Journal of Texas Women School Executives; Volume 7, Issue 1

Consciously Moving from Surviving to Thriving Dr. Lacey Rainey, Area Superintendent, Denton ISD Abstract The pandemic drastically changed the environment of educational institutions. As teachers and students returned to classrooms, it became clear that leaders needed to hone their skills and practice to meet the increasingly differentiated needs of teachers and students. The reality is that leaders in education must consciously decide they are going to move their teams out of survival mode utilizing proactive measures. The article provides concrete and sequential recommendations for educational leaders to move their organizations forward.

Consciously Moving from Surviving to Thriving “We can’t wait to get back to normal” was the mantra that carried educators through the 2020-2021 school year. Educators were exhausted from the past nineteen months that had upended educational institutions and practices. However, as the 2021-2022 school year got underway, the bright outlook of “normal” quickly subsided. It is more apparent now, than ever before, that students are struggling, teachers are struggling, and leaders are struggling.

Merriam-Webster (2021) defines conscious as, “done or acting with critical awareness.” So, one must ask, how can educators consciously continue to do the same things as in years past when the situation is calling for different leadership? The current reality is that leaders in education must consciously decide they are going to move their teams out of survival mode utilizing proactive measures. This article combines various strategies and resources to provide a step-by-step guide for educational leaders to move their teams forward so that students, teachers and leaders can thrive!

Step One: Define the Essentials Years ago, a wise teacher once said that she could no longer keep all the plates spinning. She was tired of feeling like a failure due to her inability to keep up with the expectations set forth. Her statement came briefly before she made the decision to quit teaching in the middle of the year.

Unfortunately, this teacher was one of the best on the campus; she was irreplaceable, and her departure left the campus scrambling to make quick decisions in the best interest of the former teacher’s students. Fast forward to today, when teachers are still spinning the same number of plates, but now have the added pressure of educating students who have not had a traditional educational setting for two years. Not to mention simultaneously mitigating the pandemic concerns, a polarized political environment and unprecedent social and emotional concerns.

One of the best professional learning opportunities teachers engage in is defining their essential standards. Since the curriculum is a mile-wide and an inch-deep, teachers must define the exact standards that students must master to be successful in subsequent concepts. What if leaders headed the same advice? Imagine if leaders defined their essentials based on the direct, positive impact on students. Think of all the tasks leaders are asked to accomplish on a daily basis, many of 100 | J O U R N A L O F T E X A S S C H O O L W O M E N E X E C U T I V E S