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On a Mission for a Vision #SAVMP

I use to wonder if people cared about having a vision. Do people really think about it? Or, was it that thing that we (our committee) spent hours thinking up, but could never remember or refer to? There are all kinds of quotes that support having a vision, like:

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, there is no hope.  - George Washington Carver
"It’s not what the vision is, it’s what the vision does." -  Senge
"A true leader is one who designs the cathedral and then shares the vision that inspires others to build it." - Jan Carlzon 

As a new administrator I have to confess that having a vision was not at the top of my list. Being in a new school and  a rookie to the job, I thought that I could simply work on the short term goals that had been set out for me. Looking back I can see that achievements and strides were made, but I had no real foresight. To be honest, I was constantly in survival mode. In the midst of all that, I was trying my best to forge relationships with the students and teachers in order to accomplish all that I could in a timely fashion (a constant work in progress).This is the first time that I am sitting down to really think about the school vision, as well as my personal vision.

At the end of last year my school improvement committee created a new vision: "A community of learners in pursuit of excellence". It took me a while to fully grasp the vision. I needed to remind myself that everyone in my building is a learner, and that we need to work together to be the best that we can be. The question is, how do I bring the vision to life? In the end if I want a vision to be realized it needs to be something that is constantly on our minds, on the walls surrounding us and spoken about regularly.

In terms of my personal vision, I rummaged through several books, online articles and blogs in hopes that I would get ideas. I quickly realized that I had many goals, but they were not necessarily a vision. The one theme that re-appeared was that of innovation.Thus a vision was born: "A Community of Contagious Innovators". I want students, and staff (including myself) to:

1.     Put ourselves out there. Take risks. 
2.    Feel comfortable to fail and learn from it.


I would love ideas and thoughts to ooze out of people, creating a learning environment that reaches beyond what we could imagine. I know that with a vision I can help shepherd people in a shared direction.
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  1. lindsmorAugust 24, 2013 at 7:57 PM

    I love that second point "Feel comfortable to fail and learn from it" People are so uncomfortable with failing - but it produces some of the best ideas and inventions of our times! How on earth do you let people know it is ok to mess up?

    I have grade 3 this year and I want them to feel that it is ok to be wrong...I have to make sure that I create an environment where they feel safe to take risks and make mistakes. I think that is the best lesson I can teach them as their teacher this year.

    The same needs to be said for my teachers - they need to feel like our school is a place where they can take risks and try new things. They need to feel like our school is a place where they can grow and learn.
    thanks for your post - lots for me to think about

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