My response immediately is, “You don’t have to do what the principal does now…you have the ability to create something new.”
I was reminded of this when I had a conversation with a good friend of mine going into a central office position. Knowing that he is extremely driven by “what is best for kids”, I know the transition can be tough moving to a place where kids are not around all of the time. My advice was, “go to schools more often and spend more time with students.”
Redefine the role.
One of our biggest dilemmas in moving education forward is that we are creatures of experience. We often teach the way we taught, or recreate what our colleagues do. Bruce Dixon said to a group that I was in once, “There is no other profession in the world that you watch someone do your job for 16 years before you go do it.” This really shifted my thinking.
It is awesome to be inspired by the ideas of others, but you are not tied to them. No matter what you role is. focus on what is best for kids, and then decide how you get there. Don’t focus solely on what others do or have done.
It is your legacy, not theirs.
Source: George Couros
from Connected Principals http://ift.tt/2bIjELT
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