Tomorrow is our official start day. As always the summer flew by but not without numerous leaps all over the Eastern Seaboard and the Dublin metropolitan area. Now, I just keep dreaming of the leaps I will take on Wednesday when I reunite with my students.
Earlier in the week I took a figurative leap by sending my faculty a pretty lengthy email about the new year.
My mission was to get them pumped and excited to collaborate with me. I wanted to remind them that I am here not to give them more work but to be a co-teacher and support them. Do I lose sleep due to fears that I sound too pushy? Of course. BUT...One teacher who I haven't worked with much in recent years, already responded that she'd like to plan a project soon. Score! Maybe it isn't pushy after all.
I have a dozen audio books on hold from three different libraries but nothing on my bookshelf, so I'm back to my TedRadio Hour podcasts again--This time the inspiring topic was "Disruptive Leadership." Check it out here:
About seven minutes into the podcast I had to take a break and jot down this quote from a military General, "One of the things about being a leader is that you fail every day." Wow. If that doesn't give you permission to make mistakes, learn from them and move on because it's what makes you a better person, I don't know what will. I thought my letter could be a failure this time and turn people off. Maybe it did but maybe it didn't. Either way, something else certainly will be a fail this year and I'm going to remind myself to be ok with that. Not going to lie--I might cry, scream, swear. But I know I want to be a leader and if that means I have to fail, then gosh darn it, bring it on!
Sheryl Sandberg talked about gender differences and leadership. When we see an assertive girl, we call her bossy and yet with boys it's looked at as a positive trait. I know I like to be in charge and express my opinions. Just please don't call me bossy.
As school librarians, most of the time by ourselves in our space, we are looked at as leaders in our building. I really don't mind because, hmmm...I like to be in charge. I like to lead. But I also know when to delegate and I believe I do that well. Isn't that a good sign of a leader, too? Give people you trust jobs to do, then give them space to do them. Together, to quote Lin Manuel-Miranda from Hamilton, "we get the job done." And together this school year, we will ALL get the job of educating, leading, collaborating, making, creating DONE. Good luck! And as my NYLA/SSL peeps like to hashtag, #leadoutloud.
Some more leaps from Ireland:
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| One of the libraries at Trinity College. We learned his name is pronounced "Barkley" |
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| At the Wicklow Mountains |
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| With Natalia at Trinity College |
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