Understand and Evaluate Group Process

Principals must understand and evaluate the teams and groups they oversee within their school.  Principals must evaluate their PLCs.  They must understand the goals, missions, visions, students achievement, and needs of the school drives the direction of this group. Principles must be able to evaluate their grade teams, and understand what they need and want to be successful.  Principals mus understand their leadership team.  They should know the role each person has, and be able to evaluate how effective those people are in reaching the school goals.  Principals must evaluate the faculty each year.  The Principal must understand how to improve the faculty if they score low on evaluations. 

Relationship of Culture and Diversity in a global perspective

As an inner city school teacher, I have found that their are alot of labels for students who are from other countries and try to learn english.  Hopefully, this blog will be informative for figuring out what these acronyms mean.

EAL - English as an additional language.

EAP - English For Academic Purposes 

ELL - English language learner.  

ESL - English as a second language. English for use in an English-speaking region, by someone whose  

               first language is not English. 

ESOL - English for speakers of other languages.

ESP - English for specific purpose, or English for special purposes

It is important for future principals in inner city schools to know the meanings of these acronyms because the population of students who are not proficient in english is increasing.

Improve Oral and Written Communication Skills

When I saw this objective for the class, I knew that it was very important for principals.  Educators have to communicate on a daily basis.  It is the same for principals.  They have to communicate with the staff, other administrators, and educational leaders.  The principal has to collaborate with the community, and other educational leaders.  The principal constantly sends fliers, memos, and emails to staff, students, and people of the community.  Principals also have to send faxes and speak with these people on the phone. Principals have to write grants, and speak to sponsors. It is very important for principals to learn how to improve their communication skills.  Principals need to improve their communication skills with technology.  Communication with technology is constantly changing and principals should be aware of these changes. It is also important for principals to improve their oral communication skills.  Principals speak to the public during announcements, programs, and forums.  Principals also communicate by interviewing future staff.    

The Needs Of Exceptional Children in Schools

Exceptional children are students who suffer from physical, mental, emotional, behavioral, or developemental disorders or disabilities.  These students face challenges learning or communicating in the classsroom setting.  Students who qualify for special services have been tested and approved for an IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  Their are four ways to educate exceptional students with IEPs.  First, is Inclusion.  This is where the student spends the majority of their day being educated with students without disabilities.  Second is Mainstreaming.  This is when the student is educated with students without disabilities for a designated period of time during the school day.  Then they are educated in a special needs class the rest of the day.  Third, is Segregation.  This is  when a student is educated in a self contained classroom, or school.  They have no interaction with students without disabilities, unless its during lunch in a regular school.  The last is exclusion.  This is when a student is not educated in school at all.  Some exceptional children's IEPs have modifications.  That means they receive extra time, skip subjects, extra aids, shorter and simpler assignments.  Other exceptional students receive accomodations.  Their schedules and class settings may have been adapted.  Or, they may be able to communicate in class settings differently ftrom other students.

Be able to apply administrative skills to challenges in managing and leading elementary school

I just completed reading the article “Tipping Point: From Feckless Reform to Substantive Instructional

Improvement”. It was written to influence educators to improve schools using his

suggestions. Mike Schmoker had four suggestions for improving schools.  Firstly,

schools should do away with strategic planning.  Secondly, schools should eliminate

whole school reform.  Thirdly, schools should establish the correct forms of Learning

Communities.  Last, schools should make staff development more evidence based.

            The author gave several negative effects strategic planning and large scale reform

have on the educational system.  Firstly, he described how strategic planning sets too

many goals, objectives, and requirements.  As a result, educators do not reach every goal

or objective because there are too many.  Also, the lofty amount of requirements leave

some educators confused as to what results they should provide. Secondly, the writer

suggested that large scale reform overload teachers, take away from their time, and limits

their creativity.  The reform programs usually have lofty requirements.  They also make

the teacher feel as though they are following a script.

            The author offered solutions to improving schools by replacing strategic planning

and large scale reform. Firstly, Schmoker suggested giving teachers short term goals

instead of strategic goals.  As a result, the teacher will constantly improve, rather than the

teacher having to improve only at the beginning of the school year.  Secondly, he

suggested that large scale reform become more simple and have less requirements. 

Schools, should be able to tailor the reform program to the need of their school based on

their data.  Schmoker suggested that the Learning Communities of each school look at

their schools data and establish their own reform model.

            The article was relevant to the book because it showed more negative effects of

strategic planning.  The book revealed a study that showed there is little relationship

shown in student achievement and strategic planning (Luneburg and Ornstein 2008). 

Schmoker revealed more results.  The article discussed how Kouzes and Posner wrote

how strategic planning separate thoughts from action ( Mike Schmoker 2001).  They

suggest that teachers be given short term goals and assessments.  The article also showed

how Henry Mintzberg came to the same conclusion as Kouzes and Posner in his study on

strategic planning.  The writer also quoted a statement by educational theorist Benjamin

Bloom, which suggests education to be clearer to prevent confusion. 

            The article is also relevant to the book because the book discussed who is mostly

effected by large scale reform.  The book discussed that reforms were placed in mostly

elementary and primary schools.  These programs are mostly implemented in schools

with poor and at-risk children.  The book discussed how the reform models offer basic

skill education for each grade level to help these children catch up to the norm. Presently,

most reform models are found in inner city schools and implemented with minorities in

America. This article is relevant because if large scale reform does not work, then all of

these children are being effected by it.

            The article “Tipping Point: From Feckless Reform to Substantive Instructional

Improvement” is important for future leaders of education.  Firstly, it teaches future

leaders to set long and short term goals. Schmoker did not with long term planning.  He

felt that educators would be more successful planning short term goals.  I believe

educators should have both.  They should have be given a clear goal for the year, and

smaller objectives that reach toward obtaining the long term goal.  Secondly, the article

teaches future leaders to develop expert teachers, and not expert multi-task teachers.

Future leaders should not bombard with a lot of tasks and objectives to complete in a

short period of time. Yet, they should give them minimum tasks and objectives that they

can master in a short time period. After mastery, set new objectives and tasks for the

teacher to master. Lastly, the article teaches future leaders to know the needs of their

school. The writer suggested that learning communities look at the data of their school

and apply the aspects of the reform model to their school.  This was a good idea for

future leaders because it can keep schools from focusing on concepts that their students

have mastered, and focus on the ones they are lacking.

            The article was important to future inner city educational leaders.  The article

discussed how large scale reform was not working in schools.  The book discussed how

large scale reform is being used in mostly inner city school. Some inner city schools are

mandated to accept a reform model to receive government funding. As a result, future

educational leaders of inner city school must research the reforms their schools accept.

They should research the data from their schools. They should look at what their students

are lacking.  Then the administrator should accept the reform that will mostly help the

students of their school.

The Dilemmas of Principalship

I was just reading an article about a school system that is in debt for $40,000.  That debt is for unpaid

lunches.  The article gave different solutions to fix recoup the money and fix the problem. The solution I

preferred was to continuously encourage these parents to apply for free or reduced lunch.  A principal in the

article stated that he sent home applications to these parents to fill out for free or reduced lunch.  But, they

did not because of their pride or they were living out of zone.  I feel the educational leader should present

more information to the parents about the program.  Inform the parents they don’t have to live in the zone to

get approved.  Also, the educational leader should have meetings at the school and homes explaining the

application to those who don’t understand it.  Flyers, emails, and calls should be given to these parents giving

them information about the application.

The article is important to future educational leaders because it shows how it is an ever changing position.  For example, the principals in this school may receive a lower budget for next year, resulting from the lunch debt.  Another example of change would be the Natick School Districts lunch debt.  The school financial advisers may set the budget for next before the school year ends.  They may set the budget based on the unpaid debts. But if the debt is paid, the budget may increase over the summer. 

Constant changes like this is a dilemma that all principals encounter.  Everyday its a new situation that needs to be worked out.  Future principals must be ready to adapt to different situations constantly.

Analyze and synthesize current issues/problems in educational administration

I just completed reading the article, “Principals and Superintendents who forge a solid partnership will more effectively determine what to do and how to go about doing it.” The article began with principals from a school district meeting with the superintendent to discuss how state assessment scores dropped in each elementary and secondary school.  The superintendent began to worry that his school district would not meet AYP requirements with an overwhelming amount of failed assessments.  As a result, the superintendent met with his principals to implement a new approach to leadership in the district.

            The superintendent decided to improve leadership teaming in the school district.  Through research the superintendent found that high performing districts have strong leadership that grows from dynamic collaboration, and interactions between the superintendent and their principals.  Low performing school districts usually have leadership that works in isolation.  The superintendent believed that more teamwork among the principals and superintendent would improve challenges faced by the district.

            The author gave reasons why developing a strong leadership team is not easy.  Superintendents have to create meaningful and personal relationships with their principals.  They must also learn their strengths, weaknesses, views, and ideas for education.  Likewise, principals must build solid relationships with the superintendent.  They must understand their leadership style, core beliefs, mission, and approach to administration.

Article Review                                                                                                        3

            The author gave four requirements educational leaders must follow to develop effective teams.  First, the team must adhere to professional standards.  Professional standards should guide visions, teaching, learning, job ethics, and the school system.  Secondly, the team must create workplace norms.  The writer suggests that the team meet this requirement by establishing a code of ethics.  Thirdly, the team must set team goals. The author suggests that principals not work for just achieving goals as a school, yet goals as a school district.  Lastly, the team must engage in professional developments.  These may include book studies, research reviews, walkthroughs, in-services, sharing best practices, and case study meetings.

Relevance to chapter 4 and 7 within Failure Is Not an Option  by Alan M. Blankstein

            The article was relevant to chapter four of the book entitled, “Relational Trust as Foundation for the Learning Community.”  Blankstein found that schools with effective programs for long periods had students and teachers who had meaningful relationships.  These programs also have a trust between their members, and a lot of open communication.  This is similar to points in the NAESP article, where the author suggested that the school district would be more effective with meaningful relationships between a school district’s leadership team.

            Chapter four gave four components for developing relational trust.  The team must have respect for people’s roles, have competence in leadership, personal regard for leadership, and integrity.  The NAESP article suggested that these would be barriers to building successful leadership teams. 

Article Review                                                                                                        4

            Chapter four also gave similar components included in a Learning Community, that West believes belongs in a school districts leadership team.  They both require peer to peer observations.  Each asks the members to participate in study groups.  Also, each requires the members to have a common vision, mission, values, and goals.

The article was relevant to chapter seven of the book entitled, “Collaborative Teaming Focused on Teaching for Learning.”  Both showed the components of effective collaboration.  Each suggested that collaboration cannot be individualized.  In both the article and chapter, educators collaborate in study groups, forums, classroom observations, and the curriculum.  Lastly, goals and timetables are established through collaboration.

Critical Commentary

            The article “Principals and Superintendents who forge a solid partnership will more effectively determine what to do and how to go about doing it,” is relevant for future educational leaders.  First, the article gives advice on how educational leaders can improve student achievement through team work.  As a new administrator, it will be important to find people who understand the position and can offer advice.  It would also be important to establish relationships with new administrator in the same position.  That way the administrator can ask for advice or discuss similarities between each person’s job.  Also, it is important for future administrators to establish relationships with the superintendent and bosses. That way the superintendent will know the future administrators strengths and weaknesses that will help the district. 

Article Review                                                                                                        5

            The article is important because it shows future administrators how to develop effective relationships with other school leaders.  The article warns future leaders of barriers that they may experience when establishing effective teams.   The article also shows future educational leaders components of an effective team.