In elementary school, I remember going on field trips to George Washington’s home and being shocked how one man could have so much when there were so many who didn’t have anything. I was struck by the inequity in society back in Colonial times, and am still shocked by inequities today. I thought that was just the way it was.
In middle school I remember walking past the Special Ed class and wondering why those kids were being pulled out of class. How were these students going to make it after school if they were not taught how to integrate into traditional classrooms? I thought that was just the way it was.
At high school graduation, I remember thinking that only 20% of my graduating class was going to college. There weren’t manufacturing jobs nearby. What would the other 80% of students, who weren’t college bound, do after graduation? I thought that was just the way it was.
In college, I remember thinking why did all of the black kids sit away from the white kids at the dining hall? How can a Democracy survive if its population segregates itself? I thought that was just the way it was.
After college, I remember making a lot of money as a Golf Course Engineer. Sure I made money and could play at whatever golf course I wanted to, but at what price? These courses were chopping down our trees and polluting our water. I thought that was just the way it was... until I realized the way I wanted it to be. I realized that my impact could change the world.
Always keep tuning
Good teachers keep striving to push their practice. My mentee recently told me how powerful it was to see me asking for help with a project. Even after eleven years of teaching, it is my first instinct to collaborate when I am developing a new project or assignment. As a school leader, I will continue to seek input from others to help push my practice. I will also make sure that teachers at my school actively seek out advice from other teachers at school.
Be a caring mentor
Jill Mahoney was my mentor during my first year teaching. She only had two weeks to get me ready to teach 125 juniors and seniors. Jill didn’t tell me how to teach, she let me find my own style and helped make it better. Jill made sure I knew the basics and would be careful not to overload me. We met everyday for the first several weeks until both of us were confident that I could plan lessons on my own. From there, she would check in with me, help me plan interactive labs, and sprinkle in the occasional hint. As a leader, I plan to follow this example of regular check ins with teachers. These check ins serve to build a culture of trust and approachability. I do not to limit my time in classrooms to formal observations. I want to be leader who has the pulse of every class and can offer constructive feedback to push all teachers. My hands on approach to leadership will speak for itself as students, parents, and teachers see me in classrooms on a regular basis.
I want to open schools to make a high quality education accessible to all. The schools I want to open will be places where low income students have an equal chance at getting into college. I want all parents to be proud to send their kids to a public school. I want to open a school that tolerates all students regardless of background or who they are as a person. I want to open a school where teachers are constantly trying to innovate so they can reach every student. I want to open a school that will help put American schools back on top. That’s just the way it will be.