Here we go … the first class appeared to be challenging. Yes, it’s certainly challenging. To some extent, I felt that I got more advantages compared to my colleagues. I earned my masters degree at a US institution earlier. Seven years ago, I took Language, Literacy, and Cultural Studies at Boston University. Now, I’m taking a masters degree in School Leadership. At this point, English is certainly no longer a barrier for me.
In addition to that, the issues on learning theories (such as Piaget, Erikson, Vygotsky and others) are not necessarily brand new to me. Thus, supposedly, it’s much easier for me to enjoy the class: to take a full advantage of familiarity to the issues. But is it really the case for me? I guess the class is challenging not because I know pretty well the path we are going to go through. The class of Psyc. Ed (CIEP 415) is challenging more because my previous knowledge prevents me from enjoying it. My ego keeps telling me: well, the materials are relatively easy, so why do you take too much energy to work hard enough? Sure, I feel now the challenge is real: how could I enjoy something common! It’s like a beaten path for me!
I know too well that I would certainly lose interest to work more fully and get engaged in the class. It is easier to feel less challenged. It is easier to feel I’m already good at many things. But I know too well that I must be critical to my own ego.
When I reflected on this issue, I realize that being happy or unhappy is a matter of choice. Very often, we are in a position that we really don’t like. Unwelcoming outlook from many people around us, misconceptions and prejudice that other people impose on us … those are unhappy situations. Nobody is happy with such a condition. There are sometimes too many things that do not make us happy! But, I also learn that successful people are generally able to change the unfortunate conditions into potentials. How could they do it? Certainly, it is determined more by the way they see the world! It’s their paradigm.
I learn that one of the characteristics of successful leadership is a consitency in perceiving human life as dynamic and changing all the time. Many things come and go, others are enchanting and others are just discouraging. What matters most is certainly the way we respond to unhappy situations. Once we decide to be fluid and flexible in dealing with any kinds of things that happen around us, the more ready we are to anticipate uncertainties.
Having this in my mind, I hope that I can make up my mind: to be more positive and able to translate whatever I find in classes into my future work! I did it! At least, I started to do it: this evening, I spent very little time (less than two minutes) to ask Fr. Mintara about the possible uses of today’s class. As usual, I got surprised with brilliant ideas he had in his mind. He proposed the idea of using the gameframe that we used in Dr. Boyle’s class to initiate a conversation with our trainees. I certainly used some part of his idea and made up my mind too.
My plan is to introduce the opposing concepts of leadership: pyramidal vs. flat model. The strategy is simple: make groups of three or four and ask the groups to accomplish a simple task. I will ask them to choose which leadership model they prefer and put the labels on each box (principal, parents, teachers, students, and other stakeholders). Have them talk about their choice and ask them to defend it.
I suppose that the trainers (i.e. the ISEDP trainers) are to master the X and Y Theories by Douglas McGregor (1960) and the revised version by Thomas Sergiovanni (1992). With these theories in mind, the trainers are well-informed and establish their perspectives on a strong conceptual foundation. Do I need to explain in this blog? I think it’s too early to discuss it here. My point is: I’m trying to negotiate my unhappy feelings with the real challenges in future that I could identify. I want to make myself driven not just by my impulsive feeling, but by goals!
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