Having competence as a leader is something that is so important. The quote at the beginning of the chapter sums it up for me " A competent leader can get efficiency service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops" Pershing. If a leader is competent they will be able to lead even the weakest of teachers but if they are not eventually even the best of teachers will be worn down.
I appreciated the section of " I didn't know that!". I agree that if you do not know something you should admit it and find out the correct answer, playing dumb will not work in the long run for any effective leader. Self-efficacy as a leader and better yet as a person is so very important. The ability to know how capable you are of completing a task and attaining a goal is vital to success. You will not always get it right every time but eventually you will learn from the mistakes and successes you have made and work through them.
"Gaining competence as a leader is not as clear-cut as gaining competence as a teacher" (84). As a leader there will be no day exactly the same. Being Activities Director I see it all the time and now that it is my fourth year I am finally adjusting it is not an easy task. It is much easier to teach the standards and prepare lesson plans it is difficult to not know what to plan for at any given time.
I will remember the following for the future in administrative success:
- Social/Emotional
-Communication
_ Reflection
- Systemic Thinking
- Learning Theory
- Methodology
- Organization/Prioritization
- Shared Vision
Directing activities will give you more of an idea of what it is like to be
ReplyDeletean administrator than teaching. Like the author states, "There are no lesson plans." You do have to learn as you go, and your day very rarely goes exactly as planned!
Megan,
ReplyDeleteI like the quote that you mentioned. Being so busy, I read it and didn't spend time to reflect on it. A competent leader can assist, motivate, and even inspire the average teacher. However, an incompetent leader will not make much progress with an outstanding teacher. They will see right through them and not look to them for support. After some time, they will get frustrated with the lack of support and will want to leave that situation all together. Even though it may sound easier to be in charge of planning and delivering lessons, I find that no two days are ever alike. Things don't always go as planned with teaching and we must reflect and adjust accordingly.
Have a great week!
Linda
Megan,
ReplyDeleteWow, already have this week’s post done! I agree with your statement about being truthful when you don’t know something. The trust you lose when you get caught trying to lie about something can be irreparable. Just wanted to say also that I appreciated your honesty with your educational platform. You showed a vulnerability that is sometimes tough to do with a group of people you have know for only a short time. Thanks for sharing a part of yourself and helping the group grow.