ECISD administrators learn about reflection

One of Ector County ISD’s many professional development opportunities over the summer is Leadership University and about 200 administrators attended the first day of the three-day event Monday at Crossroads Fellowship Church.

The theme is “The Art of Reflection.” The conference is aimed at providing district administrators with an opportunity to come together, sharpen their leadership skills, and prepare for the start of a new school year.

Superintendent Scott Muri offered some opening thoughts on how he reflects, whether it’s when he’s walking or in cabinet meetings where he’ll ask questions and listen to their responses. There was also a panel discussion on reflection moderated by Muri that included Peggy Brookins, President and CEO of National Board Certification, Magdalena Mata, a National Board Certified Teacher and a professional learning facilitator for the Texas National Board Coalition for Teaching, and Jerry ThompSon III, with Simon Sinek’s Optimism Company.

Muri told the audience to be honest with themselves and not to lie to teachers because when you do that, you lie to children.

“When you lie to yourself as a leader in this organization, who suffers? The people that you serve, so be honest with yourself, tell yourself the truth. That’s what creates change,” Muri said.

He added that people should be open to learning no matter how long you’ve been in education.

“There’s always something new to learn. Reflection is about learning. If after you reflect, if you’re not better, if you haven’t learned a little bit, then the reflection wasn’t what needed to happen. Reflection is about learning, so enter reflection with the spirit of openness,” Muri said.

He added that administrators’ thinking reflects the members of their team, the effectiveness of their department or division or their school. Ultimately, the collective thinking impacts the 33,600 students that they serve who depend on the leaders of ECISD every day to know where they’re going.

“They also depend upon us to know that where we’re going is the right direction,” Muri said. “Because we’re all going somewhere, but is it the right place? Are we headed in the right direction?”

Muri challenged everyone to understand the art of reflection, apply it to themselves and understand the responsibility they have as a leader in the organization to reflect.

Mata said her reflection started as a teacher in her classroom. People kept telling her how good she was, but she wanted more.

“When I was able to take the rose-colored glasses off that everybody kept giving me and I was actually able to see my students and my teaching, I fell in love with the process. I actually fell in love with the entire process, even when I didn’t certify the first time. I went back and finished and for a long time, I was … the only NBCT that I knew,” Mata said.

“My reflection has constantly been centered around teaching around pedagogical practices, and around my students. And I have transferred that now into teachers, helping teachers learn that process so that students get the best outcome in every class. I truly believe that every student deserves an accomplished teacher,” she added.

Brookins said she has to make decisions based on what she hears from the field — what’s going right and what’s not and what needs to change.

Muri said reflection doesn’t always have to be about a problem; it can be about good things that are happening and the good work that everyone does to help the organization, department, team or school.

Mata said she always tries to know her students as they are, not who she wishes they would be, who they were last year or who they were before COVID.

“I know there are certain things I can do in one class that I can do in another and that’s not on them that’s on me. As a leader, I’ve taken that as well and as I’ve gotten to know teachers, I realized, ooh, I need to know a little bit more about them before I make any assumptions or think that they can see the way I’m seeing because it’s taken me time to get here and they might be fresh and new. Within our organization, the Texas National Board Coalition for Teaching, all of us are accomplished teachers, National Board Certified teachers. Some of us are principals, some of us are district leaders. Some of us are teachers. Some of us are retired. Some of us are professors. I never shy away from asking for help. … We all need someone to support and lean in. I think that’s … sometimes a fear because you worry … if I’m asking for help, someone’s going think I don’t know what I’m doing; when the reality is it takes a lot of courage,” to ask for help, Mata said.