I became a teacher late in life with the intention of making changes that will be of benefit to the future.  Many of my ideas are not new at all.  It seems that educational reforms and the quest to show improvement via standardized tests have perverted the basic foundations that I think are necessary to actual improvement. 

It also seems that many teachers and administrators have tried to make so many changes that the initial project, teaching not only the subject but also work ethic, personal responsibility, and accountability have been lost in the process.  I think that, until we get back to some fundamental basics, all we will continue to do is place band aids on gushing arteries plugging a few holes and looking good for a short period of time while we lose generations which we can ill afford to do. 

With this course, I hope to become a true leader by learning more effective communication skills.  I am a science person and in science there is little room for fluff.  We look at the evidence and "publish".  When this does not include people's egos, the message is lost.

I want to be able to put together teams and let the teams do their work with a goal at the end.  When I do this on my own, little is heard.  I need more interpersonal skills to bring more teachers, especially new ones and create teams that will get us back to the basics of so we can educate our youth .  Truly educate. 

After 22 years, this is still my mission and with the skills I will develop in these classes, along with the certification, my credibility may rise to the point of greater acceptance from my peers