A Book Review for Follow Me to Freedom

           John and Shane are two leaders who have been through many struggles, have devoted their lives to creating a better world, and have come from different backgrounds to share their lessons learned with us through a genuine, heart-felt conversation.  It is easy to hear their love and respect for each other as they discuss the blessings and struggles of leadership.  Their story shows another side of leadership: one beyond that of leadership within the school walls.  Their story shares the grit, tears, and realities of leadership within communities.  These communities have been through disasters, riots, and storms, but have also come together with prayer, love, and support to build something better.

            The vision that is carried throughout the book is looking toward Christ for our vision.  If we “align our particular vision with God’s Word” (loc. 836), we can feel secure that we are leading in accordance with His will.  Our vision also must come, not from arrogance, but from our “experience and woundedness” (loc. 1108).  If it comes from arrogance or pridefulness, Shane warns, “we cannot just be in love with the big vision; we have to love the people around us” (loc. 2609).  Through love for others and prayer for guidance, our vision will guide us closer to Him through our lives.

            As we lead, others are following us.  This book shows us that we must choose carefully who we follow and, again, ensure that they are looking toward Christ as the ultimate example.  Christ taught his disciples to “quietly make friends with people” (loc. 424).  If we become friends with our followers, stop seeking glory for our works and accomplishments, and instead promote God and his grace, others will want to join with us to get closer to Him. Shane uses Christ and his disciples as an excellent example for us.  The disciples were ordinary men. “He teaches the disciples to offer what little they have and promises that when we do that, there will be enough” (loc. 1289).   

            One of the greatest themes running through this book is how to be the leader Christ believes we can be.  “All it takes is the humility to recognize that we all have something to teach, and we all have something to learn” (loc. 1109).  If we remember that simple truth, then we can stay balanced between knowing that God has a plan for us and realizing that we are a small piece of an even bigger plan that encompasses so much more than our vision for ourselves. 

Resources:

Clairborne, S., & J. M. Perkins (2009) Follow Me To Freedom: Leading and Following as an Ordinary Radical. Ventura: Regal. Kindle edition.

Follow me to...

…the every-day journey.

The last three chapters of Follow Me to Freedom reminds me to stay humble, to remember both the history and the future in my leadership role, and to realize the responsibility that comes with leadership.  While God has put me where I am today, I can’t put too much self-importance in that because He uses everyone for His purpose.  Not just me, not just you, but everyone.  We all have our unique gifts, strengths, and weaknesses that create our families and communities.  We must find a way to come together every day of this journey.  Good times are easy, hard times are tougher to stay together and work together.  But it is necessary...  Together with the leaders and members that have come before, we all look toward the future.  Without the leaders of yesterday, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  My responsibility is to remember their legacies.  Mrs. Anderson, my teacher mentor, would whisper into students’ ears that needed a reprimand.  I need to remember that when I am tempted daily to whine and complain to others instead of going to someone in private to resolve hard feelings. 

Dreaming Big at Buffalo Elementary

In order to move forward into 21^st Century learning with the teachers and students of Buffalo Elementary, we must have a vision of where we want to be and a plan on how we are going to get there.  Of course, “there” is a never-ending goal.  As we continue to grow and change, technology and education are being revamped continuously.  In order to prepare our students for this changing world, the leaders of Buffalo Elementary need to pro-actively seek out disruptive innovation opportunities. 

Buffalo ISD leaders need to make a commitment to the 21^st Century skills that students will need to compete and succeed in our changing world.  To launch that commitment, they need to hire a district-level technology director.  This person can be devoted to pro-actively searching out grants and other financial opportunities, providing ongoing professional development to the professionals, and staying abreast of technological trends in education.  I hope to be that person for BISD, but I will continue to work on those same tasks within my duties as Reading and Math Campus Coach until that opportunity becomes available for me.

            In order to best help my organization, I will take advantage of some of the many Web 2.0 tools.  I am a member of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA), so I receive the latest research and articles from them monthly.  I also follow several Twitter accounts that regularly tweet about the latest trends and interesting articles.  The Horizon report will be one of the many resources that I follow, and I plan to continue with my blog and my plans for the Dream Big group of educators at my school.

            Along with the Dream Big group, I hope to teach other teachers to use the many resources we have available to us now.  Our campus will best be served by the many tools available for free learning tools on the web.  We have a reliable network, at least two student computers in every classroom, and SMART boards with document cameras in every classroom, too.  We have to break down the barrier that teachers think is holding our school and students back.  Technology isn’t just for the big-city kids.  It is available and accessible for each and every student in our school.  Our disruptive innovation is breaking down that barrier and realizing that we can use these tools, too.

Resources:

21^st Century Fluency Project.  2010.  Infosavvy group.  www.committedsardine.com

Follow me to...

a positive place. :)  (AKA - that's why they call me Pollyanna!!!)

As a leader of my school, I have been exposed to a lot of negativity this year.  It's very easy to fall into a pattern of complaining without coming up with any positive solutions.  In Follow Me to Freedom, Shane found the key to my heart when he said, "There is no room for negativity and complaining.  We either need to use every ounce of energy we have to change something that is wrong, or we need to stop complaining" (loc 2713).  Later, he points out that while we do need people around that see what's wrong, they also need to be part of the solution.  Leading people away from negativity is a challenge, and it's all to easy to follow those same negative people into frustration.  If we demonstrate our commitment to excellence with a positive "WE can do it" attitude, other's will want to follow that lead...