A. What do you think will be your greatest challenge as you lead in the area of mathematics?
My greatest challenge as I lead in the area of mathematics will be overcoming my own fears off not being great at math. I know that I am a great fourth grade math teacher, but I fear that adult learners may ask me questions that I do not have the answer to. Leading adults is very challenging, and I fear that I will not be able to provide them with the resources or answers that they need.
B. What obstacles do you anticipate?
I anticipate that older teachers may think that they do not need my help and that they know more than I do. I worry that older teachers will be difficult to get on board with new strategies. I also anticipate that I will struggle to find all the resources I need to be an effective leader. Thankfully, I work at a school who always tries to provide teachers with everything they need.
C. What aspect of leadership do you feel most prepared for?
I feel most prepared to lead others through the use of motivation. I believe that I am a charismatic leader who is able to help others see my vision and mission. I feel most confident knowing that I can get others on board with my plan. I am much stronger in the area of curriculum and instruction in literacy, therefore I know this will not be an issue for me.
I feel that this class has helped prepare me for a future in the area of mathematics leadership and I look forward to what the next few years hold.
Something you pointed out really hit home with me in that adult learners may ask questions that we don't have the answers to. I worried about this as a new assistant principal, but now after a few years in the position I have realized that I can't have the answers to everything, but I have to be willing to go find the answers or work as a team and find the answers together. Sometimes I think we put pressure on ourselves as leaders to be perfect and if we aren't we see ourselves as incompetent. It is important for us to realize that perfection is unrealistic and we just have to be ourselves and others will respect us for that.
ReplyDeleteStephie,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post. There can be a certain level of anxiety with working with adults. I think that building a collaborative learning environment might ease some of the anxiety. It is difficult not always having the answers but no one is an expert on everything. This is what I love about the concept of PLCs. It fosters the idea that we are a community of learners.
Stephie, I responded to your post twice and it is not showing up here. Do you see it on your end?
ReplyDelete