Week 4

What went well?

This week was a little bit different because we took some time one day to help facilitate a conference. The conference was at University of Maryland and we presented to school administrators about having an equity mindset in their work. It was interesting for me because I was by far the youngest one there. I’ve always interacted with teachers when they are serving as my teachers, but not as co-professionals. I also enjoyed getting to hear their perspectives on the classroom, what was working, and what wasn’t going so well.

What could have been done differently?

Things that did not get done and/or could be changed

As part of the early childhood facilitation process, I participated in an interview of an advisory committee member for the first time. The interview was fascinating, and I learned a lot, but I wish I would have learned more about the interviewee’s background beforehand. I think it would have better contextualized the interview, and it is something I am carrying with me into future interviews.

What did I learn about myself when working with others?

Contributions, behaviours and values I exhibited

I really need to get good sleep. Especially on the conference day, I was tired this week. For me, being tired makes everything feel harder and makes interacting with people less pleasant. Normally, my favorite part of the work is interacting with and learning from other people, so I need to ensure that I’m best able to engage in that way.

What did I learn about leadership?

Leadership attributes and insights I developed

The conference I discussed demonstrated a really positive form of collaborative leadership. Each of the attendees there was some form of school leader—principal, administrator, teaching leader. However, they all emphasized learning from each other. I learned a lot listening to them discuss, and I thought it was a powerful example of how much more effective everyone can be when they take the time to share with each other and learn from those shared experiences.

What do I want to develop or focus on next?

What I still need to develop

In the next week, I’m looking forward to a slate of interviews for the early childcare assessment facilitation. As I mentioned, I want to do a better job of knowing the interviewees background beforehand. Not that I’ve seen how we conduct one, I feel more comfortable. I’m excited to be able to directly engage in the interview process and learn from the experts we are discussing with.