy to feel stuck. Fight. Flight. Freeze. But what if leadership is also about building, even now?
#Leadership #BuildingForward #ResilientLeadership #NavigatingUncertainty #CultivatingChange
#Leadership #BuildingForward #ResilientLeadership #NavigatingUncertainty #CultivatingChange
Building Forward
Cultivating Connection In Our Leadership
open.substack.com
March 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
When systems tighten their grip—through budget cuts, policy shifts, or fear-driven narratives—it’s easy to feel stuck. Fight. Flight. Freeze. But what if leadership is also about building, even now?
#Leadership #BuildingForward #ResilientLeadership #NavigatingUncertainty #CultivatingChange
#Leadership #BuildingForward #ResilientLeadership #NavigatingUncertainty #CultivatingChange
bell hooks (1994) reminds us that true leadership—especially in spaces like education—is not about compliance. It’s about transformation. Transformation takes time, reflection, and the ability to ask, "What are we actually trying to build here?"
Leading in the In-Between
Building While Systems Shift
open.substack.com
March 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM
bell hooks (1994) reminds us that true leadership—especially in spaces like education—is not about compliance. It’s about transformation. Transformation takes time, reflection, and the ability to ask, "What are we actually trying to build here?"
Leadership in ECE is often overlooked—but it shapes the future of early learning. Effective leaders foster collaboration, inclusivity, and growth. Leadership is deeply personal, shaped by values, experiences, and identity. When we lead with equity and reflection, we create lasting change.
Why We Need to Talk About Leadership in Early Childhood Education
Hint: It is Personal and Systemic!
open.substack.com
March 4, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Leadership in ECE is often overlooked—but it shapes the future of early learning. Effective leaders foster collaboration, inclusivity, and growth. Leadership is deeply personal, shaped by values, experiences, and identity. When we lead with equity and reflection, we create lasting change.
Leadership in ECE isn’t just for directors—it’s about influence.
Mentoring a colleague? Advocating for a child? Creating an inclusive classroom? That's leadership. My latest Substack explores how recognizing this can amplify your impact.#ECELeadership #TeacherLeadership #LeadWithImpact
Mentoring a colleague? Advocating for a child? Creating an inclusive classroom? That's leadership. My latest Substack explores how recognizing this can amplify your impact.#ECELeadership #TeacherLeadership #LeadWithImpact
Are You an ECE Leader?
You Might Be Without Realizing It
open.substack.com
March 4, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Leadership in ECE isn’t just for directors—it’s about influence.
Mentoring a colleague? Advocating for a child? Creating an inclusive classroom? That's leadership. My latest Substack explores how recognizing this can amplify your impact.#ECELeadership #TeacherLeadership #LeadWithImpact
Mentoring a colleague? Advocating for a child? Creating an inclusive classroom? That's leadership. My latest Substack explores how recognizing this can amplify your impact.#ECELeadership #TeacherLeadership #LeadWithImpact
Join Zaina Cahill for "Getting Involved: Practical Advocacy For Early Childhood Educators" on March 19, 5:30-6:30 PM, hosted by McNichol Early Childhood Education Lab.
Learn key policies, build an action plan, and connect with advocacy networks. A must for ECE advocates—don't miss it! #ECE #Advocacy
Learn key policies, build an action plan, and connect with advocacy networks. A must for ECE advocates—don't miss it! #ECE #Advocacy
March 4, 2025 at 11:18 PM