Tuesday, April 3, 2012
A Final Reflection of my Practicum I
What a wealth of information I have learned so far during my PracticumI! When I started this journey a few short years ago, I did not realize how much I would grow both mentally and confidently. All my experiences thus far have taught me so much about the relationships between students, staff and administration, and how they all mesh together in a strong web. I have also learned that the number one priority is not just student achievement, but the personal side of each student in my care. As I typed each of the nine journal entries required for Practicum I, I realized the personal growth, which I spoke of earlier in this paragraph. What follows now is a brief summation of what some journal entries meant to me.
The first journal entry is one of my favorites. I had sent an email to Mr. John Mulhorn, Principal of Salem Middle School in the latter part of December 2011. Due to hectic nature of the holidays, we were unable to organize a meeting until the middle of January. When I arrived at his school at 12:15 P.M., Mr. Mulhorn had been called to the board office. As I sat and waited in the office, Ms. Banetti, a vice-principal, and Mr. Will Allen, the other vice-principal, spoke to me and asked me how I was doing with my coursework. Mr. Allen discussed his new program, the Gentleman’s Club, which he had started in the middle school. He explained to me that this program is divided up into three categories, based on the students’ grade level, and is available only to the middle school boys. As a matter of fact, as I was moving through the hallways with Mr. Mulhorn later that afternoon, we met up with a group of “Gentleman in Transition”, or the third and fourth graders. All the young men placed their right hands out to me and told me their names and politely asked me mine. Wow! That was quite a refreshing experience!
The rest of the time was spent with Mr. Mulhorn in his administrative rounds for the afternoon. He had showed me his walkthrough form back in his office which had been adapted from the one designed by Dr. and Dr. Dunham, that we use at the high school. As we toured both the seventh and eighth grade classrooms, many of the other students either gave Mr. Mulhorn a hug or a handshake (probably a Gentleman’s Club participant!), which he was eager to share. Mr. Mulhorn also pointed out exemplars of student work, as well as teacher boards. As I left the middle school, both Mr. Mulhorn and Mr. Allen told me I was welcome to come back anytime, and do whatever I needed to do to complete any additional hours with them. I sent emails to both and thanked them for their generosity and knowledge sharing.
My next journal entry I felt I learned a great deal from was Journal # 3, Collaboration Meeting #1. I enjoyed all aspects of the set up; discussion of what survey questions to include, brainstorming other ideas from my fellow faculty, regarding how to incorporate common planning time between special education and general education teachers, as well as teaching styles and other collaborative strategies we could utilize. It felt good to have the support and the encouragement of the staff to increase my confidence to complete my mini-change project at our school.
The other two meetings that were held as per my Collaborative Mini-Change proposal were just as interesting and productive. At the Collaborative Meeting #2, my committee discussed the survey results using a print out of the survey, as well as a large print version that was easier for all of us to read, provided by one of my committee members, Ms. Mutter, the librarian. As a committee, we collaborated and discussed what we wanted to include in the Collaboration Committee Proposal for Enhancement of Co-Teaching Teams, which was submitted to Dr. Dunham. In the third and final Collaboration Committee meeting, we conversed about the short answer responses from the Collaborative Survey. A comment was made regarding the number of responses the survey received – 44% of the staff- which was notable. We then discussed an article from NJEA Review magazine, “Co-Teaching: Myths, Tips & Goals”, that I felt was relevant to our committee’s purpose. The final discussion was regarding the peer to peer, summer workshop. I suggested that a co-teacher of mine, Theresa Derham and I do a presentation for this workshop. We discussed convenient dates and settled on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. The workshop will be titled, “Trail to Collaboration: Co-Teaching Tips & Strategies”. All the committee members enjoyed a beverage of coffee, tea or water, as a token of my gratitude for their support and assistance during this portion of my change project.
This internship has helped me to become more confident and knowledgeable in my quest to become an active administrator. All the activities that I have become voluntarily involved in have assisted me in realizing so many other facets of being an administrator, ranging from observing play practice to opening night, to watching both junior varsity and varsity basketball players practice and then use their honed skills to play against the local teams. I was involved in Fall Sports Awards night as well, and was introduced by Doc Suiter, our Athletic Director, as a teacher who was now working on her Administrative certification. That was a great feeling! In Journal #8, I reported my ‘shadowing’ of the monthly Administrative Team meeting, which was a meeting of all the administration of Salem City School District, from the Business Administrator to the Principals of all three schools, as well as the Director of Special Services. The Superintendent, Dr. A. Michel, had data on New Jersey state aid, with regards to Salem County, and the latest information from Governor Christie and the NJSMART program and how it will affect us at the Salem City School District.
As Practicum I winds down, and I only have a couple of weeks left to collect more administrative hours, I will reflect back on these days as having been some of my most rewarding and interesting. Just as I look ahead to this fall and the continuance of Practicum II with anticipation and some trepidation as to what may be in store for me in the homestretch of my Master’s in Educational Leadership, I hope to live up the expectations of not only myself, but of those who have supported me and had faith in me and my goal.
Thank you for all your help and encouragement.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
A Final Reflection
Kristina E. Bergman Dr. Christy Thompson
Requirement #6 EDSU 28523
December 18, 2011 Learning Reflection
A Final Reflection
There were several things that I gleaned from this class. I was amazed how much I have grown in my writing and typing skills. As I put together my portfolio, I reviewed the many assignments and requirements that I completed for this degree, and realized how much I have improved over the last three years. I learned not only how to type properly and professionally, but also to properly format proposals and papers, as well as power points presentations. These attributes will all prove beneficial as I embark on a position in administration.
I have gained knowledge in how to interact more effectively with people, namely staff members that I had to observe for at least two of my courses. I used diplomacy and tact, and always start with the positives when relaying constructive criticism. It was encouraging to discuss my observational findings with my peers and be accepted by them as an administrator. I will continue to earn that trust and confidence as I proceed into my internship. Ultimately, there is a climate of respect and discipline between administrators and staff that is earned, not given.
The statement, “Don’t make hallway decisions!” was a statement that I have heard from several of my prior professors in this graduate cohort program. Document everything that you do, either on a note pad or on the computer, and update it often. Another suggestion that was made in my Intro to the Principalship course, was to journal all conversations in a soft, bound journal, whether it is was with staff, parents, or students. I have taken this advice, and at the end of each day, I jot down thoughts, events or issues that I encountered during that day in a small notebook. I can refer back to conversations that I have had with people, and be able to reference the discussion. Also, if an issue comes up regarding something I have written in my journal, I have it to refer to. I also remembered to note the suggestion of having people send you an email about a question or issue, so you will have a visual reference. That way, you have a hard copy of the conversation and you will be able to follow up on it much better.
This course has explained to me that a Principal needs to be skilled in planning, organizing, academics, instruction and financial matters. He also needs to delegate responsibilities to others, and encourage his supervisors, directors, and department heads to be leaders. The Principal should be a leader of faculty and staff, not just a manager. As an administrator, he should be assigning the work to be done, not allow others to tell him what to do. I also learned from my Power and Influence assignment the different types of power, and realized the types of power that I would like to use, namely Referent and Expert. With the Referent type of power, the administrator is usually non-adversarial and encourages friendship. This would help during a roundtable or committee meeting to help the administrator gain approval for their ideas or changes. This type of power is admirable, and could be the least objectionable. The Expert type of power includes a leader with special knowledge in their field, possibly in technology or is computer savvy. This could also include someone who is adept at scheduling. The Expert power types are rational and will explain why a change needs to be done. It is important to remember that to be a leader, one does not have to be an expert. As you work through your daily activities in administration, hopefully you will become an expert in some areas, but probably not in all.
I appreciated the fact that we did not have to read every chapter of each of the texts; Failure is not an Option, by A. Blankstein, or The Principal as Professional Development Leader, by P. Lindstrom and M. Speck. It was more beneficial to either assign or to choose a chapter and have the reader highlight the key points of each to relay these points to the class. Some of my colleagues were very flamboyant in their descriptions of some of the chapters, and it made it enjoyable and easier to digest. I also appreciated the guest administrators that were asked to come speak with us. Allowing them to share their knowledge with us really made relevant the many facets of administration and how rewarding, frustrating and perplexing it can be. The final four-person panel that presented a few weeks ago was the highlight of the Building Organizational Capacity course. They were very informative and were very down to earth. I was pleasantly surprised when as Ms. Procopio discussed her interview process. Imagine! Three interviews later and she is the new principal of Millville! The entire panel of administrators seemed to be, “on the same page”, when it came to students, parents and staff. They collaborated well, and appeared very supportive of each other, much the same as we are in our cohort, and valued each other’s vision and views. I will take away from that experience the suggestion to be visible, have an “open door policy” regarding parents, go above and beyond, volunteer, be genuine and natural and show passion about how you feel about the students and school.
The one assignment that I feel should have been started and completed during the course Change for School Improvement, is the mini-change proposal, our major project. Since that course is about change, with regards to administration and how we will elicit the change during our internship and practicum, our mini-change project should be completed during that course, not during BOCAP. We can then segway into BOCAP with the proposal in place, complete, and finish up our portfolio. There were a lot of assignments required for BOCAP, and much work involved to get us ready for our portfolio; removing one of the major requirements and placing it during the more appropriate Change for School Improvement course would be a more viable alternative.
This course has been an interesting and learning experience. I hope, as I continue on into my internship, I will become more knowledgeable about the many levels of administration and the many facets that have become my new challenge. I hope to use this knowledge to become a successful administrator in whatever venue I decide to take.
Thank you for all your support and assistance on my journey to being an administrator. Your support and vast knowledge helped to clarify and conceptualize what an administrator is all about. (I would give you a couple pluses on our three by five plus/delta cards!)
Requirement #6 EDSU 28523
December 18, 2011 Learning Reflection
A Final Reflection
There were several things that I gleaned from this class. I was amazed how much I have grown in my writing and typing skills. As I put together my portfolio, I reviewed the many assignments and requirements that I completed for this degree, and realized how much I have improved over the last three years. I learned not only how to type properly and professionally, but also to properly format proposals and papers, as well as power points presentations. These attributes will all prove beneficial as I embark on a position in administration.
I have gained knowledge in how to interact more effectively with people, namely staff members that I had to observe for at least two of my courses. I used diplomacy and tact, and always start with the positives when relaying constructive criticism. It was encouraging to discuss my observational findings with my peers and be accepted by them as an administrator. I will continue to earn that trust and confidence as I proceed into my internship. Ultimately, there is a climate of respect and discipline between administrators and staff that is earned, not given.
The statement, “Don’t make hallway decisions!” was a statement that I have heard from several of my prior professors in this graduate cohort program. Document everything that you do, either on a note pad or on the computer, and update it often. Another suggestion that was made in my Intro to the Principalship course, was to journal all conversations in a soft, bound journal, whether it is was with staff, parents, or students. I have taken this advice, and at the end of each day, I jot down thoughts, events or issues that I encountered during that day in a small notebook. I can refer back to conversations that I have had with people, and be able to reference the discussion. Also, if an issue comes up regarding something I have written in my journal, I have it to refer to. I also remembered to note the suggestion of having people send you an email about a question or issue, so you will have a visual reference. That way, you have a hard copy of the conversation and you will be able to follow up on it much better.
This course has explained to me that a Principal needs to be skilled in planning, organizing, academics, instruction and financial matters. He also needs to delegate responsibilities to others, and encourage his supervisors, directors, and department heads to be leaders. The Principal should be a leader of faculty and staff, not just a manager. As an administrator, he should be assigning the work to be done, not allow others to tell him what to do. I also learned from my Power and Influence assignment the different types of power, and realized the types of power that I would like to use, namely Referent and Expert. With the Referent type of power, the administrator is usually non-adversarial and encourages friendship. This would help during a roundtable or committee meeting to help the administrator gain approval for their ideas or changes. This type of power is admirable, and could be the least objectionable. The Expert type of power includes a leader with special knowledge in their field, possibly in technology or is computer savvy. This could also include someone who is adept at scheduling. The Expert power types are rational and will explain why a change needs to be done. It is important to remember that to be a leader, one does not have to be an expert. As you work through your daily activities in administration, hopefully you will become an expert in some areas, but probably not in all.
I appreciated the fact that we did not have to read every chapter of each of the texts; Failure is not an Option, by A. Blankstein, or The Principal as Professional Development Leader, by P. Lindstrom and M. Speck. It was more beneficial to either assign or to choose a chapter and have the reader highlight the key points of each to relay these points to the class. Some of my colleagues were very flamboyant in their descriptions of some of the chapters, and it made it enjoyable and easier to digest. I also appreciated the guest administrators that were asked to come speak with us. Allowing them to share their knowledge with us really made relevant the many facets of administration and how rewarding, frustrating and perplexing it can be. The final four-person panel that presented a few weeks ago was the highlight of the Building Organizational Capacity course. They were very informative and were very down to earth. I was pleasantly surprised when as Ms. Procopio discussed her interview process. Imagine! Three interviews later and she is the new principal of Millville! The entire panel of administrators seemed to be, “on the same page”, when it came to students, parents and staff. They collaborated well, and appeared very supportive of each other, much the same as we are in our cohort, and valued each other’s vision and views. I will take away from that experience the suggestion to be visible, have an “open door policy” regarding parents, go above and beyond, volunteer, be genuine and natural and show passion about how you feel about the students and school.
The one assignment that I feel should have been started and completed during the course Change for School Improvement, is the mini-change proposal, our major project. Since that course is about change, with regards to administration and how we will elicit the change during our internship and practicum, our mini-change project should be completed during that course, not during BOCAP. We can then segway into BOCAP with the proposal in place, complete, and finish up our portfolio. There were a lot of assignments required for BOCAP, and much work involved to get us ready for our portfolio; removing one of the major requirements and placing it during the more appropriate Change for School Improvement course would be a more viable alternative.
This course has been an interesting and learning experience. I hope, as I continue on into my internship, I will become more knowledgeable about the many levels of administration and the many facets that have become my new challenge. I hope to use this knowledge to become a successful administrator in whatever venue I decide to take.
Thank you for all your support and assistance on my journey to being an administrator. Your support and vast knowledge helped to clarify and conceptualize what an administrator is all about. (I would give you a couple pluses on our three by five plus/delta cards!)
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