Teacher Leadership Pt.1: M2_FA Reflection

 There are four modules in this course and each candidate is required complete each ‘Focus Area’ within the module in its entirety. At the end of each module, each candidate will be required to provide a reflective piece on the learning that has occurred.

As you complete your tasks and read your colleagues posts, new experiences have been gained or your thoughts and ideas may have been confirmed. When you begin your reflections after each module, think about why you are a life long learner and how has each ‘Focus Area’ activity has allowed you to gain more confidence as an educator working in the classroom. What meaningful information have you taken away and how will you implement change?

The purpose of this reflection is to show growth in your learning and allow you to make connections to your experiences. You must use the information from the readings to discuss your understanding of the process, and impact of leadership.

The reading reflection is a personal response to the readings and your colleagues’ discussions.

"The community of a school is built of four essential elements, the parents, the educators, the students and the understanding that binds them into a unit of society. This unit is, “The School Community”, to be apart of the school community there are understandings that one must adhere to and acknowledge as though it were one’s own familial pedagogy. This essence of understanding that binds this community is one that characterizes the function of a leader within that community.

              The leader in a community such as this needs to undertake a or some responsibility to oversee development of its members and environment either on a physical or characteristic level. This is seen in the pressing need for UDL, differentiation, guidance counselling and even in regards to disciplinary action.

In being a leader, an educator not only becomes a role model to those students of theirs but their colleagues as well. Leadership does not need to be a paper documented position with a salary to have a grand impact on a community of learners. On a personal level, my reflections based on my impacts (however small), have had grand effects on the lives involved. Often times, people are their own worst critics and it is easier to find the things they are ashamed of than the things that they should be proud of (when thinking about moving into a leadership position). This is usually because of the idea that they know in a leadership position they are role models and thus actually proving ready for the task.

Leaders need to be reflective as well as reflect the aspects of community that they hope to see, from within themselves. In a manner of speaking, participatory classroom teachers are ground layers for what leaders need to present themselves with in regards to goals and approaches to goal achievement. In some cases, a lack of participatory teachers may be an area of attention to which the particular leader had been selected. This would be an example of another potential challenge a leader may face and need to work with a community to reconcile.

As a leader, only with a community can changes (positive changes) be made. Only with the support of the community can a leader lead. That support comes from the willingness of the leader to front failure in trial-and-error approaches as well as success in achievement of goals that may show progress to the team’s larger goal/purpose.

A group of people need purpose, as a leader it is their job to work with the group to figure out what that purpose is as well as how to get there. In some cases a leader may need to provide some guidance in decisions at first but can still include the council, team or stakeholders in the decision making process."

The community of a school is built of four essential elements, the parents, the educators, the students and the understanding that binds them into a unit of society. This unit is, “The School Community”, to be apart of the school community there are understandings that one must adhere to and acknowledge as though it were one’s own familial pedagogy. This essence of understanding that binds this community is one that characterizes the function of a leader within that community.

              The leader in a community such as this needs to undertake a or some responsibility to oversee development of its members and environment either on a physical or characteristic level. This is seen in the pressing need for UDL, differentiation, guidance counselling and even in regards to disciplinary action.

In being a leader, an educator not only becomes a role model to those students of theirs but their colleagues as well. Leadership does not need to be a paper documented position with a salary to have a grand impact on a community of learners. On a personal level, my reflections based on my impacts (however small), have had grand effects on the lives involved. Often times, people are their own worst critics and it is easier to find the things they are ashamed of than the things that they should be proud of (when thinking about moving into a leadership position). This is usually because of the idea that they know in a leadership position they are role models and thus actually proving ready for the task.

Leaders need to be reflective as well as reflect the aspects of community that they hope to see, from within themselves. In a manner of speaking, participatory classroom teachers are ground layers for what leaders need to present themselves with in regards to goals and approaches to goal achievement. In some cases, a lack of participatory teachers may be an area of attention to which the particular leader had been selected. This would be an example of another potential challenge a leader may face and need to work with a community to reconcile.

As a leader, only with a community can changes (positive changes) be made. Only with the support of the community can a leader lead. That support comes from the willingness of the leader to front failure in trial-and-error approaches as well as success in achievement of goals that may show progress to the team’s larger goal/purpose.

A group of people need purpose, as a leader it is their job to work with the group to figure out what that purpose is as well as how to get there. In some cases a leader may need to provide some guidance in decisions at first but can still include the council, team or stakeholders in the decision making process."

Feedback for M2,

"Thank you for your dedication to our course. Your posts are always reflective and connected to the course content that you have engaged with.  Your leadership shines through your work and it is a pleasure to review.

Thank you for completing your reflection and module posts. These reflections are meant to reveal the honest truths about your leadership journey, and you have done just that. Thank you for being honest and clear about your philosophy and passion for teaching and leading.  I think it is amazing that you are taking this unique opportunity that we have to share your strengths with your colleagues.  By creating opportunities for others to grow and learn, you are enhancing your own growth, learning and leadership skills.  Through your posts, I can sense your passion and drive to transform teaching and learning by being a learner through trying new things. Thank you for being on top of everything and taking the lead with your great ideas and perspectives noted! To date you have contributed to creating a positive collaborative learning community, completed all tasks and participated well in discussions.

As we all know, there are many personalities out there that conflict with our own, but as professionals, it is important to put these differences aside in order to foster an environment of positivity and productivity. We must begin a strong, mutually beneficial working relationship. We must have aspirations to lead and foster change.

The ultimate goal is student success…In active classrooms one will find engaged students, often working on multiple projects simultaneously, and teachers unafraid of relinquishing their authoritarian role. Leaders listen to the voices of everyone to impact change.

You are encouraged to continue to reference multiple sources to gather information including course readings and outside professional readings in your posts and responses where you can.

Continue to connect theory to practice by effectively supporting thinking with research. I have enjoyed reading your submissions and work done with colleagues.

Keep up the great work!

Mark: A

Robin"