RAYE WOOD, NBCT, ED.D.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Resume
  • Contact

Leadership

4/20/2019

0 Comments

 
I think it is really easy for people to judge other people's jobs. For example, it is super easy for a teacher to say "well if *I* was the principal, I would have done _____" or for a principal to say "well if I was the director, I would have done _______." 

We aren't always privy to the vast amount of information that goes into someone else's decisions. I think my students probably feel that way often too. They don't understand that when I make a choice in our classroom, I have considered every angle I can think of and made the best choice with the information that I had available to me at that time. It doesn't always make people happy, but it's also necessary to make those "executive decisions" sometimes.

In the last couple of years, I have continued to lament that I do NOT want to be a principal (yes, that is capitalized, bolded and underlined to really emphasize how much I was like no no no!). What's really funny is that other people have told me for years that I should be a formal leader because I am so good with people. I have doubted that in myself because sometimes I don't make the best decision, sometimes I let my emotions lead me. Interestingly, someone recently told me that knowing that about myself is why I should pursue formal leadership. She said, "Being authentic and vulnerable about your own weaknesses will speak to people. They won't feel like they have to be perfect for you because you are willing to admit to yourself and those around you, that you aren't perfect." 

Truthfully, I hadn't really considered that before. A few years ago in one of my courses for my doctoral program, we had to create a leadership ladder. I know I saved that file, but I am unable to locate it at the moment. I do remember that we had to put our leadership priorities upward meaning the least important was at the bottom and as you "climbed the ladder" they got more important to you. I remember when I turned mine in, my professor was surprised at the choices I had made in terms of the order I had put them in. I know vulnerability and transparency were toward the top.

All these years later, as I have engaged in teacher leadership work, in two different schools, I feel even more strongly that these areas are the key to good leadership. It's easy to say we are transparent, but I think it's also important to recognize when other people do not think we are being as transparent as we say we are. It's a fine line. I haven't had to dance that line, but I know that I will and I really hope I don't lose sight of what is has been like to be in the teacher's seat and feel like you were misled or that someone wasn't honest with you. 

A very dear friend of mine and I have had many conversations about possibly pursuing leadership opportunities. One thing she voiced was that she was afraid she would get to that position and forget what it felt like to be the teacher and that's why she hasn't pursued formal leadership such as an assistant principal or principal position. I have to admit I have that fear too.

I wish I could sit here and type this and say that I have always been treated fairly, that every administrator I have ever worked for has been 100% honest and up front about everything. But if I said that, I would be lying. I'm not a liar. To be fair, I have worked with some really amazing administrators. I have also worked for some who are not honest or transparent in their decisions or they say things that they can't really follow through on and I don't ever want to be like that. These behaviors simply lead to distrust and feeling like you aren't really valued. You can repeat over and over that you value someone, but the actions you take will be what shows those people if they really are valued. 

Again, I do not pretend to know everything that has to go behind an administrator's decision and unless I have the exact same information and frame of reference as the person making the decisions, I probably wouldn't make the same choices. However, I do think that as I look to transition from a classroom to a formal leadership role, that I want to keep that at my forefront. I never want to treat someone in a way that I wouldn't want to be treated. We are all human beings first. We all have feelings and emotions and battle scars. We have to be honest, respectful and truthful. 

I vow that as I pursue opportunities that will allow me to make a larger impact than in just one classroom with four walls, that I do not lose sight of who I really am and who I really want to be. I read a story about a man who stuck to his morals because he said once you compromise who you are, even if its just once, you're now someone who can be compromised. That has never left my mind. I don't want to be someone who can be compromised. I want to be someone who is always genuine, honest and vulnerable. 
0 Comments

Spring Break Reset 2019

4/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
It has been years (and years) since I have actually gone on Spring Break. In 2018, I spent my Spring Break freaking out about the statistical test I needed for my dissertation so I could finish on time. Needless to say, it was not relaxing at all!

Fortunately, this year was not full of statistical tests that made my head spin. Instead, my family was able to travel to the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area for the week. We rented a condo (through www.dunes.com which I highly recommend! They were awesome and made it seamless) and made the decision to drive as plane tickets for four of us was more than we were wanting to spend on a vacation.

I could live at the beach. Unfortunately for me, I'm too liberal to be a transplanted Southern Belle, but I could pretend if it meant I could see the ocean every day :) There is just something about the sound of those waves crashing that speaks to me. Our condo was right on the beach so out the bedroom window we had a view of the ocean (my teenagers weren't so lucky; their view was the stairwell :|). 

Picture
Beautiful sunrise from the balcony of our condo
​I took so many walks on that beach over the course of the week that I lost count of how many times I did it.  Of course, it was also necessary to take some "walking along the beach" selfies to prove to everyone that I actually did it! 
Picture
There was a lovely ice cream shop down the beach about a half mile from our condo that we enjoyed a couple of times. We also took two trips to Myrtle Beach itself (we stayed about 20 minutes away) and that was fun. It's definitely a tourist town, but we enjoyed ourselves immensely. We went to the Ripley's Auditorium, two state parks and a zoo while we were there. The one rainy day we had, we enjoyed a movie together as a family.

It was the reset I needed, for sure! As we return to school tomorrow, testing season begins and I need to be on my game for that so that my students will be too. ​​
0 Comments

    Archives

    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018

    Categories

    All
    Esl
    School
    Uganda

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.