Leader is who I envision to become in the near future. Others might say all teachers are leaders of their classroom. However, as a “leader”, eventually, I want to step out of my classroom and be a leader to the teachers. And slowly, I’m making a progress.
Rocking the Boat
1. Task Zero, Review:
In Rocking the Boat, Debra Meyerson describes tempered radicals as leaders who bring change. These are people who can “rock the boat and yet stay in it,” as in they are able to both oppose and conform. Change is not an easy task nor can it happen overnight. The book is in three sections. One: defining and describing tempered radicals. These are tempered radicals that I can connect to.. Second: how these tempered radicals bring change to an organization. This is done very subtle, but yet planned. Lastly: the challenges these tempered radicals face. The quote that resonates with me is,” Tempered radicals inspire change. Yet their leadership resides equally in their capacity to insprei people… Their leadership inspires-and-matters-in big and small ways every day.”
2. Task One, How am I different?:
There are 3 ways one can be different: One, having a different social identity; 2: having a different social identity as cultural; and 3: having philosophical difference. I can identify with number 2. As a first generation Korean-American who moved to America with very limited English, I feel “different” from others, especially in my years of education in college and in my beginning days of career. However, I feel mainstreamed at my current school because it is in a similar setting from my elementary school so I can connect with students and some of my colleagues. However, it’s frustrating when I cannot communicate myself clearly and others cannot understand me due to cultural difference.
3. Task Two, Becoming a Tempered Radical:
Where I see myself lying on the continuum depends on what I am trying to accomplish. As a team member in the middle school team, I lie on leveraging small wins. As a teacher in front of my students, prior to this program, I would’ve also connected myself in leveraging small wins but because I want to do more and wished I changed more this school year, I connect with turning personal threats into opportunities. I have a better plan for next school year in how I am going to launch my ImagineIT project. I have learned so much from others in the program. I believe I need to do the activity myself first before I can lead others. I take this year as a testing phase and next year as the actual practice phase that others in the program did this year. With the plan that I have, I plan to go in strong with the school year in how I teach. I am going to lead a study group based on how I taught, and from there, we will see where my leadership (inspiration, change) will take place.
4. Task Three, Facing challenges:
The challenge I see for myself is the frustration and burnt out. Change takes time, but I like to see immediate results. Sure, I can count on small wins but I would also like to see overall change. Another challenge that I face myself personally with every task is being overwhelmed too easily. When I have a plan to change, I have a laid out plan. However, I get overwhelmed by the idea and have troubles with following through. It is programs like MSUrbanSTEM that attract me because I follow through and complete projects due to accountability and coaching support. I need a reminder that I can push through and also need someone to make sure that I am on the right path.
1. Task Zero, Review:
In Rocking the Boat, Debra Meyerson describes tempered radicals as leaders who bring change. These are people who can “rock the boat and yet stay in it,” as in they are able to both oppose and conform. Change is not an easy task nor can it happen overnight. The book is in three sections. One: defining and describing tempered radicals. These are tempered radicals that I can connect to.. Second: how these tempered radicals bring change to an organization. This is done very subtle, but yet planned. Lastly: the challenges these tempered radicals face. The quote that resonates with me is,” Tempered radicals inspire change. Yet their leadership resides equally in their capacity to insprei people… Their leadership inspires-and-matters-in big and small ways every day.”
2. Task One, How am I different?:
There are 3 ways one can be different: One, having a different social identity; 2: having a different social identity as cultural; and 3: having philosophical difference. I can identify with number 2. As a first generation Korean-American who moved to America with very limited English, I feel “different” from others, especially in my years of education in college and in my beginning days of career. However, I feel mainstreamed at my current school because it is in a similar setting from my elementary school so I can connect with students and some of my colleagues. However, it’s frustrating when I cannot communicate myself clearly and others cannot understand me due to cultural difference.
3. Task Two, Becoming a Tempered Radical:
Where I see myself lying on the continuum depends on what I am trying to accomplish. As a team member in the middle school team, I lie on leveraging small wins. As a teacher in front of my students, prior to this program, I would’ve also connected myself in leveraging small wins but because I want to do more and wished I changed more this school year, I connect with turning personal threats into opportunities. I have a better plan for next school year in how I am going to launch my ImagineIT project. I have learned so much from others in the program. I believe I need to do the activity myself first before I can lead others. I take this year as a testing phase and next year as the actual practice phase that others in the program did this year. With the plan that I have, I plan to go in strong with the school year in how I teach. I am going to lead a study group based on how I taught, and from there, we will see where my leadership (inspiration, change) will take place.
4. Task Three, Facing challenges:
The challenge I see for myself is the frustration and burnt out. Change takes time, but I like to see immediate results. Sure, I can count on small wins but I would also like to see overall change. Another challenge that I face myself personally with every task is being overwhelmed too easily. When I have a plan to change, I have a laid out plan. However, I get overwhelmed by the idea and have troubles with following through. It is programs like MSUrbanSTEM that attract me because I follow through and complete projects due to accountability and coaching support. I need a reminder that I can push through and also need someone to make sure that I am on the right path.
Setting Goals: Instrumental and Missional Thinking
My leadership goal has really shifted after having a little child. Prior to extending my family with a little child, I planned on becoming an assistant principal within the next 5 years. However, as I put my family as a priority, I shifted my thinking in how I want to live the rest of my life and put administrative leadership on hold until my children are older. Due to the special school this year with shorter year and trying to condense my typical 10 month teaching into 5 month teaching along with new projects of Computer Science for All and MSUrbanSTEM, I did not have time to thoroughly accomplish everything that I had planned. I see myself as a failure with the ImagineIT project. Part of this is because I was not too prepared as I entered the school year. Now having learned from my mistake, I have a solid plan for next school year. I also will have the entire 10 months of teaching to launch my project, and will not have other initiatives that I am also required to implement. As stated earlier in my Task Three, I cannot be a good leader if I haven’t experienced it myself. Therefore, I plan on fully implementing my ImagineIT project so that I am confident to lead others on my learning from MSUrbanSTEM. After this, I plan on leading a small group at my school and lead others on their ImagineIT project, while leading the group on all the wonderful insights that I’ve learned from MSUrbanSTEM. This small group will consist of teachers from various grade levels. I will also ask my administrators for me to lead PDs at school. Lastly, I will invite teachers in my classroom, or video record my students so that other teachers so that my learning from MSUrbanSTEM program transfers to other teachers.
My leadership goal has really shifted after having a little child. Prior to extending my family with a little child, I planned on becoming an assistant principal within the next 5 years. However, as I put my family as a priority, I shifted my thinking in how I want to live the rest of my life and put administrative leadership on hold until my children are older. Due to the special school this year with shorter year and trying to condense my typical 10 month teaching into 5 month teaching along with new projects of Computer Science for All and MSUrbanSTEM, I did not have time to thoroughly accomplish everything that I had planned. I see myself as a failure with the ImagineIT project. Part of this is because I was not too prepared as I entered the school year. Now having learned from my mistake, I have a solid plan for next school year. I also will have the entire 10 months of teaching to launch my project, and will not have other initiatives that I am also required to implement. As stated earlier in my Task Three, I cannot be a good leader if I haven’t experienced it myself. Therefore, I plan on fully implementing my ImagineIT project so that I am confident to lead others on my learning from MSUrbanSTEM. After this, I plan on leading a small group at my school and lead others on their ImagineIT project, while leading the group on all the wonderful insights that I’ve learned from MSUrbanSTEM. This small group will consist of teachers from various grade levels. I will also ask my administrators for me to lead PDs at school. Lastly, I will invite teachers in my classroom, or video record my students so that other teachers so that my learning from MSUrbanSTEM program transfers to other teachers.