“It is…advisable that the teacher should understand, and even be able to criticize, the general principles upon which the whole educational system is formed and administered. He is not like a private soldier in an army expected merely to obey, or like a cog in a wheel, expected merely to respond to and transmit external energy; he must be an intelligent medium of action.” John Dewey
As educators working in buildings, it is helpful to deconstruct our voice and power (or lack thereof). We’ve found it helpful to identify areas of control, areas of influence, areas of concern where we can’t do anything about it.
This helps us focus explicitly on how we go forward.
We draw 3 concentric circles and write the things we can control in the innermost circle, areas of influence next and then concerns in the outside circle. Then we think about plans for what we can control, strategies for what we can influence, accommodate, mitigate or keep talking/thinking about concerns to find places where we might have control or influence.