Reflections

I think being a parent helps me be a better leader. Yet, I think being a leader hurts me as a parent sometimes. Since becoming a Mom, it is easier to put myself in the shoes of some of the parents I interact with. When I do interact with a parent that is upset, I am usually able to remind myself that if I were in his or her shoes, I'd likely respond the same way with the information that I had about a particular situation. But, as a parent with a background in education, I can worry too much about my son and his school experience. In some cases, I bring more experience (that can inform my view) to some conversations when it comes to assessment, learning, instruction and more. I will get stuck on pieces of information and usually try to walk a fine line between being a Mom and being a leader. If I see something that is not reflective of current best practice, I'll want to fix it --- but sometimes it's not mine to fix. It's rarely easy and I am thankful for the  many...

Thankfully, I am inspired on a daily basis by members of my PLN. I've spent some time on and off this weekend catching up on new year's resolutions set by many of them as well as #oneword declarations. Last year, I wrote about my one word and it was COURAGE.   Wow, did I embrace that word or what this past year? I'd say leaving a district you've been a part of for over 10 years to jump into a brand new one is a testament of courage! For this year, my word is a bit more cryptic. I've chosen BALANCE. I need to find balance in my role in this incredible, new district. I want to be more deliberate about honoring what has been done well while helping to move forward in other areas. I want to positively contribute to supporting teachers, principals and most of all, students in our district.  I need to find balance as a Mom. It's hit me pretty hard that time has indeed been flying by all of these years. I'm having a hard time figuring out when it is ...