This week we finished up years 2 and 3 in our change
simulation. It was funny that we
had such problems in year 1 since once we started going the simulation became
easier and easier. Our team made decisions at a faster rate and the benefits
came rolling in. Overall the simulation was fun and highlighted the need for
transparent communication when it comes to getting a group to undergo a large
systematic change.
We also finished the book “How to Thrive as a Teacher
Leader.” By John G Gabriel. The
last chapter was all about how to increase achievement for both teachers and
students. If I had to summarize
the chapter in a sentence it would be “Lead from the front”. A teacher leader must be the one to
show WHY a change is useful in order to get their group to go along with
it. This is often lost on some
leaders in the educational setting since it means that you are infinitely more
vulnerable as a leader than as a member of the group. You need to put yourself out there if you want to be the one
in charge.
Lastly, I would just like to say that all of the group work
we have done in this course has been very enlightening. If you have a group of
people who are all positive and task focused then your can accomplish great
things. I have been very fortunate
to be a part of some great groups and it has been awesome to see the good
interactions we have been reading and talking about modeled so successfully.
Your post really resonated with me. I also found that communication was the key to change during our simulation and the experiences that I have had. I found your comment about being a teacher leader to be motivating. It reminded me that I need to keep pushing for the changes that I believe in order to demonstrate their value to others. I also agreed with your comment about group work. We have been fortunate to have a great cohort of people for this master's program. I can definitely see how we have all gone through our own change based on what we have learned. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteMost definitely, the communication piece within this simulation was key. I've enjoyed getting to know what it means to be a teacher-leader. How do you think that you might use some of our newfound knowledge in your life?
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