Some random thoughts on leadership.

Working in a huge district such as I do, it is really difficult to make any kind of impact much beyond my immediate school. I have tried over the years to affect certain changes, by finding out the appropriate people in charge and respectfully submitting suggestions, only to see them sink like stones never to be heard from again. So I have had to learn to curb my frustration at not being able to make system wide changes, and do what I can where I am placed.

As a teacher, I have watched science teaching change over the seventeen years of my career. When I began (as a 3^rd grade generalist), I was given a set of reading and math texts, and when I asked what to do about science and social studies, I was told to look around my classroom to see what books were lying about and use them. A rather cavalier attitude toward the subject, I thought. Then a few years in, we were given a lock-step curriculum. (On this day, you will be teaching this…) which at least gave everybody the same materials to work with, but heaven forbid you fell out of step with the pacing. The students had better “get it” on the first try, or else!

Finally, this year, we were granted a bit of autonomy, because our school is not in “corrective action” (though it will be if they students don’t make AYP…). So I FINALLY was able to make a change this year. I taught my seventh grade students evolution for the first time. The district timeline has us skip that chapter in the book! But I just couldn't face myself sending them off to high school without that in their background knowledge locker. Thank goodness my principal was on my side on this point.

Maybe this sounds like a small thing, but to me, it was a big victory. The other day, my husband was joking with me about what I will do with my free time now that my time at Walden is coming to an end. I think perhaps I will finally have time to put some action behind the things
I have learned about leadership and social advocacy and maybe put myself out there and LEAD?