When I considered the switch from being a kindergarten teacher to an administrator, I thought about the impact I wanted to have on a school’s culture. As a teacher, I prioritized relationships with students, often conducting home visits and partnering with families to ensure academic success. I engaged students in inquiry-based learning opportunities that were a catalyst for growth as evidenced by data. There were initiatives and partnerships that I established in my classroom that I knew could benefit the larger school community.
Superintendents who recognized my efforts and nudged me into school leadership often encouraged me to document my impact on students and what was working in my practice. Additionally, supervising administrators challenged me to consider how I could scale my practices into specific action steps or a road map to transform instructional systems.