There is light at the end of the tunnel! CEDO 565 is the second to last class in the ME-IT at Cardinal Stritch and we'll be done by mid June (if all goes according to plan). I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the masters program and have found it much more topical than other programs I have been a part of. Speaking of topicality, I just found out last week that I was being tapped to become the new science department head at my school. CEDO 565 couldn't have come at a better time as I am a little freaked out about the idea of leadership where there is no formal power. Our text book, How to Thrive as a Teacher Leader by John Gabriel, gives numerous examples in the first chapter of positions of authority that hold no formal power. It also gives a few hints about what skills are needed to be successful in these situations. Lets hope that I can crib enough information from both the book and the class to be successful at my new position.
We have also done some leadership inventories as well as looked at a TED Talk about the future of Africa and how important education is to transforming life there. It is a very powerful lecture and if you'd like to see it take a look below. It is well worth your time.
John---
ReplyDeleteI was very excited to read that you will become a department head. In the short time that I've known you, you've appeared very intelligent and capable of such a task. I was curious if you saw anything from the TED talk that you could apply to your newly acquired role. I think the most important take away that I had from this speech was that leaders need to be ethical. Even in an informal role of leadership, I think that by demonstrating ethical, professional qualities, a leader will be respected.