"She's a Brick House...."

Sometimes I feel like the power structure at my school, and the district on the whole is a Brick House, mighty mighty just lettin' it all hang out.  The power structure of our school and district  seems immovable and unapologetic to me.  This may be a jaded perspective because I am laid off year to year and it causes "this old [wo]man wish for younger days."

The people who have been in adminstration and on the school board making major decisions have been in those positions for years while those of us in the trenches get moved around like pawns on a Chess board waiting to be sacrificed for our queen to stay on the board.

In my experience in this district, level the best way of utilizing this knowledge is to be as visible as humanly possible.  Invite the adminstrators into your classroom, participate in staff meetings, voice your opinion.  The key for me has been to make myself invaluable.  I know I would not have the job I have now had I not forged that type of relationship with my former principal.  I know he went to bat for me at the end of the year - he knew he wasn't going to be able to find a place for me at his school, but as soon as he saw a job opening - even if it wasn't exactly what I was used to doing - he made sure my name was out there. 

It's more than the feeling when a leader in our school community - a principal, a department chair, or even "just" a teacher who you respect recognizes your skills.  I use the phrase "more than a feeling" not only because it links to a GREAT song, but because I believe it really is.  I believe it helps build a stronger and more productive community.  When leadership recognizes individual strengths it creates a community of recognition and respect.  It also provides a resource for people who find themselves lacking in certain qualities.  For example, Rath's Strength Finder 2.0 identifies "Command" as one of the strengths - the ability to take charge with no discomfort.  I'm not going to lie here... if he had made a BOTTOM five list, this would absolutely be on it for me.  In a community with strength based leadership, I am going to feel comfortable knowing that I can go to someone who has been recognized as having this talent for help in this area and similarly, they may seek out my strength in harmony.  Together, we could achieve great things because our strengths are recognized as positives!

It's about the journey, isn't it?

So I titled my blog "It's About The Journey..." because that very much sums up my teaching career as well as what I am hoping to learn and become in this class and in the Masters program.  I have taught in four different schools over the course of seven years, five different principals, seven different classes, and four different grades (all of the levels of achievement from remedial to AP) and now I am a catch-all academic support for a teen pregnant and parenting program in the district. 

All of that being said it has been an incredible journey so far and I have no idea where I am going!  That is kind of how I feel about this Masters program too.  I knew the next challenge I wanted to face on my journey was one that would re-focus on my education.  I always tell me students to be life-long learners and I felt that I had gotten away from doing that myself. 

With all of the experiences I have had I want to look into how I can be better at what I do.  What am I hoping to learn?  I am not entirely sure, I guess. I am hoping to learn to be better at what I do and figure out how to inspire other to do so as well.

It's about the journey, isn't it?