Assignment 2: Post conference Reflection

The whole full clinical cycle proved to be a very enlightening experience. However nothing was quite as enlightening as watching the video of my post observation conference.

After observing my post observation conference, I think one of my strengths is the conversational style I utilized in the conference. There was lots of nodding, good eye contact, and phrases such as “you know what I mean, right, yeah….” in the conversation. We both appeared relaxed for the most part, but I am clearly relaxed, leaning into the conversation or across the table to share information.

I tried very hard to put the teacher at ease. I am working with a first year teacher and had given the Clinical Dialect Preference Survey from Honoring Diverse Teaching Styles to the teacher prior to our observation to help inform both of us of her teaching style. She had tested as being a feeling/sensing teacher with equal scores in the feeling and sensing categories. In reading up on this teaching style and how to speak the Caring Teacher dialect, I focused on the need to avoid being insensitive or confrontational when presenting data and also the need to highlight the tone of the classroom as well as what was observed. Teachers relying on feelings and senses can be sensitive themselves, and I tried to keep this in mind when preparing for the conference.

The conference was held in my office, and I initially suggested this thinking it would be most convenient for the teacher. (I asked her to stop by on her way out.) In hindsight, I should probably have given the teacher the option of where to meet as this would have been a simple way to give the teacher a say/options and a feeling of collegiality and lessen any feelings of superiority. We did sit together at a table as opposed to across a desk, which I think helped the tone of the meeting to be more informal.

Throughout our conversation there appears to be active listening, with nodding and affirmative sounds, questions for further clarification and laughter at appropriate times. I feel there were times when my delivery, word finding, or phrasing could have been smoother. I think I was trying very hard to convey my thoughts in a sensitive manner and not appear serious in tone. I’ve decided that if this makes me appear to be the bumbling professor but puts the other person at ease, I can live with that. However, I feel there may have been occasions where I was less than clear and had to paraphrase and repeat a thought in different ways in order to get my meaning across. I think it may be necessary to be less than direct while you are building rapport with a teacher. But it is also the point of communication to get your message across clearly, so hopefully with practice, I can find a tone which puts people at ease and does allow me to be direct.

I had utilized an observation tool that recorded what the teacher said and the students’ actions, as this was a focus (clarity of directions) that the teacher had asked for. I had provided the teacher with a copy of my notes prior to the observation so she would have some idea of what I had observed before our meeting. I had also prepared a document of observations and interpretations as well as a mapped out continuum for the collaborative approach to the conference.

The teacher I am working with is in her first year of teaching and as much as a directive approach may have been appropriate, I felt that the collaborative approach would do well in helping to build her confidence. I briefly discussed the tone of the classroom and the positive choice of engaging activities to both set her at ease and provide a positive start to the conference. I began with a prepared list of questions to go over before getting to my data, to provide more information on the lesson as a whole and to begin the clarifying process. I tried hard to follow the collaborative style and asked her if she would like to first share what her greatest concern or area of improvement might be or if she would like to discuss my data.

As I had hoped, she shared her concern, which basically paraphrased my concern. The clarifying, listening, and reflecting done at the beginning clearly made the conference longer but I feel it was worth the time because the teacher was really able to hear what I said later with an open and like mind. Had I just presented my “I see situations in which management is interfering with instruction” it would have been harsh to hear and probably pretty demoralizing for a first year teacher. I believe it would have made the conference less than what it became because the teacher would not have been as in tune with what I had to share. But after she offered that she feels there is a need to set expectations to deal less with behavior problems and have smoother transitions, we had a discussion about what classroom management really is. I gave the example of a teacher who thinks in terms of minutes and helps her students to think in those terms. I also discussed how planning out the minutia of classroom routines for students helps to save those classroom minutes so there is more time for instruction and better flow overall in the classroom. In this way, we clearly linked the identified need to improved instruction.

It was only after this conversation that I presented my data, which showed evidence from the observation and my interpretation of the evidence. Of the five interpretations, one was positive, one was more of a question of what I had observed, and three were issues that could be addressed by her. I also provided her with some direct actions/suggestions that could be tried to improve classroom management in the type of lesson she presented (small groups, rotating through stations). These were presented highlighting how they could help the class overall as well as specific students to help reinforce the link between the observation and improved instruction.

In the end there was lots of agreement. Phrases such as “that makes sense” and “I think this is everything I want to accomplish but I haven’t been able to put it all together” as well as “it makes much more sense to talk about it out loud” made me feel like the conference overall was successful and useful to the teacher. We also had a conversation about how the observation process was meant to work in this way: helping a teacher reflect on practices in order to improve them. After watching the video, it seems this is the sentence I should have started the conference with. However, after going through the process of the conference, it seemed much more meaningful when stated at the end. We agreed upon some actions she would take, confirmed the details of an improvement plan and set a date for another observation.

Overall I think the time and effort put into preparing for the conference paid off in establishing rapport, helping the teacher to reflect on her practice, and accept constructive criticism. I am constantly reminded in this course of how different this method of supervision is from my own experiences of being supervised and what a good thing that is.

Resources:

Pajak, E. (2003). Honoring Diverse Teaching Styles A Guide for Supervisors. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Classroom Arrangement

Room Arrangements
This assignment would have been way more interesting in our old school. In January 2008, we moved into a brand new building (how many teachers get to say that in their career?). All of the furniture and fixtures were purchased new and all of the technology was wrapped into the cost of the new building.
The classroom design and purchase of furniture were supposedly well thought out by the architects and designers. There were some meetings with teachers, however, as one of those teachers, there is varying degrees of evidence of teacher input. Ultimately what it means is there is little opportunity for variation in room arrangement by the teachers because of the room configuration and furniture purchased.
All classrooms have Promethean Boards. The placement of the teachers’ desks is determined by the outlet/drop from the data projector and USB from the board for connection to the teacher’s computer. Hence, all teachers’ desks are to the side of the front of the room. (The exception would be Kindergarten where there was a huge mistake made in placing the drops and the boards on opposite sides of the room making the boards inoperable until an additional run was added from the board to the teachers computer. We still have issues with how the boards run in those rooms.) Naturally running an IWB, the computer needs to be close to the board, however, purchasing a computer table or stand, could have given teachers some options regarding placement of their desk, and seeing as the teacher would still need the computer for many other tasks, it would seem the desk placement is not really negotiable.
The decision was made to purchase tables for all rooms, so there is little opportunity for varying room arrangement. While I initially was in support of the tables, it leaves very few options for room arrangement because the rooms themselves were designed in an L configuration. Tables are either arranged close to the board leaving a gathering space on the floor to the side or back or a gathering space is left in front of the board with tables pushed further back. The lack of student desks means there is only one way to arrange student seating. While the tables lend themselves to cooperative groups, they leave little options for partnering students or providing space and distance for times when some students may need quiet work space. Teachers have secured a few desks but utilizing them tends to make a child stand out more. Some teachers are more adept at utilizing the furniture for learning spaces. Traditional teachers seem to have the hardest time with this.
The only real variances in room arrangement seems to be the number of tables, cubbies, writing centers, etc in each room. Some of these pieces were new items in our old school so teachers were given the option of bringing them along with them. The other variance is the amount of teacher “stuff”. The stuff factor either in additional furniture or various teaching materials is what contributes to traffic flow and ease of movement. As I push into every room with my cart and COW, I am often struck by how easy it is to access a space at the front of the room in some classrooms and how hard it is in others.
One of the reasons there was a need for a new building is that the old building was not handicap accessible, and there was no way to make the 90 year old main building and its additions compliant. We had a few students who had to attend other schools because they were wheelchair bound. Ironically, we have not had any students with mobility issues in our new building, which is completely handicap accessible. However, I noted several rooms where mobility would be an issue due to “teacher stuff”.
Interestingly, I did not make a clear connection between the type of teacher and the traffic flow patterns established. I have witnessed teachers who do move about their rooms quite a bit to work with students even though the amount of furniture, etc. makes it somewhat difficult. There are also teachers who keep a minimalist room and require students to come to their desk for assistance rather than moving throughout the room. In regards to those who are actually being hindered in their teaching by the room arrangement, I think this is an area that teachers need help in taking a critical eye to what is in the room and how it impacts their instruction.
All classrooms are equipped with 3-5 student laptops depending upon grade level. We also brought over some older computers that need to be hard wired so all rooms have a computer table with the hardwired laptops or desktops and charging space for the newer laptops. Most teachers use the wireless laptops at students’ desks and the computers at the table are used as well.
The L configuration was designed so that an inclusion model could be used with support and special ed teachers working in the rooms with teachers. While this theory was thought to work well, in practice it seems to be more difficult for our teachers. The room needs to be arranged in such a way that allows for teachers to be at either end of the L when there are two groups working in the room so as not to disturb each other and yet the teacher needs to take groups at the juncture of the L, where the whole room can be viewed, when she/he is working alone in the room. It’s doable but requires an organized teacher who can grab what they need easily and move to the appointed spot.
While there is little room for variation in room arrangement, that’s not to say there is little variation in rooms. There is a wealth of creativity in what teachers display on their walls and throughout their rooms in some rooms, and very little in others. There are displays of students’ work in some rooms and in others more commercial material or very few displays. We have a teacher who insists on having plants and now fish on the tables for students, but there seems to be little connection to the students’ learning or the distractibility these items may cause. I’ve noticed what I have dubbed, “paper trail teachers”. These teachers seem to require a great deal of paper and pencil tasks from students as the trail is evident in and on the students’ desks and on the teachers’ desks. I also notice “teacher tidy” rooms- those that look good but how much learning can really be going on if they look that neat?
What I find most unsettling after this review of classroom arrangements is that the school itself was designed and fitted to be a modern learning environment. It was equipped with technology, designed for inclusion, and furnished for cooperative learning experiences. However, the teachers were never equipped, designed or furnished for such things. Three years in, we are only now getting to consistent professional development on the Promethean boards and technology integration through the use of a coaching model. There has not been any training in the inclusion model, including any given to special ed teachers or their assistants even though our special ed students are placed in the regular ed classrooms. Many of these students are serviced by being pulled out to the sped teachers smaller offices. Support teachers are also pulling kids out rather than working in rooms. I believe this is due to a real low level of comfort on both the part of the classroom teacher and special education teacher on how best to service students in an inclusion model. There are some teachers who are working in classrooms but this is not the rule.
While teachers use small groups and learning centers for reading instruction, I would say the majority of teaching for many teachers in the other subjects is done through direct instruction. Our new math curriculum is also providing teachers with a new approach to teaching, having them guide students to prove their work. Most of our kindergarten teachers are quite comfortable with hands on, small group work and active teaching strategies. However, I often see many teachers using traditional teaching methods, which are difficult to use in this more modern teaching environment.
I can certainly see how a walkthrough to observe room arrangements can be very helpful for supervising staff. Classrooms display various aspects of teachers’ personalities and teaching styles. They also can be a tool to display the mission, vision, and goals of the school. An observant administrator could use information gained on walkthroughs to help guide teachers towards different instructional methods and strategies. We have been given walkthrough guidelines of what administrators will be looking for, however, I’m not sure these guidelines have actually been used by administrators to determine what teachers needs are. Certainly, no professional development has been planned utilizing what has not been seen during walkthroughs.
Teachers seem to be slowly learning from each other. The beginning of each year brings about a few new room arrangements. However, how a room works without students is very different than how one works with students. I think a really useful tool could be to provide staff with some information on room arrangement and classroom environments and ask them to begin to take a critical look at their teaching spaces, perhaps working with a colleague to look at each other’s spaces and even asking students to think about how their room works. Having teachers justify placement and what is in the room could also help to have teachers really look at their rooms critically to determine what is working for them. Unfortunately, I think many teachers just don’t have time to think about the room arrangement and its effect on their teaching once students are in the room.

Change

Second order change is looked at as being dramatic departures from the past or the expected. It’s been referred to as “deep change.” It requires the rethinking of the way things are done and rearranging of mental models. Much as when a child is learning something new that doesn’t fit into the existing schema they must go through the accommodation process, second order change requires the same accommodations to be made to existing schema.

Second order change can be difficult in an organization because people handle change so differently. Few people embrace it; many people fear it and the discomfort it brings. Often times people would like to move towards change, however, habits, fear, time constraints and other factors keep them from doing so.

I have a sign hanging in my office, which states, “There is no such thing as small change.” It’s a reminder to me that as much as I might like to completely integrate technology into all subjects and all classrooms, the teachers I work with are not comfortable with that and together we need to take it as small change. Utilizing incremental, first order change doesn’t show the benefit of the technology in my opinion, because we are only adding on and tweaking at the edges. However, I continue to implement as much as I can and slowly I do see things changing.

Marzano highlights 7 of his 21 responsibilities of leadership as being necessary for change. I can see a few of them being of more importance and reflecting on my experience in trying to change the use of technology at my school, I see how they are helpful to leaders in dealing with second order change.

The first responsibility is the Change Agent. Perhaps this seems obvious as we are talking about change, but the leader who is looked at as willing to challenge and change the status quo gets peoples attention. I have acted as the change agent for many years at my school, and having that reputation, I think, made teachers understand that what I hoped to do with technology was change the delivery of instruction.

The leader who can act as change agent effectively needs to be able to question in a dynamic way that gets people questioning as well. I always propose my projects with a “what if we tried this” approach, which wins people over to ideas more easily than an “I think we should do this” approach. This leader also needs to be prepared to be challenged as well. I am often approached by teachers who want to try a project, and I have to be willing and able to accommodate them to keep the flow going.

This brings up another important responsibility, which is flexibility. As Fullen points out in Understanding Change, a leader needs to be able to utilize different leadership styles when approaching change. Assertive leadership may be needed to initiate a change but democratic, affiliative leadership may be needed to support people through a change.

I believe the optimizer responsibility is also very important to leading through second order change. I find myself trying hard to set a positive tone with teachers who are obviously struggling with utilizing technology. It helps to set them at ease, which is often the biggest obstacle to learning something new. A leader who can inspire people to keep moving through fears and discouragement when trying something new will help build the school culture and move the school through the changes necessary.

Marzano lists Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluating, Intellectual Stimulation and Ideals and beliefs as other responsibilities necessary for second order change and I can see their importance as well. My curriculum knowledge earns me respect when I propose some new use of technology. Having strong ideals and beliefs also helps when inspiring people to move in a new direction. People are more willing to follow someone leading with conviction.

Second order change requires a balance between pushing people to move forward in a new and different direction and urging them to follow along at their own will but collectively in the same direction. It requires an administrator with the people skills that make people want to follow, the organizational skills to keep everyone moving, the authoritative nature that forces people to move, and the sensitivity to monitor everyone’s feelings about the ride. Quite a combination!

Culture

• Culture: What impact does the creation of a positive school culture have on school reform?

A positive school culture has an impact on every aspect of the school. Working in a welcoming, supportive environment immediately relaxes teachers and allows them to focus on the task at hand: the children in front of them. Knowing that they are accepted and cared for in their school environment allows students to develop personal relations with their teachers that add meaning to their work at school. Understanding the staff is trusting, supportive, and respectful helps the leadership in the school to manage successfully as well as implement change of any kind.

The principal has a definite responsibility for setting the tone and creating the culture of the school. Unfortunately too often this is done in a superficial manner. The beginning of year open house, Christmas party event, and lame teacher appreciation gift do not a positive culture make. The culture and tone of the school have to be set with every action of the principal. It is through these actions that a respectful relationship between principal and teacher can be established.

In order to build mutual respect and a trusting relationship, teachers need to know the principal will be on their side doing whatever is necessary to keep a sense of discipline, as Marzano defines it, in the school. This means the principal understands the sacredness of the teachers’ instructional time and will do whatever is necessary to maintain it, from handling discipline problems appropriately to lessening interruptions of the schedule.

Advocating for the school and teachers with central office and parents also helps to build the trusting relationship as does monitoring and evaluating school practices. Teachers know what and who is working well in their schools, and there is little respect for a principal who does not seem to make the connection or does not act on the knowledge. Teachers also need to feel there is some level of protection between them and the other influences on what they are asked to do in the classroom. Sometimes the principal cannot do anything regarding a district policy or difficult parent, but knowing they have an advocate helps teachers in dealing with such complications. These responsibilities, of the 21 identified by Marzano’s meta-analysis of research, were among the most effective in correlation with student academic achievement, and I believe it is because of the effect these responsibilities have on the school culture.

The responsibility that held the highest correlation with student achievement was the situational awareness of the principal. I take this as further proof that it is the principal’s affect on the school culture that truly has the impact. Through an understanding of the school’s undercurrents, the principal can help to thwart any dissent or discontent. But more importantly, simply having an awareness of the undercurrents means the principal has an understanding of the school’s culture.

With a trusting and supportive relationship between principal and teachers, comes a positive school climate. That primary relationship sets the tone for all others. With the principal as the example, teachers have an understanding of the expectations for relationships within the school. This is how a positive school culture is built.

In my own school, unfortunately this level of trust and respect has never been established between teachers and principal and it is reflected in the culture. Relationships between staff members are positive for the most part, but there is room for improvement in regard to the relationships between students, teachers and parents. There seems to be a constant quiet battle between teachers who wish to move on initiatives in the hopes of positive school changes and those who don’t wish to extend the effort necessary to do so.

I place the blame for this on a leadership team that either through lack of organization or skills consistently act in ways that undermine what teachers are trying to accomplish in their classrooms. There is a lack of communication and inconsistent responses to discipline that interfere with the teachers’ ability to function optimally in the classrooms. This lack of leadership ability makes it difficult for teachers to respect the leadership team. It seems, too, that the leadership’s lack of consistency also gives teachers permission for a lack of consistency in their own responses and level of commitment to school policies. Consequently, it is difficult for any initiative to become fully implemented in my school. There have also been actions taken by the leadership team that show a lack of respect to teachers. This may not be done intentionally, but the lack of human relationship knowledge and skill cause it to happen on a regular basis. The lack of respect for people's feelings even unintentionally sets a negative tone.

I don’t mean to imply that school reform will go easily in a school with a positive school culture. I have known schools with a positive culture that never acted on an initiative because the teachers did not support it. Research has proven that initiatives that do not have both the support of the principal and the staff will not be fully implemented or maintained. Within a positive school climate, there still needs to be some sense of shared decision making and shared power in implementing any school reform.

According to Boyd in Bridge or Barrier to Change, power is based on information, resources and support. The prinicipal can only control the resources. An active role in controlling and improving the flow of information will help to build the support necessary for a successful implementation of any school reform. Shared decision making and power is best accomplished in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust. That atmosphere occurs most often as part of positive school culture.

Week 3: Effective Leadership -? so far

When I started this course, I didn't have a good idea of what made an effective leader. I just knew I had been working under an ineffective leadership team for years. And although I could tell you specific behaviors that I found damaging to our school that would be all I could tell you, I was unable to articulate well why it was damaging.
It's taken until the end of week 3, but I think I am finally over connecting everything to what it is not and am now more focused on what effective leadership is.

Effective leadership is leadership that can motivate individuals to work as hard as they can not for their own success but for the common good. It begins with a leader who is willing to share their vision and share in the best sense of the word, meaning, "Here is my vision - what do you think of it? what can you add to it? what parts are we ready to bring to fruition now and what are we maybe not ready for?" Sharing in this way helps to ensure that the vision truly becomes a shared vision.

Being a truly shared vision is most important because I've learned an effective leader doesn't lead in a vacuum. She can only lead with followers who are willing to move forward, and that willingness comes easiest when all are moving in a direction they believe in. There are methods of leading that don't require this "buy in" but I don't believe those methods are the most effective for bringing about the change or transformation so necessary in schools right now.

Communication is key for a leader to be effective. There is the communication of the vision but then also communication of procedures, expectations, recognitions, and reflections. The manner in which all of this is communicated greatly affects the perception of the leader and the understanding and commitment of those being led. This perception and understanding is necessary because trust in a leader is an important aspect of his/her success.

I've learned that an effective leader is part manager: making sure all of the details are in place and taken care of so they don't interfere with the movement forward. So much of being an effective leader comes down to allowing the shared vision to permeate every decision made even down to the smallest detail.

I've also learned that an effective leader has to be willing to share power and create a leadership team, as there is no way one person could possible take care of all the details, know all the answers,and have a complete understanding of all the problems. Knowing your weaknesses and creating a complimentary team that will compensate for them is a good part of being an effective leader.(Murphy, 1988)

Most importantly, I think being an effective leader involves staying true to yourself. It is important to have a bank of strategies to pull from when dealing with school leadership. However, a leader must have integrity. Her beliefs, values, and actions must align.(Evans, 1996) This authentic leadership is to me the most effective.

I believe there are several characteristics a successful principal must possess, and it is hard to come up with what you might call the short list. To narrow it to the top five, I would list:
1. focus-I think focus is important as there are so many needs in a school. Focus helps a principal to stay in tune to the school's goals and vision and lets those be the driving force behind every decision. There are so many details big and small that make up a principal's day, the ability to stay focused and not drop any of these details or how they should be handled is key.

2. communication skills-Communication skills are so important in dealing with staff, students, and parents. What to say, how to say it, when to say it, and when not to say anything all work to building relationships and establishing the school climate.

3. organization-Organization is necessary to keep all the details together and not waste any time or the time of others.

4. open mindedness-Open mindedness is the trait that will keep the principal listening. The willingness to see other points of view, try new methods, and reflect on actions begins with open mindedness.

5. empathy-The ability to identify and understand another person's feelings is important in any job that involves managing people. The need to understand where staff and students are and what they are feeling is very important in resolving issues of conflict or concern.

21 Responsibilities of School Leader

I had interesting results of the Balanced Leadership profile compared to my self assessment. The balanced leadership profile provided more detailed results so it was easier to determine the strengths and areas of improvement. My self-assessment was all done in whole numbers so needed a little further thought to determine what areas were stronger or weaker than others to determine the seven strengths and areas of improvement. They are listed below.
I find it most interesting that three responsibilities considered strengths on the Balanced Leadership Profile, I considered weaknesses. They are:
-Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time and focus;
-Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning;
-Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines.

I do believe strongly in all of these responsibilities particularly in the need to keep instruction time sacred and not distract teachers from it and the need for operating procedures and routines. I also believe that we need to gather data and use it to make informed decisions. I believe that's why these areas showed up as strengths in my profile. However, I don't believe that I am good at doing any of these things(obviously, from my self assessment placing them as weaknesses).
I believe I have difficulty establishing routines and sticking to them and this causes or would cause a disruption in teaching time and focus. I also believe I work on projects or complete activities in certain ways without the follow up of carefully looking at assessment data and determining if the activity was a success in regards to student learning.

For the self assessment, I tried to think about what I do now as a technology teacher to help me determine the rating for each responsibility. For the Balanced Leadership Profile, I really did more projecting of myself as a principal to answer questions. Maybe this seems as if I was measuring two different skill sets, but I felt it was a good way of determining where I am in my practice versus where I want to be.

Reading about authentic leadership made me realize we all have the opportunity to put our beliefs systems to work every day. There are times when we fall into the routine of the atmosphere or culture of our school, and this may keep us from acting on our own beliefs.
It is true leaders are responsible for setting the the school culture and tone, however, each person contributes to it and in successful schools many potential sources of leadership exist(What we know about successful school leadership, page 3). By paying more attention to my actions in regards to my beliefs, I can practice authentic leadership and contribute in a more positive way to my school.

I was happy to see that my strengths covered 4 of the 5 most effective responsibilities according to Marzano's correlation to student academic achievement. However, the most effective, situational awareness, is actually an area of weakness according to both my self-assessment and the leadership profile. I have always tried to keep myself removed from the undercurrents at school as I think it's a big energy drain. However, knowing the value of this information, I can try to be more in the loop, without succumbing to the negative aspects of it.
Overall, I found the process of self assessment and the leadership inventory helpful and enlightening. Reflection and self-evaluation are useful tools. This is an activity I will recommend to our administrative staff.
Strengths: On both bold/italic; Self-assessment in italic; Balanced Leadership inventory in bold
1. Has quality contact and interaction with teachers and students(.20)
2. Is willing to and actively challenges the status quo(.25)
2. Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines(.25)
3. Is an advocate and spokesperson for the school to all stakeholders(.27)
4. Is directly involved in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction and assessment processes(.20)
5. Provides teachers with materials and professional development necessary for the successful execution of their jobs(.25)
5. Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning(.27)
6. Communicates and operates from strong ideals and beliefs about schooling(.22)
7. Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time and focus(.27)
7. Establishes strong lines of communication with teachers and among students.(.23)

Areas needing improvement:
On both bold/italic; Self-assessment in italic; Balanced Leadership inventory in bold
1. Demonstrates an awareness of the personal aspects of teachers and staff(.18)
2. Involves teachers in teh design and implementation of important decisions and policies(.25)
2.Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines(.25)
3. Ensures that faculty and staff are aware of the most current theories and practices, and makes the discussion of these a regular aspet of the school's culture(.24)
4. Establishes clear goals and keeps those goals in the forefront of the school's attention(.24)
4. Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on studetn learning(.27)
5. Is knowledgeable about current curriculum, instruction and assessment processes(.25)
5. Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time and focus
6. Recognizes and celebrates school accomplishments and acknowledges failures(.19)
7. Is aware of the details and undercurrents in the running of the school and uses this information to address current and potential problems(.33)

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is leadership which literally transforms-both the people being lead and the organization. It involves an authentic leader whom the followers trust, admire, and respect (Transformational Leadership Report, 2007, page 4). There are four specific components that a transformational leader must practice. These components are charisma or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized attention. Through individualized attention, the leader provides support and guidance to followers as well as praise and encouragement specific to their efforts. Intellectual stimulation helps followers see their task in the larger picture and think about their work more creatively. Inspirational motivation helps followers understand the leader’s vision. This vision must be communicated passionately and persuasively. The charisma or idealized influence arouses the followers’ emotions and sense of purpose.

Transformational leadership builds on followers’ higher level of consciousness and appeals to a higher morality in followers. We are doing this because it is the right thing to do would be the thinking in an organization working under a transformational leader. The we underscores the idealized influence and inspirational motivation that the leader has used to create in followers ownership of the goals. Without the sense of trust and respect for the leader, this type of leadership will not work. The leader leads by example, and it is her strong sense of mission and purpose and the integrity of her acts that inspire others.

After reading about this type of leadership, I connected Barrack Obama, the candidate, as a transformational leader. Although President Obama seems to be more of a transactional leader or perhaps this is just the nature of government at this time in America.

I believe transformational leadership can have a huge impact on school leadership and administration. I find it most frustrating when I see adults behave in a manner that we wouldn’t find acceptable from the children we teach. Transformational leadership acts on the assumption that the leader is providing a role model for the followers. Through their example of integrity, commitment, and sense of purpose, the administrator now becomes a model for both teachers and students. Communicating a vision of high standards to teachers and students and accepting nothing less sets the tone and climate of the school, which I believe greatly influences how students behave.

An administrator who takes time to truly give individualized attention for both positive and negative behavior builds an active relationship with staff that fosters a sense of high expectations and integrity. Our current administrator has a habit of sending out all staff reminders regarding what hasn’t been done, which serves to annoy the people who have completed the task. I’m sure this is the most efficient method on his part; however, the parties not completing tasks will continue to wait for the reminder before completing them, and those who complete in a timely manner see no benefit in doing so. Likewise, praise given to the group at large rings hollow to those who know the level of effort put in by certain individuals doesn’t warrant praise. Individualized attention holds people accountable but also rewards people for efforts in a meaningful manner.

Intellectual stimulation can be done through ongoing professional learning communities. Groups or individuals can become experts on any one of the many areas of interest and need and share that knowledge with the school community. In this way, individuals are dialoguing about the school’s issues and contributing to solutions. This allows teachers to see their influence beyond their own classroom walls further building on the shared sense of purpose.

This model of leadership would have a great impact on the integration of technology within instruction. Our district has had Promethean boards installed in all classrooms in the last year. I believe the next step is to expect the school leaders to run their staff meetings utilizing the board: sharing the agenda through a flipchart, using the learner response systems to gather info/opinions from staff, saving notes, etc. for future meetings. This would be the example of modeling the behavior you seek, which I feel is at the core of transformational leadership. It sends the message of a vision of technology integration.

Utilizing professional learning communities (PLC) for the many and varied types of technology to be integrated is another opportunity for intellectual stimulation. Each PLC could be given time to report on the types of integration activities they have tried and the strengths, weaknesses, successes and problems with each. This would develop teachers’ talents and provide support for team members.

An administrator with integrity would have to have a clear understanding of what technology integration means so that she would be able to truly evaluate individual’s strengths and weaknesses in this area. However, the nature of technology deprives one from the label of “expert” all of the time. This presents an opportunity for the leader to again model for others. The leader can model the passion and drive to become knowledgeable in emerging technologies, the research and reflection necessary for moving on new initiates, and the ability to realign the system of teaching to reflect the possibilities brought about with new technology. Relying on the internal experts created by PLCs, also allows for additional elements of the transformational leadership model (developing new leaders, expanding job description) to emerge.

I have not had the opportunity to work for a transformational leader in my teaching career. Perhaps it is the nature of schools, to get mired down in traditional roles, procedures and protocols, and the crisis du jour that prevents leaders from performing in a transformational way. I believe a passion and sense of purpose is necessary for this type of leadership, and I have seen those qualities in many teachers. Some questions I am left with are what happens to those qualities when those teachers become leaders? And why is it those types of teachers don’t move on to become school leaders?

Reflection Post

I did some soul searching before applying to the program- a couple years I think, having first heard about the program coming back from NECC, 2008. I don't see myself as a school administrator so for a while I really thought it would be pointless for me to complete the program. As my sister put it, so you're going for your certification to be a principal but you don't want to be a principal? - don't you love how family grounds you?

However, I finally decided that, much like life, this program will be more about the journey than the final destination. I expect the program to be a rigorous examination and exploration of what makes successful educational leadership and how technology can be utilized towards that end.
I have come to realize that real leadership at every level in education is what is needed to make students successful lifelong learners and to move a school or district towards that goal. I hope gaining a clear understanding of leadership and hopefully gaining the skills to be a successful education leader will help me in whatever my next position will be. I also expect the program to help me further expand my impact on students and teachers in my current role.

Organization is going to be key to my success in this program. I'm glad the program is starting in the summer. This will give me the time needed to create a schedule I can work within without other demands on my time. It also allows me the time to organize other parts of my life, including my teaching for the upcoming year so I will be better able to focus on the program fully throughout the year.

There are some basic strategies that I will follow: devoting a set amount of time daily to the program, scheduling time to complete the activities once they are posted, and trying to find balance in the rest of my life so that stress does not become a factor. I have a tendency to procrastinate or work in a "just in time" mode. I definitely need to shift my thinking in this regard.

I have some concerns that I will have a clear understanding of the expectations of each assignment. I think being able to communicate with team mates, cohorts and the instructors will be most important for me. I need to feel comfortable enough with these folks to reach out with a question when I have one. More explanation in an assignment is always better for me and examples work really well. I have not completed course work in over 10 years, and I'm still a little concerned about working at a JHU standard. In short, the whole program puts me a little bit out of my comfort zone, but I am beginning to believe that that is the only place where we can grow.

Just finished up my first online synchronous session with the cohort. Such a knowledgeable group with great experiences. Each interaction assures me that I was right to trust my judgment on this program: I am still not sure what I will do with an administration certificate. There are days when I think-oh if I just went back into the classroom with all the knowledge and tech expertise I have now that would be a cool experience. Being an administrator does not hold any appeal to me. But I signed up for the program thinking the process of the program would be worthwhile and quite possibly help me figure out what might be the next career step. More and more I'm feeling the program itself will just be a very worthwhile experience and must remember to leave myself open to all the different ways it will provide those experiences.

I can see this program is going to force me to be way more organized than I have been in the last couple of years, but that's a good thing. I am a fairly easy going person overall so it's easy for me to become almost too relaxed- thinking yes I'll get to that.
Some suggestions which I will put to work: scheduling time for tasks and blocking the activities/time on my calendar. The checklists for the weeks have been incredibly helpful and I think I may try to incorporate such a tool into my life in general. Summer seems to lull me into a state of non production-at least these last few have felt that way. I think a weekly checklist(that includes days at the beach) will be a helpful tool to get myself on top of things this summer- I'm sure there's an app that I can use for this.

Up and running

Just created my JHU/ISTE blog for online orientation and beyond