‘Living My Dream’: Finding Happiness and Fulfillment in Education Leadership
Published: | by Hannah Sparling
As a student in international schools, Sophie Brandsar had a regular question for her teachers: How do I become you?
Brandsar left Germany at 15 to study at an international school in Oxford, and she loved the environment so much she knew she didn’t want to leave when she graduated. So, after high school, she earned her bachelor’s degree in international education from a 4-year university in the Netherlands.
Once she got some teaching experience, Brandsar had another question for the school leaders she so admired: How do I become you?
So next, she earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership through Moreland University, which helped her land her dream job this school year as a vice principal at an international primary school in Cambodia.
In September, Brandsar fulfilled one more lifelong dream when she published her book, “The Brandsar Effect: How Leaders Spark, Align, and Rise,” about her system for empowering teachers and bringing their ideas to life in schools.
“I’m living my dream at the moment,” she said. “I could cry. I have inner fulfillment … I cannot wait to wake up, basically, because I just love [my job] so much.”
Brandsar has always wanted to be a published author.
Finding Her Confidence
Brandsar had the idea for her book years ago when she noticed schools didn’t really have a good system for following through on teacher ideas. Administrators would listen with the best intentions, but the ideas would fizzle out, and that would zap teacher confidence and satisfaction.
She started writing in the background, little by little. But it wasn’t until she earned her master’s degree through Moreland University that she gained the confidence to actually publish her ideas, she said. Writing it was one thing; sharing it publicly was a whole other level.
“Moreland made me confident in actually doing it,” she said. “I think my cohort really gave me the confidence.”
Earning her master’s, Brandsar liked the structure of Moreland’s program, how she knew exactly what she needed to submit, when, and how it would be scored. And she loved the weekly Zoom meetings where she got to connect with her cohort and learn from their experiences and ideas.
“I believe every day is a learning process,” she said. “Some people might just stop with a Bachelor of Education, and they think, ‘Oh, it’s enough.’ But to be honest, [a master’s degree] really helped me in my daily practice and also with my confidence. I think having that master’s really gives me the confidence to try even more.”
When Brandsar was interviewing for her current job, her dream job, they asked about her master’s degree. Because Moreland’s program is accelerated, 12 months, Brandsar would be graduating just as the new job started. With a longer timeline, if she’d chosen a 2-year program over Moreland, for example, she doesn’t think she would have been hired.
Enjoying the Present
When Brandsar was growing up, along with being a teacher, she dreamed of being an actor or a singer. She brings some of that passion into her role as a VP for Footprints International School. Every day during the morning assembly, the entire school sings a song Brandsar wrote. It starts like this:
Good morning, Footprints, here we are, ready to shine like a bright, bright star. We learn, we laugh, we always drive. We spread our wings and touch the sky. I am smart. I am smart. I am kind. I am kind. I can do it. I can do it…
Seeing the students sing and grow their confidence makes her day, Brandsar said. In fact, that’s one of her favorite parts about education as a whole, the chance to make an impact on the next generation.
“I love making a contribution,” she said. “Every time you contribute, you feel happy.”
Brandsar recently got married. She and her husband were both able to find jobs in Cambodia.
When she thinks about her future, Brandsar pictures herself becoming a consultant, traveling to international schools around the world. Or maybe she’ll work for an accreditation team or become a school director.
She’s a planner, and normally she’d have the next five or 10 years mapped out in detail. But for now, she’s really happy. So instead of thinking too much about what’s next, she’s trying to simply enjoy her present.
“I’ve learned when you’re happy,” she said, “you should actually accept your happiness.”
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