Sunday 28 May 2017

Blog Post #1: School change and leadership



My experiences with school change have been as a classroom teacher piloting 1:1 ipads and also as an ed tech coach supporting teachers with implementing a 1:1 ipad program.  For me, having the experience of learning how to integrate ipads into the curriculum as a teacher has, without a doubt, helped me better support other teachers in this same endeavor.  In an interview with Dr. Douglas Reeves (2014), he commented on the single most crucial variable in influencing changes in teachers’ practices is other teachers, specifically, direct observations of other teachers modeling effective practices.  This factor has greatly influenced my belief around how to lead technology integration with my teams.  Essentially, every time I enter a classroom to teach or co-teach a technology integration lesson, teachers are receiving professional learning.  They have the opportunity to build their knowledge base around technology integration and see it applied with students in direct context to their curriculum.  Dr. Reeves (2014) also commented on the relationship between a leader’s actions and teachers’ practices.  He identified three key leader actions that will enable teachers to be better, faster, and more effective on their professional learning journey (see image).  As a leader in establishing a successful technology integration curriculum for a 1:1 ipad program,  I appreciate the need to make time for more collaboration and learn alongside my colleagues.  One area pointed out by Dr. Reeves (2014) in his interview that I could benefit from is clearly defining what quality, productive, and successful collaboration looks like, sounds like, and feels like with my teams.  



References Icon made by [Madebyoliver] from www.flaticon.com

Icon made by [Freepik] from www.flaticon.com Icon made by [Freepik] from www.flaticon.com Reeves, Douglas. (2014, August 5). Leading Change for Teachers with Dr Douglas Reeves [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVok-O9u4DE