Positive Leadership

I think having a positive attitude and connecting with the kids is a huge part of leading when it comes to schools. Just the other day our assistant principal decided to hop on the bus and ride the entire route after school because the kids were consistantly getting into trouble on the bus. I would have never thought to do that. For some reason our assistant principal can always come up with ideas to help the kids make better choices and she follows through with them. The kids all love her. I think it's because she connects with each of them, holds high expectations for them, disciplines them, and listens.
I have been really trying to improve my attitude and become a positive leader in our building. I feel that I have some of the qualities needed to help this school become a great place to work and to learn. I certainly don't have what it takes to be the overall leader but feel I can do my part to make a difference.

Leaders in today's world

I have never been a leader and really don't ever take the plunge to be in a leadership role in the working enviornment. I do take a leadership role when I coach cross country at the high school level and volunteer to be the coach when our 'cheerleaders' want to perform at the student vs. staff games at the middle school but I would rather not be a leader when it comes to the working enviornment. Just today we had an inservice and we were disecting the position paper that the school board has been working on. I get so unbelievably frustrated that people make decisions about our district even though they have never stepped foot in the classroom. I then try and just block it out of my head and focus on my own classroom and what I can do to make a differenct there. I feel like I get too emotionally involved and therefore wouldn't be a very good leader. I don't have that calm and collected state about me.

Leadership Part 2

Designing professional learning opportunities! Yes. We need to create teams in our building as should every school. We have committees right now but it's mainly committees for behavior interventions or literacy which are unbelievably important but we don't have groups to talk about leadership, groups who can arrange learning and improving for the staff. Teachers need to continuously reload their 'toolbox' for our changing times and the changing needs of the children. I sometimes feel that the kids are learning so much especially in the area of technology and I am stuck not being able to keep up with them and feeling as though I am falling deeper into a hole. I love that I decided to go back to school even though I have put way too much on my plate. It forces me to think outside the box and move beyond phases of the moon :) I am so excited to learn again, spark up some new ideas in my head and bring them to my classroom. I believe that everyone really wants the same goal, to learn as much as we can in the time that we have. We all want the kids to learn and we want to present information in new and creative ways.
I was just talking to another teacher in our building about teachers teaching each other. Why hasn't this been done before in this building? It irritates me a little that this building has let itself get so deep into this hole. I think maybe I should try and work on being a leader here at OMS. I have never really been a leader, I'm a better follower but it may be a challenge I should take.

Leadership Part 1

In my world of teaching right now there is no leadership, therefore, when I look at the tenets of classical leadership I would love to have even some of them be present where I am at. I do believe that learning and leading are one in the same as there is no such person who knows everything. We all continue to learn through each day. The statement about superior expertise and information seemed a little bold, maybe because when I think of my superior being an expert I have to shake my head. I feel many in leadership roles are not treated as the 'superior'. Structure, routine, outcomes, control of students and staff....yes, that is absolutely necessary when it comes to running a building full of 7th and 8th graders. If there is no control or structure, how can a building run smoothly and consistently? I believe that now days, being a leader can be a difficult role. It seems that with 'authority' comes resistance and sometimes attitude. I may feel that way because of my current situation, not trusting or counting on authority to guide in the right direction. I struggle with knowing that yes, this is what quality leaders should have and instill on their staff but what happens when they don't do this and the authorities of the authority aren't following the tenets either?? Frustration. That's what I think of when I read the list of leadership tenets. Frustration for me as a teacher, for the students in the building and for the parents who really don't know what is going on while their children are at school. This post was quite bitter....sorry about that.