Reflections on Short Course 2013
Day 1:
I spent the day with my group at Short Course discussing our
key values, of ourselves as professionals and of our schools. We all agreed
that there are some common core values, and that the list is also quite
diverse. The big question of the day for me was how best to reflect my values
in daily school life and how to articulate and sustain them in the face of
competing values, morals and ethics.
We spent some time brainstorming what essential values we’d
have posted above the door of our schools? Here’s my list:
1.
Respect
2.
Responsibility
3.
Dignity
4.
Kindness
5.
Cooperation
We also arrived at several other key ideas: honesty, fairness,
tolerance/acceptance, courage, caring, humour, integrity, effort, attitude,
understanding, inclusion, compassion, fairness, civility.
I am impressed by the experiences some participants brought
to the table in sharing examples of how they modeled moral courage in their
professional lives. They are already leaders with impressive backgrounds.
Although they are a group of beginning school administrators, collectively they
are an inspiring resource, a rich repository of knowledge and experience.
Questions:
·
What does the evidence point to at your school?
Where is the moral barometer at your school? Is everyone on the same page?
·
What five values would you have above the door
of your school?
