Challenges of a Secondary Lead Teacher at International School of Aruba
Sean's greatest career challenge, whether as a teacher or in a leadership role, stems from "functioning within a dysfunctional system," a frustration amplified by witnessing the limitations imposed on achieving educational excellence by systemic inefficiencies and resistance to change. This systemic dysfunction, rather than individual shortcomings, consistently proves the most exhausting and upsetting aspect of their career.
Overcoming Challenges, Workplace Challenges, Resilience, Leadership, Systemic Issues
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sean Holiday
Secondary Lead/Teacher
International School of Aruba
George Washington University, 2006
Masters in Education, Loyola Marymount University, 2008; Master in Public Administration, University of Southern California, 2012
International Relations & Affairs
Education
Education
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. Dealing with dysfunctional systems and incompetent colleagues or supervisors is a major challenge.
2. Resistance to change and the inability to transcend classroom limitations due to school-wide dysfunction are significant obstacles.
3. Managing frustration with systemic issues and striving for improvement despite these limitations is a constant struggle and source of exhaustion for professionals in this field.
Transcript
What are the biggest challenges in your role?
This is another teaching that being a principal is functioning within a dysfunctional system. Even if you are at the most amazing school in the world, the system itself has so many things that don't function well.
The education system at large faces incredible challenges, whether it's poverty, homelessness, or under-education. Or if you're at a place that isn't very functional, you might have incompetent colleagues or supervisors, or places with no systems or structures in place.
My biggest challenge has always been feeling frustrated by what could be achieved if the system was better. Honestly, I've struggled with that frustration. Most places are pretty averse to change.
When you're a principal, you're often trying to change things for the better. That's usually why you're hired, but there's resistance to that. You can see the failures of a system when you try to improve things and they don't improve.
Even as a teacher, my biggest challenges have been making magic happen in my classroom, but it can't transcend that space because the school is dysfunctional. This has been my biggest challenge, whether at the school or system level.
Managing my frustration with that dysfunction has often been what gets me the most exhausted or upset.
Advizer Personal Links
www.seanholiday.com; Instagram @sholiday