Where it all began

One’s life is a journey of many kinds.  Professionally, I have journeyed as a teacher, a mentor and a supervisor; these paths overlapping and over-laying one another time and time again.  This blog is an illustration, my interpretation if you will, of my own professional journey as a supervisor and mentor to Early Childhood Educators.  It is not just the journey I wish to document, but to provide a place for me to reflect and tease out meaning so that it might be a teaching tool for all who spend time here.  This blog is a place for real-world scenarios and reflection; a place to challenge myself and those who care to learn, taking lessons in the process.  

As an Early Childhood teacher for nine years, I had a similar journey to most others, but also different in that all of our paths are our own. The first year: BRUTAL; the second: slightly-less brutal and the subsequent ones had their challenges, but inevitably got easier with time as I reflected, learned and taught. I was lucky to find a constructivist teacher training program which was rooted in deep dialog and self-reflection. I was even luckier to continue with this program and supervisors that cultivated in me talents I never knew I had, and presented me with grand opportunities. I owe a debt of gratitude to Boulder Journey School, all of the staff, particularly A, A, & E for never giving up on me (even when I was a complete brat).

Now, in my fourth year as a supervisor of 17 teaching staff, I have had a journey that has taken me to unexpected places.  Once again, the first year: BRUTAL; the second: very-slightly-less brutal; but the third was just as hard as the second and the fourth was shaping up to be the same.  Until I found myself in a very unlikely class: Solution-focused Supervision and Management.  This 8 hours changed my professional life.  

This blog is about my redefined bath of supervision using what I’m calling Solution-focused Early Childhood Education.

Here I will share techniques, successes, struggles, questions and thoughts about my application of Solution-focused work in the Early Childhood setting.  When I first began applying these techniques in December of 2011, I had no idea that changes that were to come, and so quickly.  For those that use and embrace these ideas: even the smallest adaptations to your practice, whether a teacher or administrator, will astound you.  

Please follow me on this journey and dare yourself to take these risks with me.  I promise, and I’m not one for empty promises: You will be a better person and practitioner without hardly trying at all.

And, before closing my first post, I must say: I owe a debt of gratitude that I can never fully express to those teachers that worked with me in my four years as an administrator.  I would never have become the person I am today, had they not been my “guinea pigs” and opened themselves up to take these risks with me.  Thank you one and all!