According to the assessment test, my top five strengths are: Learner, Achiever, Responsibility, Input, and Developer. Being a strong learner means that the whole process of learning engages me. I strive to increase my knowledge and understanding constantly. I find fulfillment in the learning journey as well as the results. For me, learning is a passage, not simply a means to an end. During the day my students need to be engaged, to be a part of what is going on around them. That is one of my roles. To lead them on the learning and engagement journey that takes place during their day. Opportunities to develop their skills and awareness present themselves all day long. Achievers like me have a great capacity for hard work and the fortitude to maintain our pace for long periods of time. We enjoy days full of activity and take great pride in being industrious. I scored high in the Responsibility category also. As a person who is highly responsible, I experience a sense of pleasure and well-being when I accomplish the tasks at hand. I take my commitments very seriously. I hold myself to the highest ethical standards and I respect reliability, sincerity, and truthfulness in my dealings with others. It is my responsibility to plan programs that the students find enjoyable and that help them learn at the same time. It is important to be innovative with children. It is important to utilize successful instruction models and to adapt to the different ways children learn things. Working in an environment of early learning means being flexible and being enthusiastic. From the time parents drop off crying youngsters in the morning until they pick them up joyful yet exhausted at the end of their day, being alert and attentive is a must. I scored high in the “Input” category on the test. This is because I am one of those people who hunger after knowledge, the more the better. My interests are wide-ranging. Developers such as I nurture students and all those around us. We are quick to commend others on a job well done when that praise is deserved. As an educator, I am able to identify aptitudes and areas that need developing in my students. Because I enjoy a wide range of topics, I can use this strength to expose early learners to a variety of subjects. New subjects and familiar subjects are an important aspect of early learning. Variety is the way they learn new things and gain confidence. It is important to allow this exploration and not under estimate the native abilities of early leaners. If a child shows an interest in some new topic, it is important to nurture and encourage that interest. Being innovative and using traditional approaches are the ways that someone who is flexible like me helps students. By taking the assessment test I learned not only my strengths but also was made aware of areas where I can improve myself. The assessment test itself was exciting and thought provoking. Assessment is something I do every day in many ways. For example, when someone comes to me for tutoring or advice about learning something I ask them questions about their background and their current understanding of the subject matter at hand. This is the way in which I identify the best plan for them and best advice I can give them. When I look at my own work, I assess how well I completed an assignment. However, having a structured test is a new and rewarding experience. Multiple intelligence theory teaches us that intelligence and ability is an amalgamation of different ways of understanding and learning. People have natural inclinations and others need to be nurtured and trained in order to appreciate certain subjects fully. My temperament is that of an active person who enjoys being useful. As such, I scored high on the assessment test in categories that demonstrate productivity. My greatest asset to leadership is the high value I place on others. I enjoy nurturing and helping others to achieve their full potential. My outlook is that my students’ success is my success. As a leader and teacher, I know that my life needs to be one of ethical conduct and I place a high value on honesty and integrity. I work hard to be an authentic and genuine person, a person who inspires comfort and confidence. Daniel Goleman identified six different leadership styles based on specific elements in his emotional intelligence paradigm. The styles he defines are: Commanding, Visionary, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Coaching. To Goleman, “Emotional intelligence refers to the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions in ourselves and in our relationships” (Goleman, 1998). Relational Leadership style is one in which the leader works to bring people together in order to accomplish shared goals. These leaders appreciate the wide-range of abilities that are available in group projects. This style of leadership welcomes the different relationships people have to each other and to the group (Cardno, 2012). Transformational leadership is the style of leadership whereby people motivate others. Transformational leaders are the type schools need because these leaders can help the group to focus on student success (Brower and Balch, 2005). This is my style because I am an active and committed type of person. I engage whole-heartedly in everything I do. I am concerned with my students and deeply involved the community. Achievers are needed as early learning professionals because we have the stamina and energy to excel in projects that require not only planning but also ongoing development. In early learning there is an issue of employee retention because some educators are not prepared or are not naturally adapted to the long haul. Teachers in early learning facilities need be “Developers’ because people with this ability naturally encourage others to do their best. We are also skilled at identifying challenges and helping people meet those challenges. Responsibility is a factor in the way I plan to approach the field of early learning. This ability allows me to understand and evaluate early learners in the context of their environment without being judgmental. Having the strength of “Input” and “Learner” behind me means that I can inspire early learners to appreciate and emulate my inquisitive nature. Because my own interests are extensive I can relate to many different types of learners.
References
Brower, R., & Balch, B. V. (2005). Transformational leadership & decision making in schools. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin Press.Cardno, C. E. M. (2012). Managing effective relationships in education. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.Krogh, S., & Slentz, K. (2001). Early childhood education: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Mahwah, N.J: L. Erlba
