Question 1: During the first face to face we used the language of Urgent vs Important to help frame our discussions and thinking around the use TIME. Reflect on why you joined Cohort 21 and your professional goals for this year. Now that the year has begun and you have met your students what IMPORTANT goal might you like to address and leverage this community to get support with.
This year, I changed roles from being a form teacher to the technology integrator/ design teacher. Being new in my role, nervous, excited and eager to learn; I was searching for a space with likeminded individuals who were looking to better their practice and who could support me as I tackled new goals and a large learning curve. Once I was placed in this new role, my (amazing) colleague suggested that I join Cohort21 this year! She explained that is was a supportive and encouraging group that would connect me to other educators and a space for me to learn. So, here I am!
My goal this year, is to grow as a leader in my role by supporting my colleagues in their professional goals. In my new role, I am given more opportunity to work with more colleagues in different grade levels and unique abilities. With this opportunity, I am given a chance and time to provide leadership and guidance to support them in their growth and needs. I am hoping to build strong relationships and make positive change to better others’ practice. So I guess my HMW statement is…How might I use the time I have to lead colleagues to further their practice?
The framework of Urgent vs Important was a really relevant discussion for me. As we navigate through uncertain times again this year, I feel that time is a very high currency in our profession- especially when people are emotionally and physically exhausted from the year we had had. When reflecting on how a lot of time is spent in our community, I feel that there is an imbalance where time is wasted in the “urgent, not important” quadrant. Time in our scheduled filled with interruptions, emails and meetings, feels unfruitful and without depth. How might the school culture change from “urgent/ not important” time spent to “important” items?
Question 2: Which of the Season 10 Strands did you choose and why? Share what you feel is both urgent and important about it for you and your school at the moment and some of the questions you have around moving forward. Feel free to change strands should you want to.
The strand I chose is Leading change through Wellbeing. This strand is both urgent and important to me in many ways. As educators, we are asked to give a lot of ourselves to the students and community. However, I feel strongly that in able to give and support others, you need to be “well” yourself. Last year, I experienced mental and emotional fatigue, burn out and overall poor wellbeing; like many others during the pandemic. However, I also experienced colleagues who lead me to take care of myself, supported and collaborated with me. Their support, leadership and care for my wellbeing- is what made me a great educator last year for my students in times of crisis and change. Now being in a position that supports others, I feel that there is great potential to “lead change through wellbeing.”
So glad you joined Cohort 21! Looking forward to your posts.
Thanks for this post @arosario – and the piece that jumped out at me is: “My goal this year, is to grow as a leader in my role by supporting my colleagues in their professional goals. In my new role, I am given more opportunity to work with more colleagues in different grade levels and unique abilities.” This provides you a really unique perspective / sight-lines into your school as an organization. You’ll be privy to seeing the successes and challenges of scoped & sequenced programming, to the different demands of the roles of others – not to mention budgets!
In this way, deciphering the “purpose” of your role will be key, and so too will be the urgency vs. important question. Consider this post from Seth Godin – it’s one that I turn back to all the time!
https://seths.blog/2016/01/deconstructing-urgent-vs-important/
Thanks and see you soon,
Garth.
Hi @arosario,
Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your challenges with health and wellness amidst the pandemic last year. I love that you recognized how your colleagues were there to support you and that now it will be your turn to help those around you. I gather great strength from colleagues and I honestly don’t really know how I would have survived the last couple of years without them! I completely agree with you that there is great potential in ‘leading change through wellbeing’. Small baby steps can make a big impact. I look forward to hearing more during your journey. AND being part of Cohort21 was an AMAZING move!
Take care,
Lisa M
You’ve found that space!
@arosario – “Technology integrator/ design teacher. Being new in my role, nervous, excited and eager to learn; I was searching for a space with likeminded individuals who were looking to better their practice and who could support me as I tackled new goals and a large learning curve.”
There are lots of us here to help you with this exciting new adventure. Feel free to reach out to @adrenth @iliu @egelleny @rgarand @adamcaplan @jmedved @lbettencourt (me), and so many more alumni too…
Have a wonderful 2nd F2F today! 🙂
Arielle,
I think your acknowledgement of how your new role connects to the idea of time as “high currency” puts you in a great position to support your colleagues in a way that is meaningful, feasible, and considerate of people’s wellbeing, and the many hats they (we all) wear. Already, you are seeing your new role as an exchange of support and expertise, a co-created or collaborative learning journey. We are excited to have you in Cohort as we work, learn, and support one another through this year.
@arosario
We are looking forward to connecting this weekend. If you have a free moment before Saturday; create a 2nd post that answers the following 2nd F2F reflection questions and post your HMW question.
This will be really helpful to your coaches/facilitator in their support of your Action Plan. It should not take more than 5 minutes so don’t overthink it. We just want to pile on the support and the blog is the most efficient way to do it.
1) What was the process like in coming up with your HMW question at the last face-to-face? Where did you land? Share your first attempt so we can see where your action plan is headed.
2) Who should you talk to next to help guide your inquiry? In order to answer your HWM question, what voices and perspectives need to be consulted? What did you learn when you talked to them?
3) Why are you engaging in this line of action and inquiry? What important unmet need sits central to your question?
See you Saturday!
Justin