Reflective Discourse

Helping people make sense of the world is at the heart of education. As a teacher one has ample opportunity to help students make connections between what they are learning and its context in the greater world around them. As an educational leader (administrator, department head, curriculum specialist, etc.) one has a tremendous opportunity to do the same thing for the adults one is working with. Though the world has become so much smaller in a virtual context and electronic communication systems are so much more effective and ubiquitous, our challenge is to help our students and colleagues navigate these systems and connect in a meaningful way. Leading by example, for me, is the ultimate leadership principle. If I am to be a credible leader and a leader people will be motivated to follow, I have to be willing to walk the talk! My modeling must include keeping up with the latest innovations in educational philosophy and practice, must include demonstrating caring and empathy for those who are marginalized and shunted aside by society, and must include examples of making difficult decisions. Staff need to be supervised (and sometimes disciplined) and must be engaged (just like the students) so that they are willing to change directions if necessary. An educational leader is an architect building a learning community and his vision has to include all stakeholders. The task can be a daunting one. An administrator must be able to bring together teachers, support staff, custodial staff, parents, community agencies, and perhaps most importantly students. Each of these entities must have a voice and must be made to feel like theyre on the same journey together. The UNE Masters in Educational Leadership program has been an invigorating journey for me. People have asked me why after 32 years in the world of education as a teacher, administrator, and

Stephen Goss - EDU 695

Reflective Discourse
senior district administrator that I would want to embark on an endeavor such as this. My response is always that I am a life-long learner and I have always tried to model that for the people around me. When I retire from my school district (within a years time) I plan to embark on a freelance writing career, specializing in educational topics. I have already had pieces published in educational publications and I would like to build on that. The courses that have been part of my Masters program have all been wonderful at leading me to the most relevant and topical areas in contemporary education. Furthermore, the level of discourse in the program has been consistently high. The Blackboard Learn tool has worked well to facilitate the organization of the courses and the execution of the course work and I have valued the opportunity to connect not only with my fellow students, but also with the instructors. I was never left to fend for myself if I had questions or concerns. This program has been exactly what I had hoped it would be and I will recommend it to others.

Stephen Goss - EDU 695