Reflections

Like many leaders, I consider myself a work in progress. Sure, there are a few skills I have that are well developed but there are others I have that are not . I have MANY needed areas of improvement. I am a highly reflective person (some would say too much so) and often think about interactions from the day and role play how I could have handled something better than I did. But I have this one bias that can sometimes keeps me from listening with an open mind. When I hear people talk about this topic and use it as an excuse not to expect more from a student, I briefly stop listening. I get frustrated. It's my own bias and something I am working on.  It has to do with setting limits. Limits due to poverty, perceived skill level, or even motivation. When we use generalizations about students as our main reasons for why a student is having difficulty, it is unfair. Still, overcoming limits can't just happen because we say it will. I am not naive enough to believe some limit...

A three day weekend has provided a lot of time for personal reflection (and skilled avoidance of housework). In some ways, having too much time to think is a bad thing. I've spent some time replaying recent conversations and wondering if I've done the best I could have at handling them.  Part of this reflection time has also included catching up on blog post reading. I learn so much from other educators and their posts. Sometimes, I comment. Sometimes, I just retweet. But, nearly all of the time, the posts seem to move me closer to a needed piece of clarity in my own practice.  In assuming a new role in a new (and larger) district, I'm trying to find my focus. As in any of our schools or classrooms, there are always areas we want to work on. New teacher to veteran teacher, new leader to experienced leader. Levels of proficiency or service shouldn't change that. Most, if not all of the educators I've been honored to work with, always want to move ahead....tho...