Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Reflections on Domain I Competencies 1-3


Reflections on Domain I Competencies 1-3

My internship experiences for Domain I have given me great insight and an understanding of instructional leadership.  Much of this was gained through discussions with many individuals on my campus, research I conducted, and activities I have performed.  The time I spent will give me the foundation I need to be a successful school community leader in the future.

In Competency 1, I performed many activities that gave me experiences and an understanding of how an administrators shape campus culture.  I looked at the vision statements of several local schools and analyzed their strengths and weaknesses.  I reviewed my school district’s technology plan.  I gained an understanding of how it was developed and supported.  I investigated how assessment data is used within my school and how this is a contributing factor in student placement and programs.  I developed consensus building skills through the development of my action research plan.  This helped me develop a plan that was in the best interest of the school and its needs.  I also was able to observe consensus building and collaborative decision making through the observation of administrative team meetings.  These meetings gave me an insight into the process, and an awareness that many decisions are made as a group and not by one individual.

For Competency 2, I gained experience on how to effectively communicate and collaborate with all members of members of the school community.  I gained feedback from my action research survey from teachers.  This allowed me to evaluate what was effective, what could have used improvement, or what could have been additional follow-up questions.  I also was involved in planning and participating in a series of technology community nights.  This was helpful in building positive relations with the community and an effective way to communicate what our school had to offer.  I examined the school’s policy for parent involvement and discussed the committees for parent involvement.  This gave me a greater understanding of how parents can be involved in shaping the school’s culture and the positive changes they have been a part of.  In addition, I examined the school library’s resources to determine if they had an appropriate selection of material to meet the needs of the school’s culturally diverse population.  Lastly, I compiled a list of agencies that are available to help and support students, faculty, and administration.  They can provide valuable resources that the school may sometimes not be able to provide.  I have found that partnerships within the community can a contributing factor to the success of students and the school. 

My activities for Competency 3 gave me an understanding of how to act integrity, fairness, and in an ethical and legal manner.  I reviewed and analyzed the job descriptions and responsibilities of several administrative positions within my school district.  This gave me a greater understanding of what is required of an administrator on a daily basis.  I interviewed a retired teacher that was able to describe the changes in technology within the school district over the past 30 years and its impact on all aspect of the school community.  I also created a guide for teachers on the use of copyrighted material for school use.  This will allow teachers to appropriately and legally use copyrighted materials within their classrooms.  I also attended school board meetings to gain an understanding of how and why decisions are made within the district.  This gave me a great insight into the legal aspects the school must deal with in the operation of the school district.

As a leader in a school, administrators need to demonstrate themselves in the appropriate way.  Administrators are many times the link between all members of the school community and need to effectively and appropriately communicate with them.  As an administrator you will be counted on to make sound judgments and the activities that I participated in will be helpful in this capacity.  

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