Stop…it’s reflection time.
Shifting roles is not easy and never as easy as you might anticipate. I’ve shifted roles this year and just like the many times I’ve shifted roles and responsibilities in the past, it has taken a solid three months for me to realize just what my new role entails.
Shift 1: As a technology coach, I’m not as responsible for troubleshooting tech problems. Great! This was an exciting one for me, but as soon as the word got out, I stopped getting a lot of email from my regular customers and I was lonely. I began spending more time gathering resources, attending webinars, keeping up with my Google Reader and my Twitter network. Guess what? I felt guilty! I have to remind myself that those are the things I’m supposed to be doing in my new role.
Shift 2: It’s not all about the product…This one is kind of hard too. In my previous role, I spent alot of time assisting teachers with getting students to make something using technology. It was important that they left with “something”. Now, I realize that I am to focus more on the process - students using technology seamlessly as they learn. This should be easy for me, as I do this myself. However, it’s not easy to show it to someone else and have them believe it.
Shift 3: Slow down! I tend to operate in one mode - high speed. It seems that my new role means more reflection time. I’m to assist the teachers with reflecting more on instructional practice and its affect on student achievement. Well…to do this, I realize that I have to begin to practice what I preach. That means that the time I spend thinking about my thinking is really a part of my job! With that being said, I’ll be posting more here. I spend tons of time thinking about where I am, where I’m going and what I may find wherever I am, but I don’t always put it into words. If I’m going to be advocating blogging, then I figure I better get back to it.
Have you shifted lately? What are your biggest realizations that came with the change? Are you up to the challenges that the shift may demand?
Filed under: Learning From and
Leave a Reply