From Cat Herder to Servant Leader

Inquiry Blog Post #3

Being a leader among teachers is no easy task.  I have taken on leadership roles within my school a couple of times over the last few years (Literacy Leader and Educational Facilitator of our enriched program), and I can affirm what I have heard so many times before:  leading teachers can be like trying to herd cats.  Teachers have a (justifiably) wide independent streak and will always know a lot more about some things than you do.  They’re often overworked and tired and looking for resources they can use in the classroom right now.  They already have a lot of high priorities, so how can they spend their preciously guarded mental bandwidth on ideas that did not come from their classroom, that will often require more work from them, and that may not come with an immediate pay-off?  Can they just think about it when they have more time (a time that never comes)?

(If you’d like to see the commercial this still was taken from, click here.  It’s awfully good.)

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Doing the Scary Stuff

Inquiry Blog Post #2

I am a card-carrying introvert who is not technologically inclined.  Talking to lots of people (adults) and being confronted with new technology makes me … um … nervous. So, the thought of really getting into the “social” part of social media to delve into the world of educational technology?  It gives me pause.  However, I know how important it is for an LLC to keep pace with the century, and for schools to give students the best possible opportunities.  I also know from experiences I’ve had this past year how vital a group of fellow professionals can be as a source of advice and even comfort.  So, for the next couple of years, as I develop personal learning networks to counteract my own weaknesses, my mantra will be “feel the fear and do it anyway!”

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