The Power and Vision of Leadership

Leadership is not a role which should be readily appointed to someone nor can it be successfully thrust upon the shoulders of just any individual. It is a characteristic that is acquired, developed and honed through a varying multitude of life experiences and lessons learned. This includes personal and professional experiences, forethought and vision and the ability to aptly conceptualize and value the necessary ingredients of positive leadership.

I have been a classroom teacher with the same school division (and its legacy divisions) for twenty two years. I have therefore, been an active participant and witness to the multitude of changes and growth that have enveloped the realm of education and my school division. My role in the classroom has mainly included English and Arts instruction at the grade 11 and 12 levels. I have considered it an honor to be one of the last teachers involved in a student’s K-12 education and have deeply recognized this important leadership role, guiding our students by way of instruction and by example, through their final educational stretch and empowering them to be leaders themselves. I feel that I have helped to create a society of learners where students are being constantly challenged, where they experienced meaningful personal and educational growth and were empowered to celebrate their accomplishments whether they were big or small.

Professionally, I have stretched the limits of my own comfort zone, through embracing changes in curriculum and education and pursuing further learning opportunities. I am proud that although I have become a veteran teacher on my staff, I am the educational technology teacher. I trouble shoot various technological issues within our school and I have expan...

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...ference to any type of leadership role, educational or otherwise. Recognition and evaluation of these key ingredients is aptly done by an experienced and visionary leader. These ingredients include but are not limited to: risk taking, persistence, collaboration, creativity, problem solving, effective communication, initiative and passion.

In closing, I am excited to embrace an opportunity to further my education through the University of New England as I begin my pursuit to acquire an administrative position within my school division. Due to the demands of school and extra-curricular commitments, the fact that I live outside of a city on an acreage in a province where we often have poor driving and weather conditions, along with the desire to find a sense of balance with my family life, I feel that your online courses will allow me to budget my time accordingly.