Leadership
Assignment One: Where Am I Now?
Assignment Two: Rocking the Boat
- Task Zero, Review: I found this book somewhat common-sensical. There were ideas that I hadn't thought of, but for the most part, these were things that I already seemed to know. I did enjoy the anecdotes and couldn't believe some of the stuff that actually goes on in business today. I mean, I'm surprised, but I'm not surprised, you know? Greed begets greed, after all. One of the more interesting things I found was how much race plays a part in behavior, especially the idea of "double-consciousness" was very interesting. Overall, I felt that this book was two things: One, it was a wake-up call to those who just coast along silently in the world, not seeing inequities and injustices around them, and two, it was a way to subtly address these issues and slowly change them for the better. The idea of the tempered radical is quite extraordinary, in that it describes not only a way of existing in what seems like a chaotic world that is inexplicably at odds with itself, but a way of existing to help reduce the chaos for everyone also existing in this world, and make it more controllable, at least as it pertains to making positive strides towards a more equitable society.
- Task One, How am I different?: I guess the one way that applies to me is the last one: Values and beliefs as a source of difference and conflict. As an atheist, or, at least, as someone who believes that religion is an unnecessary evil, I find myself at odds with a majority of students and teachers. I do not openly promote this belief, as many of my colleagues and students have different views and I respect their right to hold to those beliefs. I tend to deflect student exclamations of "Thank Jesus," for example, when clearly I am the reason that the test has been postponed. I have often toyed with the idea of starting a Secular Humanists Club to go along with the Christian and Muslim clubs, but that might be a little less tempered than the book discusses. I just nod along when people talk of church or praying, not saying one word or another, although I do get annoyed with socially conservative viewpoints in such a diverse school as where I teach. I've heard stories of students who come out to teachers who tell them that they can "pray" that away, as if it were an issue of mind over matter.
In terms of anything missing from her framework that I bring in, I don't think there is anything missing. I was thinking that a possibility would be an individual who isn't part of an ethnicity or a gender that is stereotyped, but who is empathetic to those causes, but that would probably fall under the third category, perhaps as values. - Task Two, Becoming a Tempered Radical: One the continuum, I find myself usually between the second step (Turning personal threats into opportunities) and the third step (Broadening the impact through negotiation). This started at my first school, where I wanted to offer honors geometry to freshmen during the summer between their freshman and sophomore years. I had 25 students ready to go, only construction was going on at the school and we had no place for the students to take the class. Finally, the last day of school, we found a place to have it, but only 8 students could now attend. My principal told me we couldn't do it with so few students (I took this as a threat) and so I called all of the students and found 4 more that would attend, which I then used as a negotiating tactic to keep the program going. I know this is a stretch, but this is what I thought of when I saw the chart.
I would like to be in the last section of the continuum, but I feel it's a slow process to get there. The need to balance work-life, and work-work (priorities to make teaching successful) infringe upon the possibilities of moving to that final phase. One of the stories that I kept coming back to was that of Peter (the African American male at Western). In all of his interactions, he was civil and positive, but still tried to make a difference in whatever way he could, whether by bringing in minority interns and giving them more difficult work to show that they could do it, or by creating outreach and recruitment opportunities for minorities to work at his company. He had the ability to influence policy, and he was doing it as an insider, framing his ideas in ways that the establishment could tolerate. This is the way I see myself moving forward: by gaining a foothold in the larger establishment and instituting small policy changes that could effect the changes I am seeking, like an elected school board or equitable school funding. - Task Three, Facing challenges: The only one of the four challenges that I see as an obstacle is the fourth one, frustration and burnout. As long as I stay true to my beliefs about teaching and education, I don't see any potential damage to my reputation. As of now, I don't feel that anything I do is any type of risk. Having the backing of a forward thinking administration makes challenges seem less daunting. This year, I withdrew myself from a committee I was on because I just didn't have the time for it. I even tried to get a replacement for myself, but couldn't convince anyone, and the administration hasn't given me any indication that they feel I let anyone down. In fact, when I first met the new admins, I thought, "If I were an admin, this is how I would want to be." They are very accepting of new ideas and pedagogies, which is an amazing island to be on.
I don't see there being many difficulties of co-optation since our administration is very fair and engaging. If I were to move up in the ranks, by either becoming department chair, for example, I don't see myself changing very much. I try to be as fair as possible, and have little tolerance for disruption at meetings or meetings that are called for no apparent reason and accomplish nothing, and I will make it known how I feel about such things, in a classy, subtle way, of course.
Frustration and burnout is the one area where I could see some effects. One of the dilemmas I see at my school is that there are a small percentage of teachers (around 15%) that do everything: head committees, run clubs, tutor, etc. I am one of these people, and sometimes when I get asked to do another this or join another that, I sometimes get very frustrated. Why is my free time worth less than someone else's? Why do they get to leave as soon as the bell rings, yet I am working until close to 4:30 or 5? When I was asked to join the committee that I later left, I asked the admin, "Why don't you ask someone who doesn't do anything instead of me?" They replied, "Well, you know how those people are on committees..." to which I thought, "Yeah, I do. But that bad attitude shouldn't be a 'get out of jail free' card." I guess the only way I can deal with this is just to subtly chip away at the expected idea that a teacher only does things when he or she is paid. Maybe there's a way to make volunteering an even larger part of an evaluation? I don't know, but I could see this as a major obstacle in the years to come.
Setting Goals: Instrumental vs. Missional Thinking
I have two short-term goals, and two long-term goals.
One of my short-term goals deals with equity in teacher commitments. By this, I mean how some teachers game the system to do as little as they can outside the classroom, whereas others are on committees, serve as teacher-leaders and head other in-school organizations. I would like to see more teachers volunteer more so that the few that are tasked to do more don’t have to do as much. I would like to talk to the administration about this and see if there is some way we could begin to institute some sort of culture of volunteerism, where the unpaid time is more shared by all.
The second short-term goal arose only recently. I have two inclusion classes, and I noticed that the two co-teachers in the classes have vastly different styles of implementing, and definitions of, accommodations on IEPs. I would like to sit down with the administration and some math and special education teachers to solidify what each accommodation specifically means and what it looks like so that there is consistency amongst instructors and vertically or horizontally in the math department. For example, when a student’s IEP says she gets 50% extra time, that extra time looks the same regardless of the class she is taking or the year she is in school.
My first long-term goal is an extension of my first short term goal (equity in commitments), since I’m sure that a simple meeting will not immediately accomplish what I hope to. I would need to speak out more, and perhaps discuss with fellow teachers what their feelings are and engage them more as decision makers. This long term goal could involve me, much to my chagrin, joining YET ANOTHER committee to help transform our culture from the inside.
My second long-term goal would be to continue my work on getting students to persevere in problem solving. I feel like I’ve begun something, but haven’t even started to complete it. That’s why over the summer, I’d like to better formulate a structure for improving perseverance, with pre-assessments, post-assessments and milestones along the way. That way, when I come back to school in the fall, I can start from day one. I’d also like to involve even more teachers in my department in brainstorming ideas and implementing this type of thinking in their classrooms.
One of my short-term goals deals with equity in teacher commitments. By this, I mean how some teachers game the system to do as little as they can outside the classroom, whereas others are on committees, serve as teacher-leaders and head other in-school organizations. I would like to see more teachers volunteer more so that the few that are tasked to do more don’t have to do as much. I would like to talk to the administration about this and see if there is some way we could begin to institute some sort of culture of volunteerism, where the unpaid time is more shared by all.
The second short-term goal arose only recently. I have two inclusion classes, and I noticed that the two co-teachers in the classes have vastly different styles of implementing, and definitions of, accommodations on IEPs. I would like to sit down with the administration and some math and special education teachers to solidify what each accommodation specifically means and what it looks like so that there is consistency amongst instructors and vertically or horizontally in the math department. For example, when a student’s IEP says she gets 50% extra time, that extra time looks the same regardless of the class she is taking or the year she is in school.
My first long-term goal is an extension of my first short term goal (equity in commitments), since I’m sure that a simple meeting will not immediately accomplish what I hope to. I would need to speak out more, and perhaps discuss with fellow teachers what their feelings are and engage them more as decision makers. This long term goal could involve me, much to my chagrin, joining YET ANOTHER committee to help transform our culture from the inside.
My second long-term goal would be to continue my work on getting students to persevere in problem solving. I feel like I’ve begun something, but haven’t even started to complete it. That’s why over the summer, I’d like to better formulate a structure for improving perseverance, with pre-assessments, post-assessments and milestones along the way. That way, when I come back to school in the fall, I can start from day one. I’d also like to involve even more teachers in my department in brainstorming ideas and implementing this type of thinking in their classrooms.