A reflective essay summarizing strengths

This essay will be a reflective essay summarizing strengths, needs for continuing professional and personal growth, and my specific plans for the next 2 years-

Summarizing Strengths:

I think my three greatest leadership strengths are:

1. I listen deeply with a lot of modalities - my mind, my heart, my compassion a 6th sense.

2. I believe I am a people person - funny, care about children, and believe in the labor of "hard workers"

3. I also feel I am honest - not afraid to speak my truth or speak truth to power.

Needs for Continuing Professional/Personal Growth:

My focus area for leadership growth is developing a calmer demeanor when dealing with extremely difficult circumstances including communication, emotions/anger, and coping with over all workload or stress.

Although I am a passionate person I want to be able to develop an empathetic understanding approach by using the following:

• Knowing that in any given situation others may have multiple valid answers and perspectives
• Asking in all situations, "What can I learn?"
• Continue to ask questions to clarify, understand, and test assumptions.

My Specific Plans for the Next 2 years:

Continuing my Teacher Leadership

"It is our hope that you will stay in the classroom," Ken Tray once stated to the AFT Teacher Leader group I'm a part of. Its interesting because I deeply agree that the most powerful work is in the teacher. I took the job of teacher knowing that many years ago when I was still trying to carve out a life for me in the non-profit world of San Francisco.

It wasn't until I was part of a 1 principal's idea of a better school that I became aware of how another hardest job is the principalship. I saw this person burn bright like a star and then fade away when the fuel was extinguished. It was sad but not surprising. I give this little back story just to say that when I'm ready to move on from one of the hardest jobs to the next hardest jobs it will be with full awareness of what is in store for me.

Staying Conscious

I made a conscious decision to work with kids with high needs. This decision has made all the difference for me in regards to having a voice for those who don't necessarily ever get a chance to speak up. Now I find myself in a position to continue that advocacy and insight with the knowledge I have gained from this program. As I continue with my Union involvement I do so because it is one of the best avenues for teachers to speak to power in a unified voice. Although I have issues with Unions protecting the "Incompetent" teacher I know the Union does so much for the many good and hard working teachers. I have been asked to work deeper with the Union as an Area Rep. in addition to my teaching and school site Union work. I probably will take that job if it is still available.

Lastly I will bring up my faith. I am spiritual person. I believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience. I know that all this work I have asked for is leading me to something that I have been called to. When the opportunity presents itself for me to take the next step in education as a leader I will gladly apply my energy 100% just as I have done with everything in the past to the date.