Leading the Calling: Reflections on Lessons Learned and Those Yet to Be

By Kathy Spencer, Ed.D. and Lesley Eason, Ed.D.

Educators are naturally viewed as reflective practitioners, with time to think, ponder, vision, and design being key to the art and craft of the role itself. This is especially true of educational leaders--teachers, facilitators, administrators, and superintendents. We know that we lead more effectively when practicing deep reflection, demonstrating the desire to take action in order to serve others while honoring the greatness that exists in so many of our learning environments.

With deep reflection and action comes a lot of emotion, a lot of conversations, a lot of missteps, and a lot of accomplishments. It is these experiences that dictate the ultimate need to capture lessons learned. One must understand that the lessons can provide a platform to assist one another in reaching higher, addressing new challenges confidently, persevering through extreme adversity, and exploring opportunities never considered before as we all answer our own calling.

We consider the need for reflection by leaders as necessary to honor the past and to build a pathway to future success. We find ourselves in unprecedented times in the world of educational leadership, yet recognize that the principles and foundational pieces that have been a part of our work remain constant. Embracing reflection allows us to honor the past, while best serving in the unknown, tumultuous and exciting future. It creates the opportunity to unload and process our experiences while learning from one another. We must provide a space that inspires others to engage in this during their leadership experiences. This is the basis for our story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886542578

Book preview

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Leading the Calling

Reflections on Lessons Learned and Those Yet to Be

Kathy Spencer, Ed.D. and Lesley Eason, Ed.D.

Copyright © 2022 Kathy Spencer, Ed.D. and Lesley Eason, Ed.D.

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 979-8-88654-256-1 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88654-257-8 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Power of Collective Reflection and Experiences

Prologue

Leadership: An Action-Focused Perspective

Demonstrate Empathy

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Practice Self-Awareness

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Choose Honesty

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Utilize Decisiveness

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Express Optimism

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Build Resilience

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Support Collaborative Relationships

Kathy's Story

Lesley's Story

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Personalize Empowerment

Kathy's Story

Lesley

Your Reflection on Lessons Learned

Epilogue

Spencer and Eason on Leadership

Kathy's Reflection

Lesley's Reflection

About the Authors

With great love, honor, and respect, we would like to dedicate this book to Pam Thomas, an amazing leader, mentor, educator, and humanitarian. Leadership often begins or can be found in diverse places, with varied roles being fulfilled by many individuals. We recognize this even more in today's environment of change and challenge facing all aspects of our society, hence the reflection upon leadership that has sparked us over time. Understanding the impact of others and ourselves on the leadership calling has led us to this dedication.

As a junior higher, I was excited. There was so much to look forward to, so much to anticipate and so much to induce just a little fear. For me, that fear initially came in the form of the Dragons; the archnemesis of the mighty fighting Dolphins. Why is this important? Because it was the first time that I entered the Dragon's lair that I met Coach Pam Thomas. Coach Thomas was in charge. She was organized. She was passionate, and she demanded a high level of performance from all who worked with her and from those of us who had the privilege to visit. Coach Thomas immediately captured my attention—speaking with the referees, coaches, the players, and yes, the cheerleaders. All the while, she continued to work and prepare. In my young eighth-grade mind, I thought, Wow, this lady is a force to be reckoned with.

Fast forward thirty-six years, and I was correct about so many things as it pertained to Pam Thomas. As a community leader, educational leader, humanitarian, and all-around great person, Pam Thomas was indeed a force to be reckoned with. The world lost an amazing leader and influencer in December of 2020. For many years, Pam chaired many, many boards and committees, but it was so much more than that. Pam Thomas believed in people. Pam Thomas believed in potential. Pam Thomas believed in hope. Ultimately, Pam Thomas believed in me, and that belief had a huge impact on my life and on the calling that I love—education.

—L. Eason

Serving as an education leader in the system that I attended as a student has been a tremendous opportunity to give back to others, as well as an opportunity to develop life-long relationships with young and old leaders, in an effort to serve all of a community. Having experienced the impact of Pam Thomas during her time as a junior high school physical education teacher, I learned early on how she led her classes. Being able to continue to experience her strengths through my various educational leadership experiences resulted in a lifelong relationship that spanned my time as a student, a teacher, a school leader, and ultimately, a superintendent of public education.

While this relationship was born from a love of education on both our parts, it evolved through so many different experiences and roles into one of understanding the need for leadership that spanned more than one aspect of our work, but into the many realms of educational leadership. There are many areas of leadership shared here that are examples of the value that others have in our leadership work. Pam and I were able to experience so many leadership opportunities together. I am confident that my leadership journey was significantly impacted by my relationship with Pam, while we both enjoyed the work with other leaders and our lessons learned together. Pam Thomas was a strong contributor to the leadership calling upon which this work is based, and I am eternally grateful for her leadership.

—K. Spencer

We all look to those mentors, those people who work just a little harder for the greater good, those who make a difference everywhere they step. As we consider the importance of being called to teach, to lead, and to act with a higher ideal, it seems only appropriate that we dedicate our efforts to capturing the greatness of others through dedication to Pam Thomas. Pam Thomas's legacy of service is a model to all who must continue to answer the calling.

Introduction

Reflecting on Lessons Learned

Leadership has been defined by many different researchers, practitioners, theorists, and organizational strategists using a variety of perspectives. These definitions are definitely impacted by the lens from which the leadership work is viewed, as well as from the experiences of the definer. Understanding this, it has been long accepted that leadership is most evidenced when there are others serving in conjunction with leaders, where the focus is on moving forward and achieving success toward a common goal collaboratively. This defining perspective is shared with leaders across organizations, professions, and governments as a universal aspect of the work in leadership.

The Power of Collective Reflection and Experiences

Leading the Calling is a collection of the reflections, experiences, and stories that are important in all educational environments—past, present, and future. Our narratives and careers are not unique but the lessons learned may be. We had the great fortune of answering the same calling; to lead through great challenges and to celebrate impactful innovations and successes. We also traveled a similar yet different path to our shared leadership: classroom teachers, building-level administrators, and unsuspecting district-level leaders.

Through our combined trust, work ethic, vision, and ultimately, our great friendship, we now find ourselves in a place where our continued experiences have reminded us of the importance of leadership, the importance for the best among us to continue to answer the calling. Who are we? Lifelong educators. Why did we write this book? Because leadership in its truest form must answer at all times; in times of hope and in times of challenge.

Prologue

Lesley

I always knew. And suddenly, I didn't have a clue. And just as quickly, it became abundantly clear. Like so many, my calling was clear to me as early as second grade. I knew that I would teach, that I would instruct energetically and dramatically to the pure delight of my students. What a dream! What an amazing vision!

The calling is real; it is compelling. Those who are truly called to serve feel it deep in their souls, in the