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Leslie Armstrong

Wipro Urban STEM

February 15, 2015

Rocking the Boat Chapters 1-2

The author shows that she has gained much


insight in deriving qualitative data about her
analysis of the levels of leadership. As a teacher

Leslie Armstrong

Wipro Urban STEM

February 15, 2015

leader-coach, I have learned that knowledge of my


colleagues leadership characteristics produces a
beneficial collaborative process and product. I can
associate this with the forming of the teacher,
parent and student triad; whose focal point being
knowledge of student. Myersons work quantifies
the undulating leadership journey that I am striving
to balance to remain a proficient educator.
The style, content and format of her writing
ushered me into palpable and palatable
experiences of others life experiences. As we flick
the channel advance buttons on our remote
controls, there is a plethora of reality shows. The
reality series of being an educator is a body of
episodes that is unending. I saw my roles being
played out as the mental filmed rolled. Having
the opportunity to relive and live this emotional
series has brought a prospective detour to my
current actions and sent me into a time machine
that drew me into the reality of my past. Will you
take this journey with me?
I began teaching at the age of 22; at the same
school where I am presently employed. 1996 was
my year to cause a revolution. The first five years
consisted of a titanic battle between the Dominate
Culture and my Fight the Power attitude. In

Leslie Armstrong

Wipro Urban STEM

February 15, 2015

retrospect, I am sure that this placed me at the far


end of the tempered radical spectrum because
resistance was the result I achieved. I am certain
that my resistance could not be classified as
tempered because of my inexperience as an
educator. The constant verbiage at every meeting
or powwow was an annoying and persistent Why
and my actions would be entitled Im not doing
that. Still swimming in a bubble of Thats How
Its Done and my inability to stay afloat, I found
another target to blame. Teacher training
institutions can often give you the false impression
that you can come in and make sweeping changes.
The veteran jury and the administration judge
swiftly struck down that verdict. Accepting the
reality and the need to stay employed, I began
rummaging around that teacher tool kit that was
issued by the university that assigned me a
diploma. I was missing a few screws, nuts and
bolts. I decided that I would use the parts that I
collected to enhance the educational machine.
The tempered radical was born. My goal was to
make gradual changes, whose actions were
nonthreatening, but made a quiet impact. I began
to tune up the negative aspects of prepackaged,
scripted curricula that were designed for urban
students. The first phase of the tune-up was to

Leslie Armstrong

Wipro Urban STEM

February 15, 2015

analyze the curriculum and make amendments


that centered on researched best practices and
strategies that applied to all learners, visibly
providing artifacts and pedagogy that complied
with administrations edicts and infusing personal
interests into the fabric of my class. Now that
administration was pacified, I began presenting at
team meetings. The presentations were further
amplified with offering my colleagues the
opportunity to observe my classroom like a see
through kitchen. Lastly, I learned to be a
collaborative listener. I would schedule times to
talk with veteran teachers and turn our
conversations into thematic units and co-teaching
opportunities. Cloaked behind the wisdom and
acceptance of veteran teachers, administration
saw my actions as less threatening and embraced
my techniques.
Who am I now? Which tempered traits do I
display? I am a tempered radical that now has the
sense to initiate change through a series of phases;
not by the pounding of a fist. I am holding on to
the mast of the dominate culture while I balance
the undulating movements of my feet; waiting on
the opportunity to catch a collaborative wind. I
know that I must employ a crew of colleagues that

Leslie Armstrong

Wipro Urban STEM

February 15, 2015

represent each level of temperedness to create a


balance. I have the ability to embrace institutional
constraints. Being held down is not the same as
being held back. Being held captive can be
thought of as a time to reflect research, innovate
and practice. With time served, I can begin again;
taking gradual steps to make applicable change.

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