This article was born from a reflection I shared on LinkedIn to mark the beginning of the school year.
I love to travel, and September has always felt like a journey.
When I was a teacher, I experienced it with a mix of nerves and excitement. Today, as a consultant and trainer, I still feel the same… just from a different place.
Supporting schools and organizations in their digital strategy is also a journey: one filled with challenges, discoveries, decisions, and unexpected moments.
That’s why I’ve gathered here a few practical (and human) keys to help start the school year with a digital backpack that’s lighter, more intentional, and meaningful.
If you’re a teacher, digital mentor, school leader, or someone who supports change processes… this article is for you.
1. Choose what you carry with intention
Not everything digital is useful.
Before jumping into new apps, take some time to review what you’re already using. Ask yourself:
What tools have truly been helpful in the day-to-day of your classroom or school?
What has worked well… and what has added more stress than value?
What can you let go of this year?
Digital overload is real, and it often comes from trying to do too much without a clear strategy.
2. Purpose comes before the tool
Every piece of technology we implement should respond to a clear why.
It’s not about teaching how to use an app — it’s about helping people think pedagogically about how and why to use it.
This means shifting from:
“Look at this cool app!” to “How can this tool improve a learning or management process? Will it truly be useful and sustainable?”
A strong digital strategy doesn’t start with technology.
It starts with pedagogy , with the real needs of the school, the classroom, and the people in them.
3. Align your digital strategy with the heart of your school
You might ask… “Raquel, what do you mean by the heart?”
Think about it: Is your digital roadmap connected to your School Educational Project? Your Improvement Plan? The school’s values? Its long-term vision?
Too often, digital initiatives run parallel to educational plans — and that creates noise, disconnect, and exhaustion.
When I support digital transformation processes, I always begin with the essentials:
people, values, purpose, available resources, and reviewing the course.
We build connections between the digital and the educational because only then does technology make true sense.
4. Be ready for the unexpected (and stay calm)
Technology, like travel, brings surprises — sometimes more than we’d like.
And many of them might already sound familiar: fears, resistance to change, lack of time, shifting regulations, tools that stop working, network issues…
And that’s okay.
Because while not everything can be controlled, it can be supported.
The key is to allow space for flexibility, stay grounded, and have people around who can support the process, answer questions, and help redirect when needed.
A strategy is not a rigid plan. It’s a living roadmap and that’s what makes it essential.
5. Don’t walk alone: build your network
One of the greatest lessons I learned as a teacher is that you can’t do everything on your own — and you don’t have to. There are people beyond your classroom who are ready to help and who believe in your vision. No one transforms a school or organization alone.
No one leads a digital strategy in isolation.
That’s why it’s so important to:
Seek external guidance if needed. Find people who understand your context, your pace, and your real needs.
Identify mentors or role models outside your school . People who’ve been in your shoes and who know what this is all about.
Build a team inside your school who wants to walk this path with you, who shares your vision and understands the change.
Listen to those who have already walked part of the journey.
Share, connect, and learn from other schools that are also on their own digital journeys.
Because transformation isn’t just about moving forward — it’s about doing it together.
Educating in the digital age also means building a culture that’s human, inclusive, and conscious.
And for that, we need community.
What would your school carry in its digital backpack this year?
September is the perfect time to ask this question.
To unload what weighs you down, keep what truly matters, and make room for the new.
It’s not about moving faster, it’s about moving with purpose.
With direction.
And with care.
If this text resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who might need it.
And if your school is just starting its digital journey, remember:
I’m here to support you.
