“Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” (Sinek 9)
The end of the 2016 school year I made the decision to work as Head of Grade 11. The past few years I served as Head of Grade 9. It made sense because I taught only Grade 9 students. As an Upper School we made a shift in our Advisory System. As a result I was faced with leaving my advisory group that I had served for two years or start with a set of new 9th graders. I made the decision to stick with my 11th grade students and serve as Head of Grade 11.
I knew for many Upper Schoolers 11 grade year was the most difficult. Many students take between 3 -6 Advanced Placement courses. They realize this is the last year colleges will see a full year of coursework. They also spend hours prepping for ACT or SAT testing. I wanted to gain a better understanding of the 11th grade process.
What I did not prepare for is the test that I would be facing. This year has me examining my leadership skills, my ability to listen and truly gain understanding and has me analyzing my negotiation methods. It has been a struggle at times but I can see things getting better. Some of my HOG duties:
- Mentoring new teachers.
- Instructional Rounds/Learning Walks.
- Shepherding grade 11 students.
- Assisting team members with goals.
- Facilities Parent – Teacher – Student meetings.
One need to do highlight and celebrate the Brightspots
jamcamexperience 