Name: Dr. Fatima T. Lawson

Title: Principal

Organisation: Saint Paul Public Schools

Dr. Fatima Lawson is a very dedicated educational leader. Raised in a predominantly Muslim community in Kano, Nigeria, she beat all odds to pursue western education resulting in her career choice. She has taught in all levels of schooling, and is an advocate for girls and women’s education and social justice. Among the highlights of her career is being named 2024 Minnesota’s National Distinguished Principal.

She is very honored and humbled to be named among America’s best principals! Among her other accomplishments is helping to start one of the most successful language immersion schools in Saint Paul, where she served as its principal for 12 years. She is also very proud to have taken another school out of corrective action. She is especially interested in making sure that every child, rich or poor, is given access and opportunity to succeed.

She served for two terms on the Governor’s Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage, and is the State’s Elementary Principals’ Association’s Legislative Chair. She is very active in various community organizations in Minnesota and beyond. She is also the recipient of many national and international academic and community awards.

Dr. Fatima’s leadership qualities, academic preparedness and her global perspectives and approach to education earned her the respect of her peers in education, which also resulted in her induction into the Manchester Who’s Who Registry of Executives and Professionals and a diamond lifetime membership in the Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized (P.O.W.E.R.).

When she takes off her professional mask, she enjoys leisure reading, writing poetry, being with family and friends, traveling, eating with her fingers, and just being herself!

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Dr. Fatima's answers will encourage you in your educational leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

One thing that I find most challenging as an educational leader is balancing home-work priorities, against my personal values. In a school where most of our families...and staff are new to the country and are not used to the bureaucracy of the educational system, I find juggling administrative duties, instructional leadership, managerial responsibilities, staff support, and student needs with my personal life responsibilities challenging.

This is also true when trying to align these responsibilities with federal, state and district goals. Balancing work-life becomes a cliché, as you tend to be all for your students, staff, and families, which more often than not lead you to tip the scale in favor of your work priorities. The other thing I find most challenging is addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion issues.

This is especially difficult as a leader of color. You do not want to be seen as being biased and favoring people who look like you, so you tend to tone it down a little bit while at the same time ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic status, have equitable access to resources, opportunities, and a safe, warm and welcoming learning environment where everyone feels connected.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Becoming an educational leader often starts with a dream, a spark—a defining moment that ignites a passion for making a difference in education. For me, it was somewhat different. I was born and raised in a predominantly Muslim community in Northern Nigeria. In my particular community, education for girls beyond elementary was not encouraged at that time. Many girls were raised to be good wives and mothers.

I beat all odds to advance to secondary school. There, I caught the attention of my principal who was already frustrated by losing young girls every year to marriage. This principal in particular, saw something in me long before I realized it. You see, this leader had an uncanny ability to inspire her students to dream bigger than their surroundings. For me, my principal’s belief in my abilities planted a seed of ambition to one day impress her, and give back to the education system that had shaped me, hence my choice of a career.

My journey into education began as a classroom teacher. I was passionate, innovative, and deeply connected to my students. To inspire and motivate them, I built a very robust incentive system. I encouraged reading and the love for books whether they could read or not. I also brought novels to life, hosted poetry tea parties, and transformed reluctant readers into storytellers.

The rest is history as another principal here in the United States in a middle school where I thought saw something in me and invited me to be his Administrative intern. I was reluctant and apprehensive, especially because I was seeing much progress in my students, building good relationships with them while igniting the passion for learning in them! At any rate, I accepted the position because I did not want to be disrespectful, and the rest is history.

I have gown and advanced in my leadership role despite the fact that my journey to educational leadership has not been linear. It was marked by moments of doubt, trial, successes and growth. My unwavering commitment to give back to the community that formed me and my bigger “why”—to empower others and create meaningful change in their lives—gave me the final push and has sustained me to this day.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I usually structure my work day from waking up to going to sleep by aligning my activities for the day with my priorities while maintaining balance as much as I can.

I start by waking up early. For some reason, my body is conditioned to waking up a certain time regardless of when I go to bed. My morning routine starts with checking my calendar to see the activities of the day, a light exercise in my bedroom, meditation, and then showering and getting ready for work. For breakfast, I drink a smoothie prepared by my husband the night before, on my way to work.

When I arrive work, usually before the bus comes or students arrive, I review my schedule, prioritize key tasks, and set intentions. I then go out in the hallway to greet staff and students as they arrive. Once the bell rings and everyone is settled, I do my rounds. I then retreat to the office and tackle high-energy tasks, focusing on the most important or mentally demanding work, especially when my energy is highest.

In the mid day, I break down tasks, visit classrooms, meet with stakeholders, check emails, and try to stay focused and productive. Once in a very rare while, I take breaks. I also visit students during their lunch times, which I find refreshing, as I get to know them better, chat with them and get good laughs on some of the things that they share with me!

In the afternoon towards closing, I reassess my day, handle secondary tasks while focusing on administrative or less demanding work. I also take an afternoon walk around the building. After students leave, I attend any scheduled meetings, and prepare for tomorrow. At home in the evening, I find time to relax, reflect and eat dinner with my husband. I watch the news and catch up with friends and family before bed time.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

A recent and valuable lesson that I have learned as an educational leader is the power of active listening. It's easy to focus on solving problems or driving initiatives, but taking the time to genuinely listen to your stakeholders: teachers, students, parents and community members can reveal insights that aren't immediately apparent. Recently, I was reminded that when people feel heard, they are more likely to trust, collaborate, and contribute solutions.

Active listening isn't just about hearing concerns, it's about creating a culture where voices are valued, and collective growth becomes possible. This paid off for us as a school when we were slated for closure a couple of years ago. We listened to the pulse of our community that fought hard to keep us open.

As a result, we built such a close-knit community and culture of listening to their aspirations, hopes and dreams for the type of programming that they would like for their children. This gave birth to our polytechnic program that is proving to be quite successful!

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

One book that has had a profound impact on my journey as an educational leader is Beyond Grit by Dr. Cindra Kamphoff. Without a doubt, this book has helped me to focus and thrive when I felt stuck. As I started reading after I was given the book at a leadership conference, and in fact, had the privilege of having Dr. Kamphoff herself present it, I was struck by the book’s actionable strategies and relatable stories.

Kamphoff's concept of mental toughness resonates deeply—I see parallels between elite athletes striving for greatness and my own journey as a leader. I start by applying the 10 Practices of the World's Best, starting with the idea of defining my purpose. I revisited my WHY, realized my purpose which helped me to see limitless possibilities in the service that I provide as a leader. Another impact is the idea of re-framing challenges. Kamphoff’s insights on resilience help me to shift my mindset.

Instead of seeing problems as insurmountable, I begin viewing them as opportunities for growth. When my school faces push-backs on a new initiative, I use the "Choose Empowerment Over Fear" practice to remain optimistic and solution-focused. More importantly, I am able to better empower my team using the strategies from one chapter that emphasizes the importance of connecting authentically with others.

My check-ins with staff are not just to discuss work, but to listen and provide encouragement. Teachers begin to mirror this positivity and resilience, creating a ripple effect across the school.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

I would emphasize the importance of making meaningful connections. As we all know, the foundation of effective leadership lies in genuine connections—with students, teachers, families, colleagues and the community.

I will advise the young educator to listen actively, show empathy, and invest in understanding the needs and strengths of those you serve. Relationships create trust, and trust is what empowers you to inspire change, navigate challenges, and lead with impact.