Leadership in Learning: Final Thoughts

Reflections on School Transformation

Essential Questions

●      What are your three biggest learnings, a-ha’s or takeaways from the course?

●      How has this course impacted your understanding of how teachers can shape the school’s we need?

●      What is one thing you will do differently as a teacher leader moving forward?

In the characteristics of leadership, authenticity sits in the center of all components, and is how to stay grounded in the midst of transformation.  In our “age of empowerment,” we have a responsibility to exercise our voice and choice in a manner that is true to our hearts and values as well as include those who have little choice and control in the conversation about how to proceed in our rapidly changing world. (Schwahn, 2010)  “In fact, that’s one of the interesting and exciting things about Empowermentland: Change is a constant—it just keeps happening, and rapidly, too.” (Schwahn,2010, p. 1)  To be an effective change leader, I need to shape the change I want to see in education, and I need to find ways to make my ideas accessible and relatable to others.  Exceptional Leaders fight for what they believe to be right, prioritize ideas and go for the win-win in problem solving.  Modelling the way and challenging processes is where I live in my work, but I also need to inspire a shared vision and enable others to act if I am to be most effective as a change leader. 

The schools we need exist in pockets of our world, as evidenced by many of the models we’ve looked at in this course.  Teachers need to remember that people can lead from any chair, as Ben Zander taught us.  It strikes me that many teachers are aware of the need for change in education and yet act powerless in affecting change.  I beleive it comes from thinking about the long game of change, but in the spirit of a marathon- one mile, and sometimes one step, at a time.  We have to be mindful of the purpose of education even as we enlist the smallest of learning connections.  Teachers have the precious power of being transformational influences in our students’ lives.  Like a performer on a stage trying to evoke emotions from her audience, I have to think, “Who am I being if my students’ eyes aren’t shining?”  We are not in it alone, though.  As we found in The Connected Leader, “Connected learning is understanding the power of collaborating and acting collectively.” (Nussbaum-Beach and Ritter Hall, 2011)  We have a common language and the ability to learn from the world around us as much as we chose to in order to help students learn. 

As I dream of education that is exciting, fulfilling and lifelong, I believe the pathway is individualized learning that focuses on creativity, communication, collaboration, and most importantly, critical thinking skills.  While I’ve had this inkling all along, I know now that I am capable of finding ways for individualized learning to be realized.  This is my passion in life and in education- we are all on our own journey and need to go where our curiosity leads us.  One thing I will do differently every day, in every class, is continually consider how connected the learning is to each student’s experience and skills.  I may not be every student’s “best teacher” or “best class,” but I can strive to bring out the best in each of their own learning endeavors.

Resources:

1.     Nussbaum-Beach, Sheryl; Ritter Hall, Lani (2011-11-01). The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age (Kindle Locations 496-497). Ingram Distribution. Kindle Edition.

2.     Schwahn, Charles J.; Spady, William G. (2010-04-16). Total Leaders 2.0: Leading in the Age of Empowerment (p. 1). R&L Education. Kindle Edition.

3.     (2014). Benjamin Zander: The transformative power of ... - TED.com. Retrieved July 19, 2015: http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion/transcript?language=en.