Let's Notice Teacher & Student Curiosity

Let's talk about staff empowerment and transformational leadership. I have been pondering my thoughts on these topics, unsure of what to write. I have to admit these important concepts have not been in the forefront of my mind this school year. As I am just finishing my first full year as an administrator, I am still learning about and getting to know the comfort zones of the faculty.

I am embarrassed to tell you that I am a bit of a micro-manager at work. I have difficulty sharing responsibility and delegating. If I take care of an initiative or problem, I know exactly what is done. If I share responsibility, I fear that follow through may not occur. Maybe I would find myself having more time if I worked to empower the staff in the building. The special educators like to refer to me as forever a "case manager".

This year, I noticed one of our teachers was exceptionally active on Twitter. Knowing that Twitter can be an outstanding PD tool, I wanted to share her knowledge of Twitter with the rest of the staff. I asked her to run a workshop with a few teachers on how to use Twitter to build your PLN. She was glad to own it and I was so impressed by the time and energy she put into planning the workshop. Just a few short weeks later, that same teacher told me she was curious about the new LMS our teachers were trying out. Without abandon, she jumped right in to try it out. I think her curiosities will certainly transform into leadership abilities.

Let's notice when teachers and students are curious. Let's cultivate that curiosity and step aside so the staff and students in our buildings can lead. Watch the great work that will happen when you notice the strengths of your staff members and capitalize on them. Next year, I will look for opportunities to show instead of tell, watch instead of do, and listen instead of talk.