This month, I was invited my VP Jonathan Weisinger to participate in #yrdsbtalk which is an online collaborative platform that occurs on the first Tuesday of each month at 8pm. Tonights conversation is revolved around the YRDSB Leadership Strategy.
- What is the YRDSB Leadership Strategy? “York Region District School Board recognizes leadership as a foundational practice essential to inspiring staff learning to improve student achievement and well-being. Leadership Is crucial to supporting innovation as it sparks creativity in problem solving, new approaches to learning together, and continuous improvement. Leadership must strengthen our commitment to equity through relentless work toward the eradication of systemic barriers to academic success and well-being for all learners to ensure the condition of fair, inclusive and respectful treatment of all people” (YRDSB).
- Vision: "York Region District School Board’s vision “to be a leader in public education by empowering all students to become engaged and caring citizens of the world” will require leaders who exemplify the character, competencies and commitment of ethical leadership as they:
- Champion excellence through equity
- Promote a culture of collaborative professionalism
- Inspire current and future leaders
- Find a variety of ways to engage staff in ongoing dialogue about professional learning and collaboration within the context of school and workplace
How Do I meet these Competencies?
As a new Teacher I am continuously learning and building my professional knowledge and leadership. Below you will find ways that I am currently demonstrating the competencies:
1. Champion Excellence Through Equity
"Create opportunities for staff learning about Indigenous ways of knowing,anti-oppression, social justice and culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy"
(I facilitated a carousel session at our staff meeting about Incorporating Treaty Education into your Program. I am also a member of our school’s “Be Kind to Others” team, formally known as Equity Team)
"Commit to learning about anti oppression and understand how privilege, power and oppression result in inequitable outcomes for marginalized students, staff and communities"
(I participated in an NTIP session about Culturally Responsive Pedagogy)
2. Promoting a Culture of Collaborative Professionalism
"Develop collective responsibility for continuous improvement focused on co-learning through a cycle of inquiry, collective action and reflective practice"
(Lots of co-learning and reflective practice through participating in NTIP with my Teaching Mentor Vicky Angastiniotis. Tomorrow we will begin reflection and co-learning around intentional and purposeful assessment)
"Foster an environment which allows for the opportunity to ask questions, engage in dialogue and discourse, and co-construct shared understandings. Recognize and respond to the multiple entry points and understandings of equity, content and pedagogy/professional learning. Activate participation in ongoing professional learning by valuing diverse perspectives, world views and experiences, sincere dialogue and community engagement"
(I am always sharing my professional learning with other teachers either on breaks, after school, or through my educational social media platforms. I engage staff through professional learning and collaboration when I am facilitating PD sessions @ Moraine Hills such as: ASL in your Classroom, Treaty Education and Family Math Night)- just to name a few
"Be intentional in inspiring future leaders. Exemplify and build shared practices that embed theYRDSBMission, Vision and Values in daily work"
(Part of my educational brand “Educate.Invest.Inspire” is to inspire others, whether that be my peer staff, students, parents, etc. I feel that through my educational social media accounts I am able to exemplify and build shared practices that embed the YRDSB Mission, Vision and Values within my daily work. This reaches many people globally who have access to technology and those social media accounts)
"Develop others’ leadership capacity to address the system’s changing needs. Support and nurture the leadership growth in new and aspiring leaders seeking learning opportunities"
(There are a few Teacher Candidates and recent B.Ed graduates that have expressed their willingness to participate in extracurricular involvement in the school. I help support them in whatever they choose to participate in by helping them get in touch with staff that lead out what they wish to participate in. They have also said they noticed my educational social media accounts and would love to come sit in and volunteer in my classroom once their practicum is finished. I support these TC’s because not only is it great for their professional learning, I will learn from them also and I will expand my leadership capacity)
"Model risk taking and openness to learning from mistakes or failure as an approach to leading and learning"
(I model this for my students, if I should make a mistake in class I own up to it and model my problem solving strategies and show my students that everyone makes mistakes -even teachers- and that mistakes allow learning to happen)
"Seek input, be open to feedback, actively reflect and take action for continuous improvement and growth Participate in regular and timely growth- oriented appraisal processes"
(This was my first year as an official LTO Teacher so I had the opportunity of participating in the Teacher Appraisal process which allowed me to understand my strengths and areas to continue my professional learning. I am always working with my Mentor, other teachers, administration and accepting feedback for professional growth)
#inspireexcellence #yrdsbtalk #yrdsbteacher #leadership #educateinvestinspire
Thank you for reading!
~Ms. Rose Marcelli, OCT, RECE
