Ancora Imparo or #leadlearner?

#Lead Learner or Ancora Imparo?

 

Summer goal: Create an even more inviting space in the library through a remodel...

June, July and August
As the summer matures with school impending, thoughts for the beginning of the year race, spiral and ripen inside my head.  At the beginning of the summer, a feeling of exhaling, unwinding and relaxing swell as the excitement of a summer event rises.  An annual summer trip, vacation or excursion marks the pivot or fulcrum for the next year.  It was that first day back, after a week long motorcycle trip through the mountains of Arkansas, while reading an article about principals being the Lead Learners in a building that I came across this quote, "ANCORA IMPARO," as the last sentence in the article.

Mirrors or Microscopes
This quote became a framework for my thoughts ever since.  Gaining momentum for this year while establishing routines, procedures and plans, I wondered what I could do differently.  Maybe polish my mirror?  Look at myself, my own characteristics, the things I do that hold others back, limit their motivation or stifle their creativity?  What do I need to do to get us to the #nextlevel?  Look less at others and more at myself?

Mirror at myself, or microscope at others?

Background
The quote is attributed to Michelangelo, on his 87th  (or 83rd) birthday, in 1562 and loosely translates, "Yet, I am still learning." Buried in the simplicity is a theme of growth, progress and improvement for any and all who seek, desire and want to make things better.  However, the reach is limited.  Personal change is all he can claim.  He can't claim influence, impact or warrant change in others. He can't mandate, threaten or dictate change in others, only himself.

Implications
Latent in that quote is the concept of growth for all; students, teachers, principals, parents throughout the school. The hash-tag #Leadlearner carries an overtone of the principal being the top, best, lead or master learner and all information, learning or growth filters through him.  Ancora Imparo puts the principal alongside the rest of the team regarding the learning and the growth. 

Questions
As a #leadlearner, do I limit myself in my thinking?  Worse, do I limit those around me?
When Ancora Imparo becomes the framework, what happens to boundaries?
How has my behavior in the past stifled, governed, limited or held others back?
What do I need to mend?  Who do I need to reconcile with?


Shout out to @bethhouf, and @editorbytrade for their posts, thoughts and articulations.