Over the course of late August, my Facebook memories have reminded me of the many offices and/or classrooms I have moved in and out of in the last decade. The reminder of starting over was kind of startling.
This year, I started a new journey altogether. On the heels of the pandemic, I pivoted in my career again, this time into the role of Chief Operating Officer at Mastery Portfolio, a company that truly sings my heart song when it comes to helping schools shift their grading practices. This, of course, is what drove me to make the switch.
As I transition into my new role, I'm acutely aware of the challenges of beginning a new journey. I'm in straight-up - fake it til I make it mode. Aside from wanting to impress my new colleagues and partners, I want to be able to grow into my role quickly and well.
So far, however, I feel like I haven't been pulling my own weight. I put a lot of pressure on myself to do things really well and when I physically can't do it all, I feel disappointed and nervous - like I haven't been a good collaborator.
Instead of staying with that "stinking thinking" though, I've decided to work to make my new position manageable - making time daily to really put the work in to learn what I need to do in order to pull my own weight and be the true partner I know I can be.
For those of you who have been following my work for years now, you know the passion I feel for helping schools promote a learning environment that truly assesses with respect. This is what we do at Mastery Portfolio. We have a tool and the training to help schools put students in the driver's seat and promote a deep understanding of their own learning.
Since I'm committed to the cause and feel I have a lot to offer in the way of professional knowledge, I can lean on expertise as I build the areas of my competency that are new - the same way I would recommend schools build on the strengths of their learners, both young and seasoned.
No one enjoys feeling like they aren't good enough or that they are so underwater that they are drowning, but no one said we can't reach for support and I've got an amazing team to help me become more successful in the areas I need to continue to work.
When was the last time you tried something truly new? What feelings arose and how did you deal with them? Stay tuned for more chapters of this new journey as I continue to grow, I will continue to share.
If you're starting your mastery learning journey this year in your classroom, I'd love to know more about it. How can we help? Please share