CED0565 Week 4

This week in class we did the 1st year of a 3 year simulation.  The simulation is suppose to represent a school environment and various stakeholders.  The stakeholders also verified in their willingness to change and their ability to influence others.  It took a little while to get started, but my group worked rather well together.  If something didn't work we found another solution.  Having been in management before this is how change happens.  Things aren't going to go the way you always want, it means stepping back and revising when needed.  In a school environment we also need to keep everyone involved.  My group worked well together and did just that.

The other part of our coursework was thinking and discussing our work environments and the overall morale.  How do these things affect, if they do at all, the school environment?  Both are critical to the success of a school (or any environment). You can only be surrended by negativity for so long before it will affect you.  People need to feel they are part of the team through actions and not just words.  Once they do they will take more ownership in the environment and the overall morale.  I've worked in both positive and negative environments.  Morale is a direct correlation to the environment.  After awhile you don't want to be there and you certainly don't feel like going above and beyond.  If you do, others won't, leaving you to pick up the slack.  Students need to feel the positive energy to want to do their best too.

CED0565 Week 3

This week we watched an animation video of Who Moved the Cheese.  I read the books a few years back and really liked it.  I've been taught to think outside the box and to look at the bigger picture.  I feel that sometimes these qualities are lacking in the teaching environment, just like in any other profession.  Unfortunately, it's easy to do when teaching.  We teach all day in our own little world (the classroom) and are sometimes to isolated, sometimes by choice, other times by design.  We also watched videos on systems thinking and leadership.  We also read an article called Tune In.  I found the article offensive, not because of when I was born, which I refuse to answer on principal, but because it lumps people into groups.  I am the type of person that doesn't see stereotypes, but rather as individuals.  As individuals, each person has different things to offer.  I don't like to be stereotyped and I don't do it with others.  To be honest, I feel that's how people get into trouble.  As a leader, I feel that ALL of the "parts" should be given the same opportunities.  Some will resist, some with need reassurances, some with jump in with both feet.  A leader knows their team and knows which individuals not groups need which.  People will respect and respond that type of leader, over the type that stereotypes them, and they will get great results.