I began my career as an educator in 1979, teaching for 16 years in 3 districts within 2 states. As a teacher of elementary students with "learning disabilities" (I still cringe at that term) I ended my K-12 teaching career as a kindergarten teacher. Moving from teaching children so failed by our learning system and who mostly hated school to working with students who came to school full of joy, curiosity and love of learning I became increasingly frustrated with the "organizational life" of K-12 schools and its negative impact on student learning experiences.
This led me down a new and now long learning journey of understanding schools as districts as systems and the role of leaderSHIP (not just leaders) in changing those systems to meet the needs of all students and tap back into the joy of learning they bring with them to school (and we too often beat out of them). Currently, I have the privilege of serving as New Tech Network's Director of Leadership Development. What a joy to support leadership learning for those leading schools where students have access to relevant, rigorous, meaningful learning experiences that prepare them for life behind high school!
