Sunday, May 6, 2012

Week 6 of CED 565


    This was the final week of CED 599 Leadership and Planning. This week we were asked to reflect on the following questions. My responses follow each questions.
    • Your definition of teacher leadership?
      •  Leadership to me is about making the right decisions for your team. A leader should be informed when making choices. This is why so many leaders focus on data-driven decisions. Leaders are not only responsible for making decision, they are also responsible for implementing change. A leader must collaborate, plan, and communicate his/her decisions with the rest of the team. This is a vital process during the implementation of change. If the team does not "buy in", change will not occur. 
    • How has your definition of leadership altered or been reinforced? Has your opinion of your leadership potential changed?
        • My definition of leadership has evolved from a pure decision maker to a collaborator and initiator of change. I now realize the vital role of communication and collaboration that leaders must integrate. I also appreciate the difficulty that leaders experience when trying to implement change. 
      • Do you agree with our textbook's assertion about "improving education from within"?  If so, what will you do to help?
        • I do agree that a lot of improvement with education can occur from within. The teachers have the know how and the ability to make a difference. I believe that the biggest obstacle to internal improvement is the resistance of change or the fear of the unknown. I think that a lot of the experienced teachers are comfortable with the way that they currently teach their lessons. These lessons may be effective and may have worked for years; unfortunately, if the world around us is changing and the teacher's lessons remain the same, then old lessons inevitably become inefficient. 
        • The world is changing and we need to make sure that students receive the skills they need to succeed. I think that this concept is a big shift of thinking and therefore a struggle for experienced teachers. A student's experience at school use to be about the knowledge that students received. The internet now makes this same knowledge available to students at any time. I think that current teachers need to focus on providing students with the skills they need to succeed in the future. We need to instill curiosity, collaboration, and creativity within our students. They need to learn how to obtain and analyze information. They need to learn how to create solutions to real problems. These skills will allow them to succeed on their own in the future. 
        • My role in this process is to remain current with new pedagogy. I need to stay in touch with the changes in the world so that my teaching methods can evolve with the world around us. I need to be a model for other teacher's so that may learn from my success and failure. I need to communicate and collaborate with others so that these changes can impact as many teachers and students as possible. This process will allow me to make the biggest impact on education. 

      2 comments:

      1. Your comments show you have a great grasp of what needs to happen in order to improve educational outcomes, starting with your own classes. It also shows that you recognize one of the biggest obstacles to widespread change in the educational approach - the firmly entrenched establishment. We all know the outside factors that are impacting that dynamic. You mention some of the things you can do. In your opinion, what else needs to happen move this process forward?

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      2. I liked a lot of your comments about the definition of leadership. Making informed decisions is key. Often, people make quick choices only to realize that more research was needed. I also agree that any leader should be a master of collaboration and initiating change.
        How do you collaborate with others in your building? What changes are you willing to make for yourself and the building you work in?
        It was great working with you! If you ever need any help with tech implementation or questions about 1:1, let me know. Have a great last few weeks, and even better summer!

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