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A few years ago I made a decision to make the transition from school principal to education coach & consultant with a large education corporation. I’ve since ventured off to start my own professional consultancy. However, the time spent working for the company in the position of ”edu-coach” was a real eye opener!
After fourteen years of leading large schools, working with students, families and teachers, I was not as prepared for this new role as I thought I would be. Although I had spent years supporting and mentoring teachers, I was ultimately their supervisor. This meant I was charged with the responsibility of evaluating teacher effectiveness and making decisions about their retention. In this new role as a “coach” it was now my responsibility to support teachers with curriculum and management strategies to keep their positions even in the face of potential challenges. A tall order for someone who had been “in charge” for over 14 years.
I found myself facing a new learning curve and anxiously seeking resources to support me in becoming the best education coach I could be. Like any learning curve, whether career-related or in regard to learning a new skill, it was a journey and I had to find a way to navigate through the challenge. Here are three steps I took to get myself through this learning curve transition:
1) Journal the Experience
When you look back on your potential learning curve journey, you will be amazed at your experiences…I know I was! I suggest you capture at least 3 goals you want to achieve daily, in a journal, a blog, or an online diary. I’m a big fan of journal writing, and over the years have captured some amazing memories that would have otherwise been lost. The ability of a journal to allow for personal reflections is amazing. In the process of your journal-writing you will be able to capture your ideas and easily refer to them for reference. For a quick, easy way to journal, check out Penzu. It’s online — and it’s free!
2) Get a Mentor
I believe strongly in the power of mentoring. I believe that a mentor relationship is vital to the success of anyone working to “up” his or her game. My own recent mentoring story starts with my friend Shelly Terrell who reached out to me on Twitter three years ago. Shelly mentored me and introduced me to hundreds of educators on Twitter. In those early days on social media she supported me, encouraged me to blog, and promoted me for two years as I got my feet wet in social media. My connection with Shelly launched several collaborative projects, including the 30 Goals for Educators project. Shelly still continues to collaborate and share important leads with me as people cross her path who could benefit from my skills and talents. I could never have accomplished the success I’ve had in my consultant work had it not been for her early mentoring. Everyone benefits from a mentor. Find one and you will learn and grow from this important relationship. Then, pay it forward.
3) Join an Online Community
On your journey to new discoveries, you may at times feel isolated. One of the many benefits of tapping into a community is that you can probably find someone else who feels as you do and could probably use some company. It’s an amazing connected system that will allow you to collaborate and cultivate resources. You can freely contribute, seek a resource, or ask a question. There are many great online sites that provide the opportunities to stay connected…even after hours. You can find great communities such as Ning, which offer amazing ways to connect to resources you may have never known existed! Seek out relevant, content-specific communities for deeper learning. If you’re interested, you can check out this group on the EduPLN.com community where educators from around the globe are available to support and mentor.
Are you facing a new learning curve? Are you seeking to stretch your boundaries in and out of the classroom? Congratulations! As I close this post, I leave you with this message: Most of the time, real life has a steep learning curve, but when you respond from a place of personal knowledge and experience, it’s easier than you might think. All the best to you on your journey!
