Moving from Technology

When I started this blog, I thought I would just focus on what I learned and applied from NECC. I should have known better, my mind doesn't stay focused on just one topic. It's like walking into a bookstore - I always see something I want to learn more about and I get distracted in a new section. Then, I forget why I went to the bookstore in the first place.

Well, my recent distraction is leadership. I've been told that I may be leading the middle school next year. I'm not exactly sure what that means - is it taking care of paperwork, contacting parents, or nitty-gritty leading - creating a vision and navigating it? I've had a short meeting with the director and asked what his plans are. Unfortunately, he has bigger priorities, and didn't have much of an answer for me. So, I will probably over-prepare.

One resource I stumbled upon does relate to technology - NetLibrary.com. I was searching the electronic catalog at my former university and kept coming up with "Electronic Book" titles. Since I am no longer a student, I couldn't access it. But, I found out that my local public library subscribes to it. Therefore, I have logged into NetLibrary and began reading "Finding your Leadership Style." No great insights yet.

I've also been reading Gardening in the Minefield A Survival Guide for School Administrators by Laurel Schmidt. She was a teacher who began a principal. She talks about a principal she followed around from school to school. I think she would have been one of those too. I like her metaphor of the job being a minefield, yet you can garden within it - as long as you plant the seeds. I found the chapter "Principal Dearest" especially funny. It listed personality types that are found often in teachers, which drains away time and energy from the principal. It also suggested pro-active ways of dealing with the personality type. As I read through the descriptions, I realized that many of my former colleagues where considered a "drainer". I was considering sending a copy of the book to my former head of school to help him support the teachers.