Books, Binders, and a Bold Mindset: Leading Like Hermione Granger & Leslie Knope

Leadership is in my DNA

I am the oldest of 3 sisters. My middle sister is 3 years younger than me, and my youngest sister is 6 years younger than me. I'm also the oldest cousin on my dad's side of the family, and the 2nd oldest cousin on my mama's side of the family. It seems like leadership is in my DNA and it has made me who I am today. I have many personality traits that lend themselves to being a leader- I am highly organized, (I have a ridiculous love of calendars/binders/school supplies!) I am persistent and I don't back down from a challenge. I work hard and put my heart and soul into my work. I also have a strong need to stand up for what's right, even when it's difficult. As I have grown up and grown into the teacher I am today, I realize now how important a growth mindset has been for my success. Having a growth mindset is one of the tools that will allow me to reach my future goals: obtain a doctorate degree, work in a school district leadership position, and mentor new teachers so they feel empowered to stay in the profession.

sister selfie! (I'm the short one)

Lessons in Leadership One of the biggest lessons I have learned about leadership came from my second school district. As a band teacher normally does, I was harping on the students about practicing their instruments outside of class. One of my students came up to me crying at the end of the class period. When I asked her what was wrong, my heart broke. She told me she was the daughter of illegal immigrants. When she went home at night both of her parents were at their second jobs trying to provide for their family. My student was the oldest of 4 siblings, and as such it was her responsibility to take care of the younger siblings- help with homework, do chores, and get everyone to bed. She was crying to me because she just didn't have time to do her own homework. That day I learned that school simply isn't a priority for every family- survival is. I thought about her on the way home, and I decided that I was going to be a more empathetic teacher from now on. Empathy is what makes or breaks a leader- we may have different ideas about how to accomplish things, but as a leader can you understand the different perspectives people have? Moving forward, I grew closer to my students since I really wanted to be someone who they could depend on. I listened to the experiences of my students and tried to help them become their best selves. I will always be grateful for that lesson I learned that day, as it truly has shaped who I am as a teacher and a person.

The Leader I Aspire To Be

I believe in servant leadership. I believe that a leader has to truly support those people around them, and gives them the tools they need to be successful. (Spence, 2025) I enjoy building relationships with those around me. I love being able to help people and watch them grow into world changers. I think long-term about my students and prioritize their growth. I am also a mentor to two first year teachers at my current school. As we went through the school year I would check in on them and make sure they were doing okay, from the teaching aspect to focusing on their mental health, as well. One of the first year teachers had a very bad migraine (turns out she got flu and covid at the same time!) but she was afraid to ask to go home because she didn't want to get into trouble since she was on a probationary contract. I quickly showed her what to do in these kinds of situations, created sub plans for her, covered her classes, and sent her home. I met her stress with empathy and compassion, and when she came back to school she was refreshed and ready to take on her concert season! Rather than being upset that she added extra work to my already full plate, I was happy to help her get healthy so she can be the best teacher for her students. Leslie Knope and Hermione Granger Leslie Knope from Parks and Rec and Hermione Granger from Harry Potter are two of my biggest leadership role models. Leslie Knope is the epitome of servant leadership. People want to work for her because they know that she truly cares about them and is always looking out for them. Leslie Knope knows how to get the very best out of people. She is fiercely determined to work for the people of her city, and she is unapologetically herself. She and I share a love of binders and organization that is unmatched by normal humans. However, Leslie uses this trait to make positive changes for the people in her life.

Hermione Granger is a brilliant witch who leads with courage and empathy. She listens to understand, not to respond. She is patient and kind to others. She is a champion for empowerment and equality. Hermione and I share a love of books. Reading is my favorite hobby, and always has been. Through her studies, Hermione is able to lead her trio and overcome the people that want to take her rights away. She is courageous and always stands up for what is right, even when it is difficult or has negative consequences.

Both of these women are people I try to emulate. My goal in life is to be a leader like both of these women: strong, courageous, compassionate, and kind.

Leslie Knope

Hermione Granger

Leading Through Tech

Everyone has their own comfort level when it comes to integrating technology into their classroom. I love it and would try something new every day if I could! My friend gets stressed out when she has to try new technology during class- it seems like something always goes wrong for her! I am always coaching her to try something new, and cheering for her when she does it! As a leader who is looking to help integrate tech into lessons, my understanding that all teachers are different and have different needs will be crucial to my success in my future positions. Moving forward, I feel like this understanding and empathy would help me be successful in my career goals as a curriculum writer, instructional technologist or in district leadership. I believe my empathy and servant leadership style are what set me apart from other people.

A Growth Mindset in Action:

Carol Dweck believes that with a growth mindset, students understand that their talents, abilities, and intelligence can be developed through effort, good instruction, and persistence.  It involves learning to recognize and challenge a "fixed mindset" voice that says, "I can't," by simply adding "yet". (Harapnuik, 2021) When I was in my undergraduate studies I chose to go to UNT and audition for their college of music. I was not the best clarinet player and UNT has a reputation for being very hard to get into. I cried DURING my audition and felt like I had disappointed everyone I knew. To this day I'm still not sure why I was accepted into the college of music. After that I struggled through the hardest 5 years of my life. It felt like every day someone was constantly telling me that I wasn't good enough to be performing at that school. Every day I had to constantly remind myself that I wasn't a great performer.... yet. I built vision boards, meditated, prayed, worked hard, and eventually I graduated and was one of the first students in my class to land a teaching job! If I had given up or listened to those who said I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be the teacher I am today. My growth mindset literally saved me when things were really hard, and I am so thankful that I was able to coach myself through an incredibly difficult experience and come out the other side stronger.

Leadership Is.... Truly, it would be better to start off with what leadership is not. Leadership is not about titles or being praised for your work. It is not about getting credit only for yourself. Leadership is about showing up with empathy, courage, a strong belief in who you are, and a willingness to grow. Whether I’m mentoring a new teacher, introducing a new tech tool, or leading from the front of the classroom, I know that embracing a growth mindset and my empathetic heart is what makes me who I am as a leader. As I continue to grow as a leader, I hope to inspire others to do the same.

References:

Daniels, G., Schur, M., Klein, H., Miner, D., Sackett, M., Holland, D., & Goor, D. (Executive Producers). (2009-2015). Parks and recreation [TV series]. Deedle-Dee Productions; 3 Arts Entertainment

Harapnuik, D. (2021, February 9). Learner's mindset explained. Dwayne Harapnuik. https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8705

Spence, J. (2025). The top 10 steps to becoming a servant leader. Business Leadership Today. Retrieved June 21, 2025, from https://businessleadershiptoday.com/what-types-of-things-do-servant-leaders-do/

Yates, D. (Director). (2009). Harry Potter and the half-blood prince [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.