“It is important to take time to surround yourself with others who help you keep you focused on the thing that matter, who energize you, and give you hope”.
Jimmy Casas
Culturize
For the last year I have been a part of two mastermind groups: a group of people that meet to tackle challenges/problems together. Groups are generally between 5-10 people and meeting are on hour and can occur weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. Mastermind groups a great source of professional development and personal support as well as a place to share connections, and seeks advice.
The inspiration for these group came from Carol McLaughlin whom mentioned she was a part of a mastermind group with people in her district. Carol experienced growth professionally and encouraged me to create a group myself. I decided to give it a try with 10 people in my district and meet about once a month for about an hour. In addition to my district mastermind group, I have been part of an on-line mastermind group of educators as well. Both of my mastermind groups have provided me with tremendous support and I often leave our sessions energized and armed with new information and ideas to try out in my own teaching practise.
For example, last year my online mastermind group became very interested in gamification and through conversation and on-line interactions and web based conversations, I was able to put together a gamified probability unit in my grade 3 class. My group offered me insight, suggestions and coaching as well as valuable feedback.
Both my virtual and face-to-face mastermind groups are highly collaborative and have expanded my networks. In addition, the groups often challenge my thinking and keep me growing professionally. The mastermind groups I have been apart of have also provided personal support as a place of trust and safety where we can share the challenges and be vulnerable knowing that we can get encouragement.
My experience with mastermind groups over the last year has me reflecting on how we these types of groups could be expanded within districts to promote growth and leadership in educational organizations. Given the power of these groups in helping individuals grow and the support they provide, I believe they can provide innovative and successful opportunities for professional development.
Looking for more information? Check out this podcast on the Cult of Pedagogy by Jennifer Gonzalves https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/educator-mastermind/ and also find a toolkit to start your own Mastermind group here: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind-group-rules/