Final Blog- CED 565

• How has your definition of leadership altered or been reinforced? Your definition of teacher leadership?

Through taking this class my definition and understanding of  leadership has expanded my focus from self/my department to the entire school.  This class has reinforced my understanding that effective leadership requires planning, development of a common school goal/vision, assessments, communication, training, support and continued revising/reassessing future directions.   Anyone can be a teacher leader.

• Has your opinion of your leadership potential changed?

I feel much more empowered in becoming a teacher leader in my school after taking this class.  I think prior to this class I was feeling limited by some of the negative political influences and lack of school board support for our teachers in our school.  By taking this class, l feel better equipped to address past tensions from political and local distension in our school.  Since this class my position has expanded from 50% to full time for next year, so that has helped reinforce the need for my leadership role in my school.  I am now beginning to be more involved on projects, committees, conversations, and teacher requests.  

• Do you agree with our textbook's assertion about "improving education from within"? If so, what will you do to help?

I agree with the textbook’s conclusion about the need to build “a better tomorrow by improving education from within.”  It is essential to place teachers front and center in school leadership.  It is imperative that administration consult, converse and collaborate with teachers as changes and school improvements are made.  Teachers are on the front line with students/parents.  Teachers create the educational experience and learning proficiencies in the students.  Without enabling and supporting teacher leadership, you lose touch with the classroom practices, whether it be struggles or triumphs.  As Library Media Specialist I feel I can help by being friendly, supportive and approachable.  I continue establishing a positive rapport with my staff as well as a collegial relationship with my supervisors.  My role continues to change and I see myself strengthening leadership in: resources (digital and print), collaborator/team teacher, motivator and positive voice for enabling innovative teaching/learning practices.

Week 5 - CED 565

This week we did a lot of reflecting on the Change Simulation Game we played the last two weeks in class.  I did change my opinion on the game and began to value the experience as we started to experience progress in our activity selection and ultimate outcome with our virtual staff.  I think the first week was particularly challenging trying to gather the information, create your plan with teammates, and communicate quickly.  I wish we had the materials a week ahead of time instead of at the moment of starting the game as I think it would have helped ease the initial pressure and desire for instant success.  Making change seems so easy until one begins to ‘play the game’ and realize there are many layers of resistance.  At first we learned we needed to have administrative buy in to get started.  Next we realized it is important to hold multiple meetings to discuss, survey and develop a direction for change.  Ultimately we created a vision, re-surveyed our successes and failures, and held trainings to began to move our virtual district forward.  

Through taking this class I have learned most that actions taken as a leader may differ than as an ordinary staff participant.  As a Teacher Leader, instead of maintaining focus on the experiences of a certain program or department, one must have an outlook of the greater good and value the collective staff in making change occur.  I do appreciate this extended focus on the organization and look forward to putting what I have learned in this class into practice in the future.  Let the real 'game' begin.  :)

Week 4 - CED 565

This week we played a simulation game as a class to experience the challenges a school faces in making change.  To me this experience was similar to my lamaze class where the instructor told us to place a clothes pin somewhere on our body and have our partner help us focus through the pain.  Yes, I placed it on my hair, because the thought that a clothes pin somewhere on my body was going to simulate labor pain was, to me, ridiculous.  Similarly, I view the game not exactly reflective of attaining change in a school, because each culture of each school will be different.  There is really no way to prepare for the resistance or circumstances a school will face in the process of change.  The valuable thing I did learn through playing the game is that you cannot just do one action to invoke change. You must be persistent, try multiple methods, conduct surveys, continually communicate with colleagues/superiors/stakeholders, and ultimately persevere.

Week 3- CED 565

By reading Tune In to What the New Generation of Teachers Can Do by Joan Richardson I reflected that my age would place me in the Generation X generation, however I feel Millennial description better suits my love of emerging technologies, ability to multitask, positive professional nature, efforts to collaborate with others and interest in retooling what I already know to adapt to the changing workplace. Of course there are generation gaps in every workplace. In my experience, there is no ‘one size fits all’ as Richardson’s generation descriptions depict. My district employs elder teachers who embrace life-long learning & cutting edge technology innovation as well as recent young hires who are more traditional and use minimal technology. I think it is more about comfort in discovery, participatory learning and willingness to experiment than age.

Week 2- CED 565

Class this week focused a lot on accessing and making meaning of data. We used WINSS to discover our districts strengths and weaknesses. I am a numbers girl, but am overwhelmed by the data one can learn via WINSS.

Because I value leadership and that is what this class is about I will share a critical leadership role I currently play at my school: implementing ebooks. I was sent by my district to Follett's New Leaf Learning Convention in Illinois for most of this week. (Follett is our library's catalog system that houses our database and ebook info/access.) I was privileged to hear some fearless national leaders in Information technology and have personal conversations with them (Shannon Miller, Mark Moran, Ian Jukes and Kevin Honeycutt to name a few.) Overall themes to the conference: don't continue doing things the same way- just because TTWADI and creativity matters for kids' futures-- market it. I learned many new ideas from this conference as I attempt to turn over a New Leaf as one of the many leaders in my school.

Week 1 of CEDO 565

How am I a leader in my school?

I am currently leading my school by developing an Information Media Literacy Standards Matrix based upon a draft recently released by the Wisconsin DPI. My newly developed matrix aligns skills & experiences students will acquire from grades K through 8. Areas of focus involve cultivating a love of Reading, Digital Citizenship Guidelines, LMC Navigation and Critical Research Skills.

I also lead by developing our district library collection development in our two buildings, enable reading resource access & motivation, instruct students/teachers in critical research practices, as well as provide instruction of digital citizenship practices. I work with each grade to ensure students and staff find age-appropriate materials and develop a routine for legal, ethical and educationally-sound practices with regards to using images, media and text resources. I conduct an annual reading competition called "Battle of the Books" and offer reading incentives like Read to Succeed for students to earn Six Flags Admissions.

What am I learning & how does it apply to me?

I am learning about my inherent leadership qualities and values. My personality & leadership style is not to be a micromanager. I prefer instead to lay the foundation for professionals to deliver, assess and instruct in varying ways that work for them and their students (incorporating emerging technologies, of course).

My main Leadership Virtues include: empathy, impartiality, enthusiasm, humbleness and imaginative.

My dominant leadership quality appears to be Adaptive Aggressive because I am goal oriented, strong, positive, and proactive. I enjoy people, action and structure.