Mrs. Cromer: Leading & Learning

While completing my educational leadership studies several years ago, I got tired of hearing about creating a "vision" for your school.  Real tired. Now that I am an administrator...I can't stop thinking about my vision for our school. In Dave Burgess' best-selling book, Teach Like a Pirate , he details an exercise that encourages teachers to write about how their class is viewed by students. Change the topic to the broader topic of school and this experience can be equally as telling and inspiring to administrators. When I walk through the doors of Check Elementary School, I feel safe and accepted.  Learning is fun at CES and most days I don't even know that I am learning standardized content because the teachers do such a great job of crafting engaging lessons.  Their passion for learning is obvious and so contagious it has infected the entire atmosphere surrounding our school.  I wake up excited to come to school and see what exciting projec...

Our students returned this week.  It was chaotic, stressful, overwhelming, and WONDERFUL!   I had lunch with first graders, read a book to each class, went on a bear hunt with kindergartners, and enjoyed lots of hugs.  But it was a comment from a bus driver that made my week. "You were made for this job." Yes, I believe I was. I know the question "Why do I lead?" should generate a greater response, but for me it is really that simple.  I lead because I feel it is my purpose.  I believe God gives us each a talent and expects us to use it for the greater good.   www.strategicleadershipresources.com My passion for education is a blessing from God and looking back I can see how He used experiences and people to push me to this place.   I didn't start out on this journey willingly and I certainly don't take the responsibility of leadership lightly.  There were moments this week that I questioned my abilities and my vision...

The school has been cleaned, handbooks have been copied, and the class rosters finalized.  Just a few more finishing touches and CES is ready to open for the 2013-2014 school year. But we're already celebrating.   A few members of the CES team outside of historic Double Springs School. This past weekend the CES faculty and staff got together for a cookout and a hayride to a historic one-room school house in our community.  Everyone brought their families and it was a wonderful, relaxing time before the work begins again next week. Our school, like so many others, is a family.  And like so many families today, we do not get enough time to just enjoy each other's company and some good home-cooked food. While I am blessed to work in a school with a wonderful climate, as a leader I am always looking for ways to maintain and grow in this area.  I have a dog-eared copy of Todd Whitaker's Motivating and Inspiring Teachers  that never fails to s...

Source: jumpintheair.com Here it goes.  I'm jumping in. Next week marks the "official" start of my tenure as the Lead Learner at Check Elementary School. Although I have been the principal there since July, it will become real when I stand before the faculty on Tuesday. When I completed my Ed Leadership studies, I never planned on becoming a school leader.  In fact, each class I completed only cemented my belief that being a middle school social studies teacher was the best job ever. Fast forward four years and I still fondly reminisce about my classroom days. But now I have fond memories of many classrooms.  I have an opportunity to mold the minds of students and adults alike. Is there any other job that is more exciting and terrifying at the same time? I can't wait. I'm also jumping into blogging.  Social media has had an immeasurable impact on my journey as a leader.  Since joining Twitter in May of 2012, I have had the pleasure of building ...