Spring & Summer 2020 |
“All systems go through life cycles. There’s progress, setbacks, seasons. When a new effort begins, it feels like spring” ~Wheatley, 2011 |
EEA 545 - Change Management with Global Perspectives |
“When we listen to the whispers, we free ourselves from the limiting belief that only some people have the answers, that only some people are worth listening to.” ~Wheatly & Frieze, 2011 |
And then a Global Pandemic happens . . .
As one sets out to read and reflect on “Walk Out Walk On”, for the third time, I find myself reading it this time amid a new world context, and as such I saw myself connecting the first chapter in different ways then I did the first time. The poem on page 2 for example, is so profound right now, given the change in how we as a society are being encouraged/ forced to participate with each other. As I reread the book, we are in a reality where we are truly being pushed to see things different, where we are “no longer expecting relationships, memories, words, or letters to mean what they used to mean.” We are truly immersed in a reality where we need to be open to change, not be closed off – because we have to change, we have to adapt, we have to move forward.
Heart is the essence of our ability to build community and create relationships. Without allowing a vulnerability from ourselves, we cannot expect a community of teachers or learners to truly follow us. As we journey, we have to be willing to be exposed to diverging points of view and embrace our critics, not as stumbling blocks, but instead a members of the community who are willing to be brave and share their perspectives. I believe that a key part of effective leadership is to listen to the different perspectives, and not interpret them as critical, instead view those perspectives as essential to our overall growth. |
The greatest growth opportunities coming from listening, observing, suspending judgement; being open to new ideas and perspectives. Leading through a lens of curiosity allows us to observe and reflect not just about the majority perspective. I am aspiring to be a leader that can listen with openness, who honours the diverse perspectives |
Twenty years of teaching has resulted in many ripples behind me. Ripples through the lives of students, who contact me as adults to tell me of the impact I’ve had on their lives. Ripples in the lives of colleagues who call for advice and insight when they want my perspective. Ripples that I believe were often unintentional. When a stone is thrown in a still lake, we cannot predict exactly how the ripple will form. Instead, we wait to see how the rock (idea) resonates out when it hits the calm water. Our ideas are like ripples, when we present them to those around us, we cannot predict how they will respond and react. We cannot control the ripple, we can only hope that when we set out with purpose and are true to ourselves, we leave behind ideas and pieces of ourselves. How others view our actions is often outside of our control. Therefore, we leave behind us a message that we hope others perceive and hear. But how they interpret that, how they internalize that is highly personal.
I know that the best I can do is to stay true to myself. To hold space to reflect on my actions and keep moving forward with better iterations of self. To accept the ripples of others into my heart and to continue to do the best work I can in both my personal and professional life. We grow together, we learn from each other, and this is best done through taking time to listen to the ripples around us.
EEA 643 - Internship III - (Student Teacher) |
EEA 539- Supervision of Instruction |