Thanks to Scott McCleod in his post Calling all bloggers! - Leadership Day 2009 from Dangerously Irrelevant, I’ve decided to give it a shot. He challenges,“On Sunday, July 12, 2009, blog about whatever you like related to effective school technology leadership: successes, challenges, reflections, needs, wants, etc. Write a letter to the administrators in your area. Post a top ten list. Make a podcast or a video. Highlight a local success or challenge. Recommend some readings. Do an interview of a successful technology leader. Respond to some of the questions below or make up your own. If you participated in years past, post a follow-up reflection. Whatever strikes you. The official hashtag for your post and/or Twitter is #leadershipday09”
I’m sorry I missed the actual day because I take the weekend off from blogging but I really love reading all the posts that other people have written. If you get a chance, I suggest that you read some of the great posts dealing with this topic. I am going to attempt to write my feelings about this.
I feel that most attitudes are developed from the top down and that is why leadership is so important. If the administrators are on board with leading technology and teaching techniques, the rest of the school will follow along. I was lucky enough to be inspired by a great administrator who had this attitude. Unfortunately he moved on to another school in a different district but the things I learned from him have never left me. Leaders need to stop talking about what needs to be done and move into action. For the past year, I’ve heard about what we should have done, what we need to do now, and what needs to be done in the future but I believe now is the time to stop talking and start doing. We could talk forever and not accomplish anything. Everything begins with the first steps.
I would like to see an administrator who asked for each of the faculty to share a new tech tool, tech article, or website that they liked and share why they thought it was worth sharing. They would sign up for a 5 min. time slot at the weekly faculty meetings and the things shared could be kept on a wiki. No repeats would be allowed so if someone shared something you were going to share, you have time to find something else. I think it would be interesting and a way for colleagues to connect with each other. If anyone had questions or wanted to explore further, they could contact the person who introduced it. I’m sure at first there would be eye rolling and resistance but I see that happen, no matter what new things is encouraged. Unfortunately we pick up many bad habits from our students. I think we don’t share enough with our colleagues and we always have an excuse why we don’t. If the administration encouraged it and allotted 5-10 min. each week to do this, I think it would develop into a habit rather than an drudgery. This can be successful but would need the commitment of administration that it would be done regularly without finding excuses to put it aside.
Original image by Scott McCLeod
4 comments:
I think that's an excellent idea! Sometimes we get bogged down in theory and argument, when the journey could have started in little, habitual, practical ways.
And the eye-rolling? I used to run courses for teachers about teaching kids drama in primary school. When teachers were role-playing kids, they were so naughty! I think it's a little like those vents at the sides of a volcano.
@The Book Chook I agree. Sometimes, someone needs to take the first baby steps. :)
excellent idea! I am constantly finding new websites and techniques to try with my students, but never seem to have the time to share with the other teachers in my building.
I feel sharing new technology ideas is more important than the monotonous lesson plans I am asked to turn in on a weekly basis.
@Rose That is exactly how I feel. Let me do something meaningful instead of something that feels like busy work!
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