Week 32/52 #Weeklies
One thing that I love about my job now is that I get to meet a lot of people in the education world. Part of what I do is to visit schools in our state, not for instructional audit, but more for technical assistance.
I get to visit one school at a time with my team. We will observe classes, interview principals, leadership team, special education head/teachers, and parents.
We look at their strengths and then we will have the school leadership decide on what improvement categories/criteria they want to focus on and what changes they plan on doing until we visit them the next fall/spring.
In return, they will have our support along the way.
It is fun leading the group especially when we do exit meetings (at the end of gathering data). One of the perks of being the team leader is I get to facilitate it. Yes, perks!
One of our coaches told me how one principal was stressed the whole day because of the upcoming visit, and I said her, "You know, she doesn't have to worry, right? Believe me, if she sees me tomorrow, all her anxiety will be gone!"
The next day, I met the principal. She looked at me, I smiled at her, and knew she's not stressed anymore.
When I was in high school or college, or even when I was already working as an Account Manager in the Philippines before, I always made sure I had a script. I'd memorize that script until the words felt natural. I had to memorize otherwise I would not know what to say!
Yes, I have grown and learned my craft through the years but after we've gathered all the results of observations or interviews, I still honestly would not know what to say at the exit meetings.
During the exit meetings usually there are district representatives who will join the principal and the leadership team to listen to what we have to say. When everybody is ready to listen, I'll lead the discussion.
But before I do, I'll pray to God. Lord, please give me the words, please send me Your Holy Spirit to help open up the minds of all these people listening to what I have to say.
Yes, I believe in magic and miracles, and at the end of every meeting, I know they have forgotten, I am a Filipino.
Maybe, they'd remember it again after we leave, hahaha.
If you ask me how I am surviving every exit meetings I lead for two years now, I don't know. All I know is I just lift it up to God.
Every school is different, each has different needs, and personalities!
What amazes me each time is how our school leaders would really open up to change. It is always a remarkable thing to see how they would embrace the ideas and allow themselves to emerge in the process so they'd improve.
As we visit schools for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time, it is heartwarming to see the improvements from the discussion from the previous visits.
If only for that, I feel I make a difference.
I'm a Filipino, the only Filipino in our state doing this kind of work, and I just thank God for this opportunity.
May God be praised.