The smartest teacher at Green School South Africa has four legs—and a ball

A week ago, I revisited Green School Sout Africa—a place that never fails to inspire. But this time, the biggest lesson didn’t come from a teacher or a student. It came from a dog.

Meet Tommy, the dog. His game? He carries a ball, observes people, and, at just the right moment, places it in front of them—hoping they’ll play. If they don’t? No frustration. No forcing. He simply picks it up, reassesses, and tries again.

But here’s where it gets interesting:

This time, Tommy dropped his ball inside a classroom full of five-year-olds. Surely, they’d play, right? Nope. They were so deeply engaged in their own learning that they didn’t even notice it. And so, Tommy just let them be.

The Lesson for Educators & Leaders

Tommy instinctively understands what many of us struggle with: 

You can’t force engagement. You can only create opportunities.

🔹 If learners are ready, they’ll pick up the ball.
🔹 If they’re already in deep focus, you step back and let them be.
🔹 And sometimes, they need something else entirely—and it’s our job to figure out what.

At allLearners, we call this "Put the Cake on the Table." Offer value. Make learning irresistible. But don’t force-feed it.

What This Means for You

Whether you’re an educator, a leader, or a parent, how often do we push when we should simply step back and observe?

Instead of seeing disengagement as rejection, what if we viewed it as feedback?

✅ It’s not failure—it’s feedback.
⏳ Maybe the timing is off.
🎯 Maybe they’re already engaged in something meaningful.
🔄 Maybe what you’re offering isn’t what they need right now.

Tommy doesn’t chase. He doesn’t beg. He simply places the ball and trusts the process.

And when the timing is right, the right people will always pick it up.

💬 What do you think—have you ever had a “Tommy moment” in your own work? Let’s discuss.👇