leadership

Interim – Day 3 – blindspots

Over a weekend I interviewed and successfully gained the position of Interim Head of Special Education at my High School. The position is short term, 10 days in length, but could be extended until the end of the semester.

I have been in Special Education for over a decade, but this is my first position of responsibility in this department.

These posts are going to focus on the ideas and questions that popped up on the daily.

Some got answered, some are still in process. Most questions I had some clue how to action, but even more have me chasing squirrels to find answers.

LIVING THE QUESTIONS [IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER]

What do I do if support staff is absent?

Where did I leave my walkie talkie?

How did I get so booked up with meetings?

My lists!?

Are these office lights vibrating?

I wonder if you know that I don’t know, but you are asking because I should know … eeep, but I don’t.

Do I look like I know what I am doing? How about now? Now?

I think we need a department meeting … how do I decide if we need a department meeting?

I am not getting back to my lists am I?

That may have been a record day for emails sent out.

Its pretty fascinating to be able to see how much I was not paying attention to before I took this position. And now I have to pay attention to it.

I really am not sure how to do this damn reconciliation report. I can feel the spreadsheet allergies creeping in.

Interim – Day 2 – culture

Over a weekend I interviewed and successfully gained the position of Interim Head of Special Education at my High School. The position is short term, 10 days in length, but could be extended until the end of the semester.

I have been in Special Education for over a decade, but this is my first position of responsibility in this department.

These posts are going to focus on the questions that popped up on the daily.

Some got answered, some are still in process. Most questions I had some clue how to action, but even more have me chasing squirrels to find answers.

Living The questions [in no particular order]

What is the process for an In-School Team meeting? What is the process for an In-School Team meeting at this school?

Do I want to see a Reconciliation report, absolutely! What is a Reconciliation report?

What other reports, tasks, commitments are coming down the pipe?

Why does it seem like everyone has forgotten that I just took this position on yesterday?

When am I going to check my voicemail? Should I even check it? Everything is moving via email, right?

I thought I knew what to do in this situation … now I am not sure. I wonder if I could ask our board psychologist?

Where can we meet kids 1 to 1? What is the cleaning protocol?

Ok, now I know what the Reconciliation report is. How do I get access to information system to check it’s accuracy?

Why don’t we do it like that here? In my previous school we did it differently …

What if we tried it like this? No? Why?

I am not really sure about x,y,or z but I think I know who I could ask. Maybe.

Interim – Day 1 – Rattled

Over a weekend I interviewed and successfully gained the position of Interim Head of Special Education at my High School. The position is short term, 10 days in length, but could be extended until the end of the semester.

I have been in Special Education for over a decade, but this is my first position of responsibility in this department.

These posts are going to focus on the questions that popped up on the daily.

Some got answered, some are still in process. Most questions I had some clue how to action, but even more have me chasing squirrels to find answers.

The questions [in no particular order]

What can you really do with a position of leadership that is 10 days long?

What should I focus on? Relationships? Mentoring? Just keep the boat straight and hope for good weather?

Who do I know that I can call if I need to?

Where did I put my walkie-talkie?

When do I tell the team that I am the Interim Head?

Should I move into the former Head’s office?

What’s my new extension?

Damn, the files I need are locked in that cabinet, where are the keys?

Damn, the files I need are in the former Head’s Google Drive, but I can’t contact her, can I?

When are the Regional Heads meetings? Who do I ask about that?

When am I going to get to my marking?

When are the department head meetings at my school?

What is your name again?

Who haven’t I met yet in my department?

Do I send an email to introduce myself as new Head or go talk to each member?

How many sections do we have? Why do I keep thinking about this question?

What other committees do I now need to be a part of?

How do we divide up the former Head’s caseload? Do we wait? Are the kids okay? Should I just cover the spread and figure it out later?

Were those boxes there this morning?

Where did I leave my lunchbag?

Where did I leave my coffee? Is it with my lunch bag?

How did it get to 4:00 PM so fast?

How Was Your Day Cory Gordon? E1

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-eqgf8-fd6133

Welcome to How was your day?

Over the last 5 weeks I collaborated with Cory Gordon a Teacher Candidate from Nipissing University.

Here is a short stack of the amazing conversations we travelled through.

In this episode: What’d you expect? This is Special Education.

Cory can be found at corygordon999@gmail.com

You can find me on Twitter @chrisjoncluff and on WordPress at https://chrisjcluff.com/

Chasing Squirrels on iTunes  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/chasing-squirrels/id1191208370?mt=2

Chasing Squirrels on Google Play Music https://play.google.com/music/listen#/ps/Ixhzynlfcltbpmaw6inf6fpd3ei

The song played in this episode: Miles to go by 6AM is licensed under a Attribution-ShareALike License.

This song has not been remixed or changed in any way.