Introduction In an attempt to consolidate my reflection of learning over the past two years in the Ed.D. program, I feel it is imperative to begin with a brief overview of who I am, first, as an individual and transition to who I am as a learner and leader. First and foremost, I am a mother of two amazing daughters who provide the strength, inspiration, love, and support necessary for balancing work, parenting, and Ed.D VCU coursework. My husband – bless his soul – is my ROCK and the reason I have been able to embark on this doctoral journey; thankfully, he understands and appreciates my passion for making a difference in the lives of students and those who serve them. I realize now, with greater clarity and purpose, that knowing who I am and how others perceive me are critical for leading change efforts. Throughout the program, I have …show more content…
What I have learned through my journey, thus far, is that having a better understanding of myself has contributed to my effectiveness as a leader and team member serving on multiple teams (professionally and academically). Building a collaborative team is messy work and cannot be approached linearly. Being vulnerable, empathetic, and “real” are critical if productive conflict and honest feedback are to take place; without productive conflict, trust is hard to find (Lencioni, 2002). In addition to understanding, more critically, the importance of team building, I appreciate how vital practice is for leading the learning. Leadership, in essence, is practice and can be learned most effectively by experience and reflection (Fullan, 2011). I have had the opportunity to lead the learning for my division’s Continuous School Improvement processes. Through collaboration with division curriculum leaders and school leadership teams across the division, I have utilized skills learned throughout the program to enhance school improvement