After reading “A Modern Leadership Fable” from Don Hall, I did a lot of thinking about my own style of leadership, and where I have gone throughout my life to bring me to wanting to become an Educational Technology Leader. Throughout my life, I feel I have always naturally gravitated towards the leadership role of an organization. In high school, I ended up becoming the President of the Chestnut Ridge 4-H Club, President of the Laurel Mountain 4-H Club, President of the Westmoreland County 4-H Board, President of NHS, President of Student Council, Vice President of the AFS Club, etc. I stepped away from leadership roles and did a lot less while as a college student, working a job to help pay for my gas, books and other expenses. Once I moved to York to become a teacher I tried to stay clear of leadership roles as well, only helping out with our local Jaycees’ Chapter as a member, and then something just switched back on. While we were voting on board members, I chaired the committee for membership. I joined our Data Committee at the alternative education school I taught at for a year. Once moving back to the High School, I agreed to help be a Technology Liaison, and troubleshoot minor issues within my building for our IT Department (That has since changed). Then I applied for the Distributed Leadership Committee within my high school, now I want to help drive even more change in my building and district.
As an educator my desk is far from perfect, I reference other great teachers in all of my writings and musings, I also feel like I know my stuff and can be counted as a sage sometimes as well. I feel as though the professor from the Fable I am most like, would have to be the Sensei, in all of my styles education, technology, and leadership. I may not always know the right answer but I can find it, I try to stay humble and appreciate what everyone can bring to the table, and in that aspect from Kurt Lewin’s styles of leadership I feel I would definitely be a Participative Leader, looking to make sure everyone has contributed and give a voice to all participants. I am naturally laid back, a procrastinator who accepts his faults and works hard when called for. My own daughter told me that I work too hard sometimes, even when I sit down to just play and build LEGO sets with her for hours at a time.
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| My "cleaned-up" version of my Desk. Much messier now that the end of the year is near. |
After starting this discussion, reflecting on my past, present experience and future aspirations, I feel like I bring a lot to the table as an educator, a leader, and as a human being. My wife has been trying to get me to see that I do some pretty amazing things, but I never feel as though they are truly great. I have a lot of self-doubt as to whether or not I am actually doing a good job. Then, I take a step back and see all of the hard work I do to make sure my students are appreciated, valued and gain insight to the world via my Geometry Curriculum, that I have painstakingly curated over the past 6 years. I was a force for bringing more technology courses back into the high school, and making sure students had access to the AP Computer Science Principles course. I am taking the initiative to pursue a second Master’s to ensure I am leadership material and build my schools’ future. I feel that I am exactly what I need to be, Sensei Gibson.
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| My New Badge! |
