CAPE, Not Just a Superman Accessory

So, It's been eight weeks since I started my new program at Brandman. I didn't know what I was getting in to. To be perfectly honest, I really did not want to or was not ready to start this program but just like most things in life, after I got started, I fell in love.

In the beginning, I was fighting the program. Mostly in my head. This program has a lot of things you have to submit that include technology. Then, after you use the technology, you have to submit for a thing called a tech badge. I really didn't like this. "I already have a masters degree," I said to myself, "why should I have to prove I know about technology?"

This attitude created a negative outlook on the program. It made me detest it. Especially after I contacted one of the department heads and he let me know I STILL had to submit for the Tech badges. On top of, now having to submit for tech badges (I now know these are not a difficult thing to get), doing all of the paperwork for the adoption we are going through, the house visits for the same adoption, working fourteen hours a day as an athletic director, I wanted to drop. I was GOING to drop but then I didn't. I told myself, how can you tell your wife to do something that you yourself would not do, she is currently doing the same thing at USC.

So, I decided to stay. After I started reading from some of our texts. It had been so long since I have been in school I forgot how much I love to read. The text I was reading was Introduction to the Principalship, I loved reading about the different types of leadership that were identified in this country. I thought we only had two, hands off and hands on.

Another thing I learned is principals have rules too or standards. Just like we have standards for teaching and being a teacher, principals have the CAPEs. The California Administrators Performance Expectations. I loved reading about how a school should be inclusive for all children and the best way to make it a reality.

We also got to make videos. Okay, I am not going to lie, this is my passion and I did get super overwhelmed. I do have my own YouTube channel already. The problem with me is...I get over-involved in the process. If I need to make a video I have to go all out. My first video was because of this. You can also see that with this blog. It is called The Screaming Teacher. I had a logo made and everything.

All in all, I am learning to love this program. I just have to realize I can do it. I just have to sit back and do what is expected of me. I cannot over think or overdo things. I need to be able to balance my family, my school, and my work. If I spend too much time on one over the other then life falls out of balance and everything comes crashing to the floor and it is not very fun trying to build it back up again.