By its nature, educational leadership often draws one into a preoccupation with ‘big picture’ items. But sometimes it’s the very ordinary events that have the most extraordinary significance.

In these special moments we are reminded of what is embedded at the very heart of our work.

Recently one of our teachers shared a story with me. It is about a girl who, to protect her privacy, we’ll call Jane.

Over ten years ago, Jane came into our teacher’s Year 5 class from a special unit within a local State school. She was struggling with very serious social, emotional and academic problems.

The teacher picks up her story: ‘Jane phoned me at school last Friday. I was very surprised that she remembered me. When I said this, she replied, “I think about you every day … You were like my mother!”

‘Jane wanted me to know that she now has a job, the first person in her family ever to have one.’

The teacher went on to reflect: ‘What an amazing position we have. Jane has given me a beautiful gift – feedback on how important our role is and the impact we have on each of our children, sometimes on the most challenging.’

There are thousands of stories like this revealing the truth that teachers do, indeed, make a difference. These reflect what the late Morris West called ‘moments of grace’ – times when we are reminded that it is the quality of our relationships which really matter in this great work we share.

Have you shared one of your own ‘moments of grace’ with your colleagues recently?