When traveling in unfamiliar territory, explorers consult their compasses to ensure they have not lost their way or are not headed in a direction away from their destination. The value of a compass is that it defines one direction - north. All other directions can be determined and selected or rejected based on this knowledge.

As educators, we also need to consult our professional compass. Rather than showing north, our compass needs to point directly at helping students learn.

Every issue, every decision, and every expenditure of an organizational resource - human or financial - must be judged on its consistency with the point of our compass.

If we are clear and consistent in our pursuit of and support for student learning, we can monitor our direction and adjust our course with relative ease. Like explorers, we need to frequently consult our compass and adjust our course accordingly. However, our compass is not something we can carry in our pocket. We must keep it in our hearts and minds.