Week 6

This is our final week of our personal leadership class.  Our assignment is to find two blogs about pathways to leadership. This first blog is written by a teacher that has taken a leadership role. I really enjoyed reading his blog and this was very informative.

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/leading_from_the_classroom/2012/01/what_is_missing_in_teacher_leadership_a_roadmap_destination.html

This next blog is an educational blog from around the world.  There are several different blogger's and guest bloggers. This site has interesting information about different subjects that are a global concern.

blogs.worldbank.org/education

Week 5

The question for week five is whether distributive leadership is used for capacity building at your school.  The Head Start program I work for uses distributive leadership for capacity building by giving the power and responsibility to the Children's Service Manager who is the person that trains teachers to succeed in our goal.  Our programs goal is to build school readiness in young children.  She is the one who sees that we as teachers have the training to meet this goal.  We are all responsible to take what we have learned and use with our children.

Week 4

The leadership theory that I most closely match to my own leadership style is a transformational leader.  This type of leader leads by purpose and to motivate others to the goals of the organization.  I am the one person in my building that helps uplift the morale of others.  I look to find others strengths to build on them and to help them utilize their weaknesses so they don't feel like failures.  I always remind others of why we are here and what the rewards are of our job.
Sometimes it is very frustrating for me to see upper management not care about the people in the organization. 

The power dynamics at my school start with our director.  Because of her position has the final say on the decisions for day to day business.  The board of directors and policy council made up of parents share the final say.  By know who the decision makers are I can approach each one of these groups and talk to them about changes that might need to happen.

Week 2 Reflections

According to the Gallup website “A strength is the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance in a specific activity.”  By using strength based leadership it will support a community of practice.  When we use our strengths within our group to share and gain information from each other we will spend less time trying to learn something new and working on something that isn’t a natural ability.  We will be more eager to be part of the group and offer what we know.  By using our own strengths we will be building on them and grow. 

After I took my strength assessment I am not surprised by the results.  Looking back over my life since high school I can see how I have used these strengths every day.  My top 5 strengths are responsibility, developer, empathy, positivity and input.  With my empathy strength I have always felt I was just crazy being able to sense what others are feeling even before they do.  And with the developer I am sensitive to the fluctuating moods of individuals.  And I enjoy activities involving youngsters more than those involving adults, must be why I teach very young children.  And knowing  my laughter and jokes are part of my strength I at least know I am not being a pain. Ha ha.  And because of my strengths I take on additional tasks.  I so glad I am normal (sigh of relief).  I have always used the same statement that my assessment said, I feel like a sponge gathering information all of the time.  I have always been glad that my glass is half full because life would be miserable all of the time.  And I wouldn’t have time for all of my enthusiasm and energy and see the positive things in others and life.

Reference:

http://strengths.gallup.com

I set this blog up for an assignment I have in my personal leadership class.  I hope to learn from this class what personal leadership is about.  I want to be able recognize these qualities in myself and use them in a positive way.  I hope that I will be able to practice what I learn in these classes to help those around me.