reThink ELA #007 Interview with Jennifer Dean

Every single person on this earth has a voice. They have a unique story to be told. But how many of us actually use our voices and make our stories, thoughts, and opinions known to others? So many adults grow up thinking their voices don’t matter or that their opinions are unimportant. Some even believe that they need politicians or government or pseudo experts to tell them what’s best for their family. My own passion is teaching our children that their voices matter; that they are important and what they have to say is equally important to what adults have to say. My guest today has a similar passion and we’ll explore how she uses very small work groups within her classroom to encourage her students to explore and develop their own voices. My guest today is Jennifer Dean,  an English teacher at Leander Middle School, north of Austin, Texas. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Education. Before becoming a teacher, she served as a national research assistant and as a museum administrator. As an educator, Jennifer works to develop student voice while building community and familial bonds through oral history storytelling.  She is the founder of All Girls Considered, a podcast dedicated to helping inspiring young girls and women tell their stories. We also discussed how a background in journalism lead her to a career in the classroom; how her All Girls Considered podcast got started; advice for teachers who use primarily worksheets to teach lessons; and her secrets to balancing the enormous task of reviewing and grading student projects while also having a private life. Resources mentioned in today’s episode: Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenSDean About Jennifer: https://www.jensdean.com/ All Girls Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllGirlsPodcast All Girls Considered: https://soundcloud.com/allgirlsconsidered Michelle WatersI am a secondary English Language Arts teacher, a University of Oklahoma student working on my Master’s of Education in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum with an concentration in English Education, and a NBPTS candidate. I am constantly seeking ways to amplify my students’ voices and choices.

How to Be a Good Leader - Free Essay Example

There are three main things that make a good leader. The first is that a leader must practice what he preaches. The second is that he has to look after and protect those around him. The third is that he must be able to develop other good leaders. I will go into more detail about the qualities of a good leader and what my particular leadership style is. A good leader is excellent at practicing what he preaches. I love the quote that states, Your actions speak so loud that I cant hear what you are saying. The greatest leader of all time was Jesus Christ and he was the best at practicing what he preached. This goes back to the old proverb that says, Live by the sword, die by the sword. This is the same with leadership and how much a leader abides by what he says, As a good leader, how can you expect people do what you say, when you dont even do what you say? So, normally I am a man of my word and makes myself trusted by others. A good leader should be able to looks after those he wants to lead. He does this by always doing what he can to protect them from harm, criticism, or blame from other people. People want security, thats why they buy SUVs, put money in their 401k, and stay at the same dead end job for years. Its integrated into their nervous system that they want to feel secure. When I have a team of people that I am leading, it can be very powerful when they know that I am on their side, and that I will do whatever I can to make sure that I will protect them from harm of other outside forces. A big part of being a good leader is knowing how to take the blame when things go wrong, and how to give away credit when things go well. And I know that when things go bad or wrong, its my responsibility to take the blame, even if it was not only my fault. And when things go well, I will make sure that I give the credit to the deserving person who did the great work with me. Hence, making that person look very good. A good leader develops other good leaders. This can only be attained once a person has first become a good leader. How can you expect to develop other good leaders, if you are not one first? So I want to be a good mentor that can teach and coach them through their trials and tribulations as a young and developing leader, even though sometimes just being there to help them get back up after they have fallen is all I have to do. And I figure that one of the best ways that I can invest time, is by investing it in the relationships of others around myself. Generally speaking, I will practice what I preach, look after the others around myself, and invest time to develop other good leaders, I believe that I will be well on my way to making myself a good leader.