Ch 3 Reflection - Leadership Connectors, Safety

"Everyone needs to feel safe... As humnas, we need to feel physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe to live our lives...Only when we feel safe can we shift our energy from basic survival needs to complex thinking and reflecting."  These statements ring true for all of us, students, teachers, administrators.  In each of our roles we look at safety from a slightly different perspective.  We must feel safe as well as making those who rely on us to feel safe themselves. 

As an Activities Director, I work with leadership students.  Our mantra each year is to make everyone feel connected and safe to come to school.  I explain to my classes that even though the activities or events we plan and implement might seem minor to them, they must always keep in mind that it might be the only way some students feel connected to school.  Our goal is to plan activities that appeal to all students.  Not every activitiy will do this, but we must strive to find things that appeal to everyone.  For some students its a car show, for others its playing a particular kind of music at lunch.  Bottom line, by the end of the year, hopefully we've given all students something that makes them feel part of a something bigger than themselves.  Our goal is to help the "invisible kid', the one that their level of participation is just watching.  We know that the more kids feel connected and comfortable at school, the more successful they will become.  Our goal in planning activities is student achievement. 

As an educational leader, we must also extend this to include our teaching and support staff as well as parents and the community.  The safe and more connected they feel on our campuses, the more sucessful we will be.  Student achievement is our shared priority.  Feeling safe physically, emotionally and psycholigically is essential to that goal.

Our profession is one of service.  The level of service increases with the leadership role.  The other important element discussed in this chapter is taking care of yourself.  In order to be of service to others and ensure their safety, we must take care of ourselves to avoid burn-out, isolation, and a feeling of overwhelming incompetence to help or change a situation.  Having a "critical friend," one that you can trust to be honest and have your best interest in mind is important for a leader to be effective.  We will all make mistakes, but it is how we deal with those mistakes, or learn from them that will determine how successful or helpful we can be to others.

The best principals, and administrators that I've worked with always give credit to others befre themselves for te good things that happen.  They are always the first to take the blame when something does not go well, and they support their staff when they make a mistake. 

I remember being a new teacher at an Intermediate school.  I had been teaching at an elementary school for five years.  There were many new procedures to learn and schedules to keep track of at the Intermediate school.  Everyday there was a different bell schedule.  I accidently let my students out 15 mintues early for lunch one day becuase I read the schedule incorrectly.  I saw the principal later in the day and fessed up to my mistake and apologized for letting my kids out before there was any supervision out for lunch duty.  I was so concerned and embarrassed that I made a mistake.  My principal looked at me and said, "Do you know the schedule now?  Will you let the kids out early again?"  I promised him it wouldn't happen again.  He nodded, smiled, and went on his way.  I was expecting a much more serious reprimand about student safety.  He knew my mistake was unintentional and was simply that, a mistake.  I always remember how professionally he treated me, without degrading me or making me feel bad.  After that I made sure that I read the daily schedule more closely.  I felt so supported by this little act of kindness.  I always try to remember that when studnts are other staff on my team make mistakes and ask myself and them, "Did you learn from it? Will it happen again?"  It can be that simple sometimes.