Until taking this subject I had not considered the many different forms and contexts of leadership. I have taken on leadership positions in previous schools, but after those experiences I decided not to pursue leadership opportunities as there were always leader-to-be who wanted the position to gain more experience. I also realized that I could continue to have a positive influence on my teams without being named the leader, and I felt more comfortable with this. Although I didn’t acknowledge myself as a leader, I now think that I have always “led from the middle” in my teams.

It was not difficult to assess my leadership style when considering how I interact with my students (Robertson-Jones, 2019). Taking this perspective helped me to see areas of strength and areas where I want to grow. However just this week I noticed another area where I am an unaware leader and where I have a less favorable self-assessment to present. When my new Teaching Assistant [TA] asked me if we could have a conversation about how we plan to work together this year, I replied, “Of course, that would be a great idea,” with the side thought: “How have I worked with so many TAs over the years and never had this conversation?” I would never start a school year without taking time to create agreements and make classroom expectations clear with students. Throughout the year we revisit and adjust these as needed to help us work together in a positive community. How had I never considered doing this with my TA? I have worked with many wonderful TAs. With minimal direct guidance, they all eventually figured out how best to work with me. While I do give feedback on my TA’s professional goals, these are the only focused “How are we doing?” conversations that happen as the year goes along. 

So this year, thanks to my TA’s question, we will start with a conversation. Knowing each other’s hopes, strengths and areas where we want to grow will help us to support each other. By being more aware of my responsibilities as a leader with my TA I hope to develop a distributed leadership style. Distributed leadership is a model I am hoping to develop with my students as well, with learner agency being a central goal in the enhanced Primary Year Programme [PYP] (IBO, 2019).

Yet another learning experience, as I go from unaware and unskilled in my leadership capacity with my TA to aware and ready to build my skills (Robertson-Jones, 2018).

References

International Baccalaureate Organization [IBO]. (2019). Learner agency. In PYP: From principles to practice. Retrieved from https://resources.ibo.org/pyp/framework/The-PYP-Framework/works/pyp_11162-51463?root=1.6.2.6.5.3&lang=en

Robertson-Jones, M. (2018, August 21). From “unskilled and unaware” to “unskilled and aware.” In Marla’s reflective blog. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/marla/2018/08/21/from-unskilled-and-unaware-to-unskilled-and-aware/

Robertson-Jones, M. (2019, July 23). Reflecting on leadership styles through teaching practice. In Marla’s reflective blog. Retrieved from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/marla/2019/07/28/reflecting-on-leadership-styles-through-teaching-practice/