The Initial Encounter

As stated in my previous blog post, I started strengthening my leadership skills at an early age. From then on, I just wanted to be more and do more in the spaces that I found myself in. I knew that education was the path for me. When I started teaching, I was just trying to learn the ropes and be the best teacher I could be. It wasn't until my second year that I started trying to find ways to be a leader within the school.

One day at a staff meeting, we were to vote on the next Learning Community Advisory Committee Representative. I won't lie, I didn't know what or why we were voting for someone to take on this role. (I had left elementary school to go to middle school). Long story short, it's a role as a liaison between the school and the Learning Community. This person meets with other colleagues to address and solve issues or concerns of the staff, then takes them to the principal and the Learning Community Superintendent. When the current LCAC Representative asked who would like to volunteer for the role, I raised my hand...sure! I wouldn't mind nominating myself. Needless to say, I was then nominated. At that moment I had so many questions about what I am supposed to do. I held that role for two years. I learned to communicate with my colleagues, solve problems, build relationships with staff, network with the learning community superintendent and other teachers in the district, have my voice heard, and build a foundation with my principal and other administrators and facilitated the Teacher of the Year Nominations.

A few weeks later, my principal asked me if I wanted to be a PLC Lead for my grade level content area. My response was, "Sure, of course!" Once again, I didn't know what to expect or what the actual role entailed. *Remember, it was my second year and I went from teaching Kindergarten to Sixth Grade Social Studies.* I took on the role, and I learned as I went, how to facilitate meetings, what our purpose was for every time we met, following an agenda and learning how to analyze data and understand what we can do as a team, "to move the needle". I created professional relationships and worked with others, from the other grades, who I did not work on the hallway. I learned to lead professional development. I held the PLC Role for 3 years.

So, you see, no one really goes in knowing how to be a leader. They are developed, molded, and cultivated. Leadership is not always being a school principal or assistant principal or district leader. I had to learn to be a leader, although I possessed leadership qualities and skills. Once I started my leadership experiences, I didn't want to stop because I kept learning and growing.