The times...they are a-changin'

Reflect on your role in a previous successful or un-successful change effort. If you don't feel that you were close enough to a school change effort specifically, use a personal change -- but do think about your role in that change.

As I stated in my first entry on the discussion board, we have recently moved into a new building at PK Yonge.  This building has required multiple changes on a lot of levels.  The setup is really hard to describe, but can be gleaned from watching the video I posted. If you haven't watched it, here it is:

Beyond simply moving into the building and changing our way of work, we are also changing our leadership structure. Starting next year, we are going to have teacher leadership that is much closer to the teachers that are working with the students. Each learning community will have a leader who is not in a “classroom” position. As the Learning Community Leader for the fourth and fifth grade learning community, my job will be 50% direct student contact time and 50% coaching and leading. I am really excited about this new job, but I am also very nervous. The job is still in flux and the specifics around each learning community leader’s position is still to be determined. Each of us have different strengths, different passions, and operate and very different learning communities. Since this is the beginning of these positions we are in a situation that we are setting precedence with every decision and move we make.

What I am most excited about, is working with the teachers to better support them in making things happen for students. Specifically I'm really excited about working with Holly Wall (who is also in this class) as she is working to better utilize blended learning in her classroom. This will be the perfect opportunity for me to operate and both parts of my new role. Holly and I are both passionate about educational technology, blended learning, and self regulated learning. I am really excited about the direct services with students that I will have in her environment as I am working with gifted and also ESE students in her classroom. Helping her design and implement the blended learning pieces for these students is really what I'm passionate about (if not for the new LCL position, we would be working on this same idea collaboratively as two classroom teachers). On top of that having the opportunity to work with a colleague who is passionate about the same things I am is really exciting.

Of course, there are other teachers who have other passions and needs.  One of the interesting things about a job like this is being able to help different people accomplish different goals within the same community.  There will be six “classroom” teachers, two interns, and myself in the LC.  So it is a really small unit giving me time to work with each teacher in the manner they wish to work.  This variety in intriguing to me.  However, it also tasks me with ensuring continuity across the community.  Having lived in the community this year, I know how important this continuity is.  It is really almost scary how perfectly timed this class is for me and my personal journey as a teacher and educator.