I promised a quick follow up to my last post but my mind has swirled over the weekend after participating in the #leadupchat on Saturday and having to reflect about my blind spots. And #SlateinWI began and I had even more ideas about which to think thanks to @thomascmurray I had more ideas about which to think.
Most of my struggle has revolved around what does it mean to serve and lead as an Assistant Principal. So many of the mentors who I look up to and learn from served as Principals or Superintendents. Whether it’s @posickj or @Joe_sanelippo or @Sarahsajohnson or @PrincipalJ or @burgess_shelley or @TonySinanis or @DavidGundlach or @virgilalligator or @D4Griffin3 they all serve at the top of an organization. While I certainly have some freedom to take risks and empower others, I don’t know that I have as much freedom as my mentors above have at their disposal.
I came to administration later in my career after teaching English for 19 years. In my 6th year as an assistant principal, I feel confident that I can lead a building, but I am also not a young principal who a district might look to hire and have in place for 20+ years. This is probably my own issue more than any employers issue, but I don’t know if I will ever have a chance to truly empower those I serve.
This weekend I have reflected on the quote “Leadership isn’t a title; leadership is an action.” I though about what actions I take to empower our teachers. I know that I have helped create learning and leadership experiences for students and staff alike. Whether knocking down barriers for @dceart dept and @matthewcepress when they worked with students to publish a book or using my PLN connections to make sure a larger audience sees the amazing, authentic work done by students and teachers in our space, I do my best to “lead from where you’re at.”
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsSo amazingly impressed with @DCEArtDept & @MatthewCepress and the publishing of the book Memory Garden: Bebe the Tiny Beast, which came out of a community struggling with loss and found healing in this project. Just wow. https://t.co/SH3jaXMpKQ @JeffreyASee pic.twitter.com/wY3nfrin9M
— Thomas C. Murray (@thomascmurray) December 9, 2019
As part of my goal to lead from where I’m at, I have worked hard this year to try to strengthen connections both inside and outside of our space. Back in September I tossed a brochure for SLATEinWI on @Mike_Raether’s conference table and told him I wanted to send two people to SLATE. He could have asked me where I was getting the money or why I thought I could send two teachers to a conference like that. Instead, he asked me what they would learn and how that would benefit our whole organization.
After that, we haggled about paying for lodging and registrations, but in the end, we sent two incredible teachers, @decartdept and @matthewcepress to a conference unlike others they have attended. The kind of conference every teacher should get to attend at least once in their career.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js@suptgilmore @Mike_Raether @JeffreyASee @DCEvergreen85 We can’t wait to share all of the amazing things we’re learning @slateinwi #slateinwi #everestpride pic.twitter.com/XM67jUYLor
— MelissaClayReissmann (@DCEArtDept) December 10, 2019
While I cannot put into words how happy I am that Matt and Melissa get to attend SLATE and learn from some of the best minds out there, I also realize the limitations of “leading from where you’re at.” I do not know whether or not the ClearTouch device below works well or would meet our needs or even what it costs (or does). In the end, that doesn’t really matter because as an Assistant Principal, I work closely with my principal, but he gets to make these decisions. The best I could do was send the picture his way and ask him what he thought. That is the inherent limitation of leading from where you are at. Our building has a budget, but Mike and his secretary run that budget. There is still a gatekeeper to empowerment.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#cleartouch @JeffreyASee @Mike_Raether can we get one of these!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/wAgAKvAxB0
— MelissaClayReissmann (@DCEArtDept) December 10, 2019
Please don’t misconstrue the above as complaining or discontent. I chose DC Everest Senior High and I chose to take a position as an Assistant Principal. Our progressive district affords me a flexibility few of my peers enjoy. My principal asks me questions all the time, but just like my principal at my previous district, the principal makes the final decision, not the assistant principal.
When Melissa and Matt return later this week, I’m sure I will have reflected some more. Hopefully I embrace the idea of “Empowering Like A Pirate: Leading From Where You Are At” and think about how I can empower teachers even with the limitations of my position. Perhaps a guerrilla campaign to empower staff will leave me feeling like I can do more to lead from the strengths of my position.
Learn To Lead 