Reflecting on the Start

This image was created with Gemini.

It has been a whirlwind start. I know that is a cliche, but it is the truth. (There will be more cliches in this post, so if that bothers you — feel free to pass this post by without a read. Most of my blog is shouting into the void anyway, so your lack of engagement won't bother me.) Last week, we made it to the Chuseok holiday in Korea and it was the first time I felt like I could really catch my breathe. All transitions are difficult, even with the best laid transition plans in place, so the chaos isn't surprising or unexpected by me. This isn't my first rodeo as they say in Montana. But now that I'm having time to reflect, I want to look back at the successes and failures of the first few months as the Director of Technology at St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju.

Success #1: The team is coming together nicely. I need to commend my IT team. Jason, Kihyun, and Howon have really pulled together and stepped up to the challenges. It has been a pleasure to see. They seem happier, more confident, more ready to meet the problems we face daily. Teachers and students feel more comfortable asking for support. 

Success #2: Giving a facelift to some of the old and tired digital items. I have created a new digital subscriptions website where teachers can explore the digital tools that we have available. Previously it was a list of links on a Google Doc. Not very engaging and little explanation of the products. Teachers have limited time, so presenting some simple, quick explanations of what the tools actually are gives them the opportunity to decide if they want to invest time in learning about the tools. This led to another new website called Who-Should-I-Ask that explains the different roles of the IT and EdTech positions at SJA. Again, previously this was a Google Doc with an explanation of each person, but no photos or clear reason to look at it. Both are works in progress, but the change is an improvement.

Success #3: We made it to Chuseok! Things are working. Teachers are teaching, students are learning, and the admin team is making lasting changes for the better.

Failure #1: The paperwork involved in purchasing the digital tools is cumbersome. I didn't fully appreciate just how difficult the process was for Kihyun until really seeing it in action. Unfortunately, during summer, with the time difference and trying to squeeze in time to see family, the flow of the documents needed and the process wasn't completely clear to me. This led to confusion and frustration for both Kihyun and myself. But to be fair, this situation was mostly my fault. It was one part the system itself, and two parts my understanding of it. Once I was back on the ground in Jeju, I quickly started to see my errors and adjusted my approach. I was more careful about the quotes, invoices, and receipts that are all part of the documentation process. This definitely made things better, but the initially failure was mine.

Failure #2: There are always blindspots in any position, but PowerSchool is a definite one for me. I'm working on up-skilling my knowledge, but it is a huge hole. Luckily we have Jason King and Dave Griffith who both know the system, but they are continually having to "fix" things for me or help me understand the system better. I appreciate and respect their support, but I sincerely hope to reach a level where I will be able to know the answers with regard to PowerSchool.

I recall a job-a-like for tech directors and coaches hosted by Matt Harris for 21st Century Learning HK several years ago where he said we needed to lean on our skills, but be accountable to our deficits. Those words are just as wise and true today as they were when he said them back then. Thanks again for those words, Matt.