For several years, I’ve chosen a Word of the Year to guide my thoughts and actions. As I started to plan this year, I couldn’t settle on just one word, so I chose these three words of the year to guide me in 2026.
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Present
I have to admit: when I was developing my words of the year, I really got stuck. There were so many possibilities swimming around in my mind. On one hand, I wanted a word to advance my professional life; on the other, I wanted something that would help me grow as a person.
Like all rational folks looking for guidance, I turned to a Buzzfeed quiz. In its wisdom, Buzzfeed suggested present for my word of the year.
I actually think the idea of being present fits. I certainly have a talent for thinking too far ahead, for planning responses rather than listening, and for falling into habits rather than really engaging in the moment.
Intention
Even before my fateful Buzzfeed quiz, I had been thinking about intentional living. I make a lot of choices (in my classroom and in my personal life) based on ways to minimize anxiety and promote a sense of safety.
On one hand, growth doesn’t happen if we (or our students) feel unsafe or threatened; on the other hand, procedures and habits can create a false sense of safety if they lull us into complacency.
Especially in the later half of 2025, I felt complacency in my life, especially in regards to free time. I didn’t feel super inspired (which is what encouraged me to seek out inspiration here).
However, inspiration is something we sometimes have to seek; it’s not received.
For me, in 2026, I want to be more intentional about seeking out inspiring experiences, books, and individuals.
Uncover
When faced with a challenge, I (like any sensible person) sometimes turn to Taylor Swift. (I know, I know: for an educational blog, Moore English spends a lot of time focused on Taylor Swift.)
This time, I was thinking about the song “peace.” For a while, I thought “peace” would be my word of the year. However, I already feel largely at peace, and sometimes I wonder if that peace is really serenity or if it is, again, complacency.
With that in mind, I began to think about 2026 as a year in which I can uncover truths about myself. For example, I’d like to uncover why I struggle with being present or living intentionally.
Bring Words of the Year into the Classroom
Of course, your Words of the Year can be personal and can be for you alone. However, I often want to invite my words of the year into my classroom; I can grow both personally and professionally. And I want to model that for my students. For that reason, I wanted to share some ways my words of the year will come to school:
- First, there’s an entire strand of CCSS about listening skills. Sometimes I overlook these skills in my own life, which may be why I struggle to be present. As a result, I probably minimize listening skills in my classroom. To help students also be present, I will work on incorporating more classroom opportunities for speaking and listening. I already have these games ready to go!
- Second, classroom curation is one way to be more intentional about my pedagogy. Being more intentional in my own life means curating experiences, and the same is true in the classroom. I can be more intentional in curating the classroom library, educational scaffolding, and relevant reading.
- Next, the idea of uncovering is rooted in investigation and reflection. In the classroom, that means promoting metacognitive thinking.
When students come back from winter break, we will reset classroom expectations and establish goals with these stations. One of the stations even encourages students to determine their own Words of the Year!
Previous Words of the Year
One thing I appreciate about Words of the Year is their permanence; it’s easy for me to look back on my previous Words of the Year. Some of the lessons I really took to heart (sustain and sustainable!) and others are still works in progress (gratitude). Some words worked well and acted as strong guides (reset and protect), and other words proved to be less helpful (water). However, even in the less impactful choices, there were still lessons.
If you’re still searching for your words of the year, here are my previous words. May they inspire you as they have inspired me!
- 2025: Reset
- 2024: Ambition
- 2023: Protect
- 2022: Water
- 2021: Sustain
- 2020: Sustainable
- 2019: Gratitude
