Over the course of the ten day challenge I have learned and reflected on both my current role and my future role as a Catholic Leader in a school. I enjoyed the articles and activities that have both consolidated and pushed my thinking about the role of technology in our schools, and how a leader might leverage technology to be a connected lead learner and encourage staff to leverage technology to support students’ development of global competencies and engagement. In our current reality, leaders no longer have an excuse to not be connected. The digital world offers endless possibilities to learn, connect, share ideas, and seek help.
This quote from Pope Francis really resonates with me:
The digital world can be an environment rich inhumanity; a network not of wires but of people. Let us boldly become citizens of the digital world.”
Pope Francis, 2014
When I reflect on becoming a Catholic leader, I am struck by how our Holy Father is so supportive of innovation and has such a deep understanding of the potential to use technology in a positive way. When I think of Catholic leadership, I really believe that we have the potential, and in fact the moral imperative, to use digital tools to promote empathy, compassion, innovation and our Catholic values. Catholic leaders today have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in their school sees the potential to use technology for good and positive impact in the world. They also have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in the building understands the role of technology in accelerating student learning and the development of global competencies. This recent blog post by George Couros reminds me that the best way to have effective classroom management is through excellent and engaging teaching. Curos points put that this same principal applies to all learners, including adult learners. When I think of being a leader in a Catholic school, I think about the importance of building relationships with the people in the building, and creating the opportunities to focus on what can be improved through exciting and innovative ways. Empowering the staff in the building to learn, innovate and improve through providing opportunities for engaging PD, highlighting amazing work that is happening, and empowering all educators and support staff to pursue new learning that is of interest to them is one way to continually focus innovating within the school. Allowing educators opportunities to see me model the importance of being a connected leader, and encouraging them to be connected leaders is key to building the culture that I want to foster in the school. I truly believe one of the most important roles of the principal is to be the lead learner, always in an open learning stance.
My next step as a potential future leader in a Catholic school is to continue to consider how to build relationships, and focus on empowering the students and educators I will serve. When everyone is invested and engaged in the learning, and focused on what is best for students, we will develop cultures that are innovative, connected and focused on care, empathy and academic rigour.
