“Your beliefs don’t make you a better person, your behavior does” (Couros.

2014). In my opinion, educational leaders are the driving force behind how
well a teacher or student succeeds. While the administrator is the captain of
the ship, so to speak, the ship cannot function if all of the crew is not working
effectively. Therefore, my beliefs will not make me a successful leader, it will
be my behavior that truly shows my leadership.

The Why 

When I first applied to college, I initially strived for a degree in the medical
field. I wanted to help people plain and simple. While that was what I initially
wanted, life had another path for me which was to become a teacher. I
remember one of my professors gave us each a rock and instructed us to
write something that would remind us of why we became teachers. I drew a
fingerprint. Nobody has the same fingerprint. I wanted to remind myself that
while teaching, each child has different fingerprints, needs, and struggles. As
a leader, it would be my job to identify each teacher's fingerprints: a teacher's
needs, struggles, and celebrations.  I started on my path to educational
leadership seven years ago. I applied to become a New Mexico Public
Education Department liaison due to the desire of understanding and learn
more about how our education system worked. I am a firm believer that
knowledge is power. The more you know, the more you grow within that
profession. I attended conferences and meetings. I asked questions and
questioned the answers I was provided. I felt that if I saw something that did
not work within the education system, then it would become my job to try and
change it and be part of the solution.  My path then took me to Teach Plus.
Teach Plus allowed me to advocate for teachers and students while having a
deeper understanding of the political side of education. Again, I attended
conferences and meetings. I asked questions and then questioned the
answers that were provided to me.  My beliefs did lead me to this place, but it
was my behavior that led me to this part of my leadership path. Throughout
my teaching career, I have held numerous leadership positions. It is not
because I have a deep desire to be a “leader,” but because I have the desire
to be part of the solution. Education is not a perfect machine. Our field
requires us to research, think beyond the box, and be flexible yet precise. We
are the “hub of our communities” (Couros. 2014) and we are in charge of
 creating our future each day in the classroom.  I have had the privilege of
having several administrators. Each administrator had strengths and
weaknesses, and each gave me the ability to form the type of leader I want to
be. Some have shown me that you can still apply rigor while applying the fun.
Others have shown me that if you do not value your staff, then the staff will
not value the decisions that are made. My leadership actions will be a
combination of rigor, fun, and value.      

Ignite

“Education is not the filling of a bucket. But the lighting of a fire” (Yeats. W.B.
2012). I love this quote and how it applies to both students and faculty. In the
past few years, I do believe some have lost that fire that drives us. Students
are not viewing education as important, and teachers are finding the demands
to be too much. As a leader, I plan on building that educational fire back up by
focusing on specific areas.  “Administrators should create a school
environment where respect is the norm among all administrators, teachers,
support staff, parents, and community members” (Meador. D. 2017). Teachers
should be given opportunities to become leaders among their peers.
Communication among the staff, when building a common goal, is essential to
teachers' success and the individual role each staff member plays. When
evaluating staff, there should be clear, concise expectations, and why we, as
a whole, should expect them. When those goals are met, then celebrate and
celebrate big. “As a school leader, it is necessary to establish a sense of
community and pride within and around the building site” (Meador. D. 2017).
Students should and need to feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments,
regardless of how big or small those accomplishments are. There needs to be
a good balance between the rigor of daily school life and the fun aspect of a
student. When the push outweighs the celebration, then that is when students
fail. The saying, “it takes a village,” rings true. There needs to be a sense of
community ownership of how well our students strive in their educational
careers.
 Me

Every year I am told the same statement. “Anna, not everyone will have the
same expectations as you.” My response is always, “why not?”. Why wouldn’t
anyone want to strive to be the best educator or student they could be? I have
concluded that they lack the reasons why they should. In every task I am
given, I complete it to the very best of my abilities, and I challenge myself
each time to become better. When teaching, I research and find alternative
ways to explain a concept. I reflect on what went right and what went wrong.
In leadership positions, I focus on the big goal and identify each step to get to
that goal while placing all parties in a position to voice their opinions and have
ownership of the plan. When striving for a deeper knowledge of our education
system in New Mexico, I ask the questions that some would be afraid to ask.
My beliefs helped me get to the position I am in, but it was my actions that
made me a leader. It will be my actions that will help me succeed and help
others succeed. Education is the most powerful weapon, you can use to
change the world. I say let’s change the world and have fun doing it.