The Learning Teacher: A Blog

How do you model and explore new opportunities for learning in your own practice?  At CMIT, our job is coordinating conferences and trainings. Because of this, we often have the opportunity to sit in on or go to conferences and trainings ourselves. This provides me with the ability to continually learn. I also enrolled in the ISDT program because I had the desire to add to my knowledge. In addition, I often read books or browse websites where I can get new and exciting information for my job. I like to think that by being excited to go to conferences, trainings and professional development and even go back to school, I'm modeling what it means to be a continual learner. I try to share the information I get from those activities with those around me and hope that they would do the same. What opportunities are you providing for informal learning, exploration, and “play” with new technologies in your organization?  I do not often have the opportunity to introduce applicable,...

One leadership quality I would like to improve upon is being an encourager. Chapter 8 in Couros' The Innovator's Mindset has struck a chord. After some self-reflection, I've realized that when I manage others, I tend to "ignore" them if they are doing well. The chapter shows that this is even worse than focusing on their weaknesses. How tragic! This is not out of any ill intent on my part - I think my introversion makes this a little bit of a battle for me. I have to make a better effort to tell people that I appreciate the good things that they are doing. I have no trouble focusing on and playing on their strengths, but I think I need to be more vocal in my appreciation for their successes.  One strength that I have in my leadership style is making sure everyone is part of a team. I understand that there are times that things need to be done individually, but I like to make sure those that I lead know that they are a part of something bigger. Not only that, but ...

How are you developing your identity as a technology leader/facilitator? In the video, First follower: Leadership lessons from dancing guy . Sivers points out several characteristics of leadership and followership. Even though the dancer was at first alone, he took a risk and continued to dance. As a leader, it is important that I be unafraid to step out and take risks, even if I happen to be alone in doing so. This is a scary thought. It is easier to do things that are safe and part of the crowd. I need to actively pursue risks to be a leader, even if I'm alone. In the book,  The innovator’s mindset, Curos also elaborates on how risk-taking and the willingness to fail and be resilient is essential to innovative leaders. So, not only is it important for me to take risks but also to bounce back in the face of failure. This is something that I work on daily - taking risks and being brave in the face of failure. As a recovering perfectionist, it is difficult to take those risks knowi...