I'll try not to make this a lengthy post, as I'm only writing it as a way to help me think through some things.
Update time: I've taken on the mantle of grade-level chair, and I'd like to think that I'm doing a decent, if imperfect, job. I'm learning everyday, so what else is there to say? Do I enjoy the job? Hell, yes! While this is selfish, I love that I have a hand in how we do things as a team. Do I completely enjoy the team? No. I've made no secret of this. However, through the job, I'm getting a new perspective on how important each individual part is to the team. Even the seemingly "useless" one affects the team in a major way (not to say that anyone is "useless").
With that said, that is what I'm currently thinking through. I've been falling on my ass everyday, it seems, since I've became grade-level chair. There is more work and more thinking to be done for the team on top of the work and thinking it takes to teach and to keep my personal life afloat. Through all this ass-hitting, I've realized that falling on one's ass gracefully is like riding a bike. You don't really forget how to do. Your technique might change a little bit, but once you've made the adjustment, it's all good. I'm a pro at failure, so dealing with it and bouncing back from it doesn't take much. In fact, I'd say I owe my success thus far to the fact that I'm good at failure.
What I haven't figure out is how to help others get good at failure. I know that you don't carry on doing the same thing that leads to failure; you adjust. I know that you don't sit there in wallow it; you yell and curse and keep it moving. I know that you don't just complain; you complain for a few, and then come up with a solution.
I'm not seeing much of this. I'm seeing asses hitting the ground constantly! Much like the fainting goats...
But unlike the fainting goats*, folks just are NOT getting back up. How do I help them? Today, a teacher on my team took a terrible hit to her confidence. It was a fall of epic proportions, but I have no idea on how to help. Gonna sleep on it, and think about fainting goats, which make me smile (one of several methods for dusting off my butt).
*I'm not a horrible person, and no, the "fainting goats" are not hurt. They are merely just being more awesome than the rest of us. :)
