Reflections on Domain III: Administrative Leadership

Reflections on Domain III: Administrative Leadership

In Domain III, Administrative Leadership, I completed 34 internship hours.  This domain is where I gained the least experience and exposure.  Under Competency 8, Budgeting, Resource Allocation and Financial Management the activity that provided me with the greatest amount of insight into the financial aspects of operating a school is my participation in compiling data and developing an action plan to help my school obtain Title One funding.  During this process I learned how much time and effort goes into applying for Title I funding. I also learned the difference between receiving “targeted assistance funding” and full Title I funding.

Since I did not get a lot of exposure in school budgeting I decided to research the difference between how regular public school receive funding versus how charter schools are funded.  Through my research which included interviews with both public school and charter school administrators I learned that funding is allocated to charters based on attendance.  Unlike regular public schools, charter schools do not get funding at the beginning of the school year.  Their funding is deposited after “snapshot” which occurs in October. 

Under Competency 9, School Safety the activity impacted me most was observing breakfast and lunch and interviewing the cafeteria manager.  Through my observations I learned the importance of having well planned processed for breakfast and lunch.  It takes a lot of effort to orchestrate how the lines should move, schedule lunch periods, ensure the quality of the food and ensure compliance to state regulations.  My interview with the Food Services Manager helped me to get a better understanding of state laws governing school cafeteria, the importance of complying to the regulations and potential consequences if precautions aren’t taken to guarantee food safety.  I also learned that food in the cafeteria has to be cooked, served and stored at specific temperatures and menus must comply with healthy eating standards.

Reflections on Domain II: Instructional Leadership

Reflections on Domain II: Instructional Leadership

            Over the past three years I have acquired a lot of experience in instructional leadership.  In my previous experience I served as Lead Special Education Teacher.  As the Lead SPED teacher I had to conduct classroom observations, mentor teachers, monitor teaching assistants, oversee lesson planning and ensure compliance with special education policies and procedures.  In my current position I serve as SPED Department Chair and Special Services Coordinator.  In this capacity I have some of the same duties I had in my previous experience with the addition of working with general education teachers to provide assistance in curriculum modifications, monitoring students’ performance and behavior and overseeing other special programs.  Through my experience I believe my greatest level of mastery lies in Domain II.

            In Competency 4, Curriculum, Measurement and Alignment of Resources I obtained experience in creating master schedules for in-class support, assisting teachers with applying modifications, developing a testing accommodations manual, and writing a technology grant for the school.  Of these experiences I enjoyed gaining knowledge in curriculum and instruction.  Working with my peers and providing guidance in applying modifications is one of the most rewarding experiences from the entire internship.  This experience is attributed to working in charter schools.  The benefit of working in a charter school is that there are several opportunities to step outside of your comfort zone.

            Another experience I enjoyed was researching and writing a technology grant for my school.  Although we were not awarded the grant, we received an honorable mention.  My taking initiative to seek a technology grant allowed my administration insight to the other skills I possess.

            My practice in Competency 5, Campus Culture and Professional Learning allowed me to develop a student reward system, create a TAKS initiative and developed a behavior management system.   The TAKS Initiative provided me an opportunity to collaborate with my principal to create an initiative designed to increase student preparedness for testing. Participating in the development of a discipline management plan gave me an opportunity to address an area of interest.  As a potential administrator my areas of interests are staff development and training, student achievement and discipline management.  With this experience I am more knowledgeable about the development of programs that shape campus culture.

            In Competency 6, Teacher Evaluation and Staff Development, I had an opportunity to conduct staff development in applying accommodations in accordance with students’ IEPs.  I really enjoyed this aspect of the internship!  The best part of conducting the training was getting feedback from my peers.  Since professional development is my primary interest I would like to seek more experience in this area.

 In addition to professional development, I observed the teaching assistants at both my previous campus and current campus.  My observations occurred while the teaching assistants worked with students.  After my observations I had an opportunity to meet with the assistants, share my observations and offer suggestions for improvement when improvement was needed.  This allowed me to gain understanding of the evaluation procedures.

Most of my experience in Competency 7, Decision-Making and Problem Solving came from my participation on the SBDM Committee.  As a member I provide input to decisions that impact the campus.  This is my first time serving in this capacity.  Although our committee is not as active as it should be, I have still learned a lot about the decision making process on both a campus level and district level.

My experiences in problem solving occurred from mediating various situations on campus and making suggestions to improve some processes.  When a dispute occurred between two teachers I was asked to mediate.  I met with the teachers and provided each an opportunity to state their side of the conflict.  As I listened I took notes.  As a mediator I worked with the teachers to process the situation and to come up with a resolution.  This situation allowed me to practice some of the skills I acquired through my studies.

To summarize my experience in Domain II I would have to say my level of mastery is most proficient in this area because of my role and position on my campus.

Reflections on Domain I: School Community Leadership

Reflections on Domain I: School Community Leadership

            
My overall internship experience was great. Despite some setbacks I learned a lot during this process. As I was finalizing my internship plan I realized how much effort it takes to be an administrator of a campus. I also realized through this process how many extra duties I’ve taken on prior to entering the Lamar Masters program. Although I’ve gained experience in all of the domains, the one in which I feel I have the most mastery due to experience is Domain I, School and Community Leadership.

Prior to entering the field of education I worked in non-profit environments. My previous experience in community programs helped me in the three competencies: Vision and Campus Culture; Communication and Collaboration that Supports Student Success; and Integrity and Ethics. In Competency One the most rewarding experiences came from participating on the campus’ Site Based Decision Making Committee. As a member of the committee I am actively involved in the decision making process on my campus. One of the major issues we had related to discipline. As a committee we developed a color coded system designed to decrease office referrals.

In addition to participating on the SBDM Committee I also learned a great deal about analyzing data and developing action plans for continuous improvement. With the experience obtained through my internship I now have a better understanding of how a school’s vision and mission shapes campus culture.

The experience obtained through activities under Competency Two, Communication and Collaboration That Promotes Student Success, I had an opportunity to use resources and skills from my previous experience in the non-profit arena. Two of the most rewarding experiences I had were writing letters to area stores seeking donations for toys for The Kids Connect program and partnering with the Houston Area Urban League to provide opportunities for the school’s parents. In addition to partnering with community organizations, I actively participated in planning activities to increase parental involvement. In my current position I have assisted in directing school plays, participated in 504 meetings and planning of activities for parents. Since my campus is located in a church owned building, I have several opportunities to collaborate with some of the church programs. Through these experiences I learned the importance of effective communication between stakeholders.

In my current position as special education teacher and department lead I have gained a lot of experience in Competency 3, Integrity and Ethics. As department lead I work closely with the district’s Director of Special Education to ensure that we provide services for the special education students in compliance with the law. In this capacity I have gained the most experience in the importance of making ethical decisions.

The activity in which I gained the most knowledge came from attending a school board meeting. Although I have attended board meetings in the past, the experience is totally different now that I have an understanding of administrative practices. During the meeting I learned how school board meetings are conducted, what type of items are placed on the agenda, how the board makes decisions and what happens when a consensus is not reached. In addition to the board meeting I attended a parent meeting to discuss the selection of a new principal at the neighborhood high school. After the meeting I had an opportunity to talk to one of the Superintendents of Hiring. During my meeting with her I learned details of the principal selection process.