CEdO565 Week 6 - Leadership and Change

For the final week of this course (our last actual course in this degree track) we are asked to "reflect on these questions:"

How has your definition of leadership altered or been reinforced? Your definition of teacher leadership? I will start with the former first... I had no preconceived notion of what a teach-leader was before this course. therefore, the definition was all brand new to me. I knew that some teachers were leaders (I mean, I've seen "Stand and Deliver" after all!!!) but I haven't been personally exposed to very much innovation in my schooling experience. As far as my definition of leadership... I don't know what to say on that one. I've been through so many different versions of leadership (just within this tour!)... we've seen Intrusive Leadership come and go, followed by Involved Leadership... and the associated leadership philosophies of each Commandant, District Admiral and Commanding Officer (basically, repackaged and reworded from the previous regime!).  

Has your opinion of your leadership potential changed? Somewhat... Maybe?!?! By that I mean that I have been aware of my ability to get people to follow me and also of my ability to make fairly sound decisions for the group based on listening to my knowledgeable personnel. But, I seem to lack the desire to seek out change. I am happy to change in order to follow along with the changing regimes and new priorities that are thrust upon us. I just haven't been the tip of the spear on anything meaningful. My leadership style appears to be more of a sheltering style of deflecting the majority of the weirdness from above while allowing my people to actually get the job done. So, has my opinion of my leadership potential changed... not really, I guess!  

Do you agree with our textbook's assertion about "improving education from within"? If so, what will you do to help? From the outside looking in... it would be difficult for me to answer this question with any sort of authority or conviction. I would like to think that it lies with the motivated teachers to improve education and that the majority of teacher would have some good ideas to present on the second portion of this question. However, I think that a portion of the burden of improving education lies with society at large. I would think that there would need to be a pretty big reinvestment in our education system and an increase in participation by more parents in order for significant system-wide change to take hold. (But really, I'm just one of those that blames society a lot of the time!)

All in all I really enjoyed this course. I liked the simulation exercise... it definitely drove home the importance of communication and knowing your peers when you are attempting to institute a big change.

Thanks for a great course!