Archive for date: October 1st, 2014

As you reflect on what has been discussed in this chapter and your own leadership style, how would you describe your own style in relation to task and relationship orientations? What are your strengths and areas you can improve?

I feel as though both task and relationship orientations are relatively important. However, with that being said, I do see myself to be more relationship orientated over task oriented. I love interacting with people, so it is no wonder that I constantly find myself focusing on relationships. I think that one of my strengths is being able to relate to others often and if I have not found myself in a similar situation, I find myself showing support as much as I can and sympathizing with them in their situation. Confrontation was touched on briefly and that made me come to the conclusion that I believe that having strongly founded relationships causes for less confrontation and more “civil”, if you will, conversations and communication tactics with those you are working with. I think that when it comes to being task oriented the descriptors, in my opinion, often describe tasks that call for a more authoritarian leadership style. Now, this could just be my mindset on how I perceive authoritarian style and being task oriented. I think that an area I can improve on is being more clear from the beginning of what our end goal is, as that will helpfully explain why we are doing a task or assignment.

Reflect on the article. What were the most interesting elements? Which did you did you agree with? Hope to learn more about?

I feel as though more and more jobs are allowing people to work from home, especially with the advances in technology. I found it really intriguing that the people found the 30 listed behaviors as more important in virtual settings than face-to-face settings. As an individual who personally prefers face-to-face interactions over virtual interactions, I can see how this idea of virtual communication, behavior and leadership is prominent in today’s day. I hope to eventually become more comfortable with technology and learn how to make myself comfortable with working virtually as it may well indeed come in helpful with future careers.

As you reflect on what has been discussed in this chapter and your own leadership style, how would you describe your own style in relation to task and relationship orientations?What are your strengths and areas you can improve?

The textbook provides a task-relationship  leadership continuum, which places both types of leadership orientation at opposite ends. The continuum depicts the gap that lies between the two, however in my opinion I agree with what the book states; most leaders fall midway. Which is where I feel like I fall in. My style is dependent on the situation. When the situation asks for it I can be very task oriented, very much like the definition that is found in the text. I keep everything very organized, create to do lists,  in occasions assign roles and schedules. By doing so i feel like time is spent in a productive manner and everything is finished in a timely manner. On the other hand I can on occasions focus my efforts in trying to make sure that the work atmosphere is “pleasant”. I feel like my strengths within these different types of leadership orientations show up when the outcome of the situation is positive. Areas where I can work on, would be choosing the middle ground. Meaning that although I don’t consider myself to be strictly on either of the two ends, I need to be able to better combine the two so that I don’t show any preference on any given situation/scenario. Sometimes I am so focused on doing things a certain way that I don’t attempt to include any other method.

Reflect on the article. What were the most interesting elements? Which did you did you agree with? Hope to learn more about?

A pattern that I found in the article was that for the most part the outcome of the questionnaire resulted in the preference of virtual settings rather than face to face settings. It was interesting to read how the preference in part had to do with communication. One of the questions in the survey had to do with the communication capabilities the leaders had with the team members. Those taking the survey agreed that through virtual communication it would be beneficiary to everyone to fully understand what was being expected of them, because it was easier to accommodate to everyone and get a clear and concise explanation that everyone would understand. I agree with this aspect. In part because it does allow for a clearer understanding and help minimize misunderstandings in communications. Mainly because everything is clearly stated for everyone to read, because it is in a written format and because you get the same message to everyone. Although it is not the best practice to enforce in all settings, simply because some individuals  do better with face to face interactions.  Something that I would like to read up on or learn more about would be practices in which you can do half and half. Incorporate both virtual and face to face interactions practices (similar to our class setting)as well as outcomes.

On Friday we started class with an activity that Julian provided for us. The activity consisted of us writing down our short term, midterm, and long term goals. I have done this activity before in multiple occasions but I think this was the first time I enjoyed it because we got to share it with others.  It was interesting to see that many of us had common goals some in a different order, others in the same, and other goals we just wanted to achieve in our lives some day .  We then sealed our envelopes and kept them to open them when we decide we are ready. I decide to open my envelope in a couple of years because I wanted to discover if my goals changed, stayed the same, or if I completed any of them. After we finished Dr. Hoffman directed us to the grades option in Blackboard where she corrected and graded our Who Am I papers. She also gave us feedback on what we need to work on for next time. I found this very helpful and look forward to trying the strategies she suggested.

Later we participated in a “Corners Activity” where we had to answer questions about the No Child Left Behind Act. I enjoyed the group I was placed in because we talked a lot about how it affected us when we were in school. I remember that there was a time period when all we did was practice for the STAR test we were going to take and I would always be very nervous because teachers and staff made it such a big deal that I always felt unprepared. After each group went around to answer the questions Dr. Hoffman read each of our answers and all of our answers were pretty similar. She went into more detail about what the NCLB Act was and I thought it was great to learn more about its actual purpose and not what we saw and experienced in the classroom.  It is sad that instead of helping the students like it was meant to it actually encouraged drop outs and children that were already struggling just continued to struggle as the pace in the class sped up. I hope Common Core works better and maybe be flexible to the needs of the students if it seems like it is not working out.

In this weeks readings about African Americans I was truly shocked about all the statistics I read about. I was truly saddened when I read that slave holders would separate mothers from their infants so they do not grow attached to each other and the mother will focus on her labor duties. I thought that was really heartbreaking that they were not allowed to be with their children.  Another aspect of the article I thought was sad but not surprising is that they are labeled as deficient, disadvantaged, dysfunctional, and in many cases just different and because of this they are given an inferior educational service. I always wondered if others thought that African Americans were “inferior” and “ignorant” then why would they always stop them from trying to learn and better themselves? In the article they answered this, it was because they wanted to be submissive while enslaved and if they were educated they would not be. Also revolts frightened the plantation owners that is why they limited information and schooling. It is horrible how African Americans were treated and are still treated in the school system because race has nothing to do with their intelligence. Even though the statistics always seem to be against African Americans and other races it makes me extremely happy how resilient they are and never give up. One of the reasons why I want to become a teacher is to give everyone their best chance no matter what race they are because that is what a teacher is supposed to do support and help their students.

Part I

Last week I got really sick so i wasn’t able to make it to class. I was bummed out because i really enjoy going to class, ever since the first day I see things differently regarding diversity in America. My eyes were opened to realized how privilege I am for being where i am, when there are people out there expecting me not to make it. With the readings we read every week, i have a new perspective about ethnicity and those who are discriminated or doubted everyday.

Part II

My one word I chose was “Proud”. Proud because i am relive to see African Americans putting effort to have a good life. African Americans are one of the ethnicity that are discriminated the most. They are expected to fail, be poor, and be criminals. African Americans shouldn’t be seen this way because they have dreams of achieving in life just like any other human being. In my history class I actually had to read the book, “The life of Frederick Douglas”, reading that book was powerful because he explained everything he went through as a slave back when African Americans where treated like animals rather than humans. Despite the fact that African Americans aren’t supported by the community, they still have the courage and desire to keep going and reach for the stars. For that I am proud because they are not giving up. Rates of African American graduating high schools and colleges are going up. Change is happening.

Last week our class reviewed the Supreme Court case regarding affirmative action plan and their impact on education. We also learned and relearned more facts about No Child Left Behind Act. Dr. Jaime placed several questions regarding NCLB around the class room and we had to go around in groups adding thoughts about each question. This experience was interesting because many of us in our little groups started brainstorming about the obvious effects this policy had in our schools. We also talked about the effects this policy had in our education system and how it still affects today. Many of us brought awareness about the need of parent involvement in our schools and how most parents assume that the teacher is liable for each student.

The word that I mostly thought of as I was reflecting on this week’s reading was “suffering”. I have read and watched movies relating to black history but never have I been encouraged to consider black history in such way. I was fascinated with the entire article because every section gave me a different perspective of black history in ways that I never even imagined. The section that most relates to word I selected in representing this reading is “Family Unit”. In this section you learn the reason and history of why blacks have the highest unstable family unity.  Throughout history blacks are portrayed as unsteady, uneducated, violent, and socially dysfunctional. In this section it summarizes the disruption black families suffered while being slaves. Mothers often times where forced or pressured to separate from their infants and allow other women to care for their babies. Children were prevented from being raised in a family circle that consisted of a father and mother, parents were often times forced to separate and produce more children in other areas for slavery production. Enslaves were not allowed to marry and form family circles. Such deprivations have influenced how their cultural group raises and views family. Not many of us realize that ancestry has significance on how a civilization develops its customs. In this section an argument is sited which I believe has much meaning, “Those who constantly direct attention to the Negro youth’s moral weaknesses, and compare his advancement with that of white youths, do not consider the influence of the memories which cling about the old family homesteads. . . . The very fact that the white boy is conscious that, if he fails in life, he will disgrace the whole family record, extending back through many generations, is of tremendous value in helping him to resist temptations”. Again, this is very true, a civilization can only emphasize what they have been taught throughout history. I will continue to keep in mind that every cultural group has reasons or ways of doing such things that may not necessarily make sense to one but one has to still invoke respect and understanding without prejudice assumptions.