Delaware educators know Dave Bradley. A longtime Brandywine School District teacher and former BEA union president, Bradley spent decades in local classrooms and leadership. He now shares what he learned with colleagues through his blog, Perspective Shift, and a new book, Beyond the Grade: Teaching with Presence, Growth, and Grace.
“I want to put an arm over a teacher’s shoulder and say, ‘It’s okay,’” Bradley told DSEA during a recent interview. “The pressure to produce data can crowd out reflection and connection with kids. I am trying to remind teachers they can feel good about the work they are accomplishing.”
Built in Delaware classrooms
Bradley’s approach was shaped by real moments in Delaware schools. He talks about greeting students by name at the doorway, setting a calm tone in the first minute, and taking brief, intentional pauses that help teachers respond rather than react.
“For me, even pausing at my window to look out at Bellevue State Park helped me settle and be present,” Bradley said. “These micro routines reconnect you to yourself and your purpose.”
Those routines show up again and again in Perspective Shift, which collects short, practical posts for teachers who want simple steps that lower the temperature of the school day. The blog’s About page explains his aim clearly: keep teachers grounded in presence, growth, and grace. You can explore the site at Perspective Shift Blog and the overview at Perspective Shift- Overview.
Connection first
Bradley believes connection drives learning. The classroom, he says, works best when students feel seen and teachers have the space to be human.
“Real connection is face to face and frequent.”
Remote tools helped during the pandemic and still help in specific cases, but Bradley argues that nothing replaces the regular, in-person relationship between a student and a teacher who knows them.
Across the interview, he returned to a simple idea: protect the human moments. That means short routines, not big new programs. Greet every class at the door. Take one deep breath before giving directions. End the week with a two minute reflection that notices what went right.
“If you write it down, it forces you to stop,” Bradley said. “Thoughts compete in your head. Writing creates a moment of connection with yourself.”
Guidance for school leaders
Bradley applies the same relationship lens to leadership. He asks administrators to start with people and context before policy.
“Make time to build relationships with teachers,” he said. “If leaders only focus on rules and compliance, teachers feel pressed down.” He offered a simple example. If a student is asleep in the back of the room, start with a question about what is going on rather than a citation. When leaders know their staff, conversations shift from enforcement to problem solving, and the whole building benefits.
As a former BEA president, Bradley credits regular, informal check-ins with principals for creating healthier schools. “Those relationships made the union and administration dynamic far more positive,” he said.
What success looks like
Bradley is not chasing a massive platform. He is looking for proof that the work helps teachers in Delaware feel steadier and more purposeful.
“If I hear from teachers that this work renewed their motivation, that is success to me,” he said. He describes teaching as planting seeds. “We do not often see them bloom, but when we do, it is soul refreshing.”
A closing word for DSEA members
Bradley hopes educators hear a simple message in his work. “I hope teachers hear something that keeps them motivated and focused on why they are doing this,” he said. “Administrators and teachers are doing a good job in a very difficult environment. Even if the data does not always show what we hope, we are still helping create good human beings. That matters most.”
Quote byDave Bradley , Retired Delaware Educator
