Throughout my journey to become a licensed principal many people have asked me if I will miss teaching. At first, my answer was, "Yes, I will miss teaching. I will miss social studies and that daily interaction with students that can only come from being in the classroom with them." When answering the question, my thought process was probably similar to their own in thinking that being a principal is so different from being a teacher. As I have progressed from a teacher leader to a potential administrative leader, however, my perspective has changed. I now answer the question "Will you miss teaching?" by saying, "I will miss the classroom and all that comes with it, but I'm not done teaching. I'm simply teaching a new demographic."
Instructional leadership is all about being what Michael McDowell calls the "lead learner" (2018). My role as an administrator will be to lead the staff in learning and provide clarity, coherence, and capacity while continuing to be a learner myself. I have grown in this competency by helping develop and implement a competency-based education (CBE) model at the Fergus Falls ALC. I have also worked on literacy programs through a K-8 targeted services program in Fergus Falls called Otter Adventures and my graduate coursework in SPED 545: Methods of Reading Intervention and PSY 634: Methods for Evidence Based Practice.
McDowell, M. (2018). The lead learner: Improving clarity, coherence, and capacity for all. Corwin.