At DCSS this year, to ease the load of educational leadership, each administrator is tagged to a group of teachers . As a start to the journey this year I wrote the letter seen below to them. I felt that sharing it on this forum would be a good way for you to get to know me better. It was interesting exercise writing this. . . sharing myself with people that I don't know that well. It's an interesting test in vulnerability. Anyway, enjoy the reading. I would highly recommend doing something similar with your team.
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Dear TAG Team;
I wanted to take this opportunity, which perhaps should have come sooner, to introduce myself to you in some way and to start off our TAG conversation. I felt that the best way to start this was to give you some things you should know about me as a leader and a learner.
As a learner, I am passionate about examining new practices, trying them out, and making them better or more effective. Anything that will improve student learning, student engagement, or student thinking, I’m excited to explore and try to implement. I lean towards the more kinesthetic side of learning styles and so moving around helps me a lot when I’m learning. I prefer to work collaboratively when learning because it allows me to have a sounding board that provides instant feedback to my thinking and I prefer learning in the context of positive and supportive relationships.
As a leader, in particular in the school, I want to be successful at being a part of bringing about our mission of “100% of students crossing the stage with dignity, purpose and options”. I will openly admit that I am new to this role and I am going to make mistakes (have made a whole bunch already), but I am willing to learn from those mistakes through personal reflection and feedback that I get from my admin colleagues and from you. It may sound corny and it may feel awkward to you at first, but I do want your feedback, ideas and concerns regarding how I can be a better leader for you as the lead learners in your classrooms. I am passionate about learning and how we can help students in understanding themselves as learners. In particular I am interested in student learning, and I will always advocate for what I believe is best for students and make decisions based on what I believe is in their best interests. I firmly believe that every student should be seen as a learner who can be successful by themselves, admin, teachers and their peers. e
So, all that said, I am very much looking forward to working with you all this year. It is exciting to think that we are impacting kids lives, we are a part of determining their futures. What an incredible gift parents have given us. So if you want to take a risk, to try something new, or to push your thinking/practice with a focus on student learning, I will do everything that I can to support you. If you are like me, and enjoy bouncing ideas off someone else, I am happy to find time to talk. My door is always open (even if I’m not there :) ) so feel free to stop in and chat anytime. If you ever need me in your classroom for good or bad, email me or text/call me.
I would like to meet with you for 20-30 mins to talk all things learning and all things students. I would like to know about learning in your classroom, assessing student learning, communicating student learning, how will you respond if/when your students don't learn? How are your classes going? What major concerns do you have? What students are you concerned about?
Borrowing from Josh and Paul, to end this email, I’d like to find out some more about you so ... What are three things I should know about you as an educator or as a learner?***
If you can send me your three things I should know about you and a preferred meeting time before next Wednesday I'd appreciate it.
I am very much looking forward to connecting with you and getting to know each of you better both personally and as lead classroom learners.
Chris Horton
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Dear TAG Team;
I wanted to take this opportunity, which perhaps should have come sooner, to introduce myself to you in some way and to start off our TAG conversation. I felt that the best way to start this was to give you some things you should know about me as a leader and a learner.
As a learner, I am passionate about examining new practices, trying them out, and making them better or more effective. Anything that will improve student learning, student engagement, or student thinking, I’m excited to explore and try to implement. I lean towards the more kinesthetic side of learning styles and so moving around helps me a lot when I’m learning. I prefer to work collaboratively when learning because it allows me to have a sounding board that provides instant feedback to my thinking and I prefer learning in the context of positive and supportive relationships.
As a leader, in particular in the school, I want to be successful at being a part of bringing about our mission of “100% of students crossing the stage with dignity, purpose and options”. I will openly admit that I am new to this role and I am going to make mistakes (have made a whole bunch already), but I am willing to learn from those mistakes through personal reflection and feedback that I get from my admin colleagues and from you. It may sound corny and it may feel awkward to you at first, but I do want your feedback, ideas and concerns regarding how I can be a better leader for you as the lead learners in your classrooms. I am passionate about learning and how we can help students in understanding themselves as learners. In particular I am interested in student learning, and I will always advocate for what I believe is best for students and make decisions based on what I believe is in their best interests. I firmly believe that every student should be seen as a learner who can be successful by themselves, admin, teachers and their peers. e
So, all that said, I am very much looking forward to working with you all this year. It is exciting to think that we are impacting kids lives, we are a part of determining their futures. What an incredible gift parents have given us. So if you want to take a risk, to try something new, or to push your thinking/practice with a focus on student learning, I will do everything that I can to support you. If you are like me, and enjoy bouncing ideas off someone else, I am happy to find time to talk. My door is always open (even if I’m not there :) ) so feel free to stop in and chat anytime. If you ever need me in your classroom for good or bad, email me or text/call me.
I would like to meet with you for 20-30 mins to talk all things learning and all things students. I would like to know about learning in your classroom, assessing student learning, communicating student learning, how will you respond if/when your students don't learn? How are your classes going? What major concerns do you have? What students are you concerned about?
Borrowing from Josh and Paul, to end this email, I’d like to find out some more about you so ... What are three things I should know about you as an educator or as a learner?***
If you can send me your three things I should know about you and a preferred meeting time before next Wednesday I'd appreciate it.
I am very much looking forward to connecting with you and getting to know each of you better both personally and as lead classroom learners.
Chris Horton