Give ‘Em the Whole Burrito

**Teacher Appreciation Week is less than one month away! Start planning now for how you’ll show your staff they matter so you’re not throwing something together at the last minute.

A year ago, during the golden age of my leadership program (we’ll call it Act 1), I was lucky enough to lead a summer school program called Project Launch.

It was one of those experiences where everything felt alive — the team was thriving, the kids were engaged, and even the adults showed up like they wanted to be there. The whole thing felt like a garden bursting with possibility: ideas growing, trust blooming, people feeling fed and seen.

And I mean that literally — because I fed them. One day I brought in breakfast burritos from Santiago’s (it was chorizo day, obviously), and I handed one to one of our math teachers. She held it in her hands like it was a small miracle and started laughing.

“Wait… I get the whole burrito?”

I was a little confused.
“Uh… yeah?” I said. “We’re a real class act around here.”

She laughed again. “No, I mean… it just reminded me of Teacher Appreciation Week last year. Admin sent out an email like, ‘Santiago’s burritos are in the lounge — thanks for all you do!’ So we go in there for lunch… and every single burrito had been cut. In half. Just… half a burrito. Guts spilling out. We were like, ‘Wow. Thanks.’”

And we both cracked up — because yeah.
That’s how appreciation often shows up in schools.

A lukewarm half-burrito.
No plate. No wrap. No thought.
Just enough to say they tried.
Not enough to feel like you matter.

It’s Not About the Burrito

Obviously this isn’t about breakfast.
(Although, let’s be real — burritos are a love language.)

It’s about how people feel when they give their all and get a paper-thin “thank you” in return.

It’s about what it means to truly appreciate your people — in leadership, in education, in life.

If you’re familiar with The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace (based on Gary Chapman’s work), you’ll know that people feel valued in different ways. Some need words. Some need time. Some need practical help. Some need thoughtful gifts.

But nobody feels appreciated by a halved, exposed, sad little burrito.

So What Does the Whole Burrito Look Like?

In leadership, the “whole burrito” means appreciation that’s:

• Timely – not just stuffed into an obligatory week

• Personal – not generic mass emails

• Specific – not “great job” but “your support during dismissal duty makes everything smoother — thank you”

• Consistent – not once a year, but part of the culture

And honestly? Sometimes it does mean the actual burrito.
The whole one. With foil. That’s still warm.

Because when people feel like someone went the extra mile for them — when someone took the time to do it right — they feel like they matter.

What I Learned

That summer, I didn’t have a title. I wasn’t anyone’s “boss.” But I was a leader — because I noticed what people needed, and I gave it without slicing it in half.

Appreciation doesn’t have to be elaborate.
But it does have to be whole.
Whole presence. Whole recognition. Whole-hearted leadership.

So give ‘em the whole burrito.
And while you’re at it? Maybe grab the green chile, too.