Final Reflections of EDLD 5396

Course 5396 Final Reflection
Rebecca Melton
As I reflect upon this course, I realize that I have gained a wealth of information in a relatively short amount of time. It has been a rigorous five weeks. And although I was overwhelmed, frustrated and tired at times, I am grateful for all the lessons and skills I have learned. We addressed self-assessment, insight from our site supervisor, skills associated with writing a professional intern plan and a vita, and networking using technology. The lessons learned did not always come from just one activity. Lessons flowed through fluid lines creating a transfer of knowledge to help commit those lessons to memory.
In the beginning of the course, we were asked to critique our skills using a couple of different assessments. It has been a long time since I have implemented such a specific self-assessment. When I examined the SBEC Superintendent competencies and their quality indicators and studied the results of my Superintendent TExES pre-test, I learned that there are considerable aspects to being a good, well-equipped superintendent. There were several areas in which I found that I needed improvement. I especially wanted to make sure that I had correctly identified those weak areas but also wanted to determine my areas of strength. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of my TExES pre-test. I did well which gives me confidence in my leadership and decision making skills. There were also many areas in which I felt competent, but have ample room for improvement. I learned that being a good leader is a process in which one takes the strengths of his or her skills/character/personality and expands upon them. The process also includes identification of competencies and skills (as well as interpersonal skills) that are in a refinement stage and continues to cultivate those during the course of a lifetime. Self-assessment is a valuable tool that must be visited and revisited, especially in our professional lives in order to provide clarity and direction.
My site supervisor also provided me with new knowledge and understanding of the Superintendency. We met formally on two occasions, the initial interview and then again when we discussed my internship plan. From these meetings, I learned that a Superintendent has to be able to communicate well, is knowledgeable about current educational trends and has to have a vision for the future of the school under his charge. Vision is something we discussed during both meetings. He taught me that in order to get somewhere, you must know where you are going. Although this is almost a cliché in our society, I really understood its importance as we discussed shared vision in the school climate. I learned that getting all stakeholders on board with a common vision is unlikely. The important thing is that the vision is a vision of excellence and that it is flexible enough to stand up to changing times. When that is the case, the majority of interested parties will share the vision.
I think the greatest lesson I learned from these meetings and from having the privilege to observe many of the day to day activities of my superintendent is that a leader must maintain his or her ethics at all times. Knowing what you believe in is important. Keeping true to those beliefs, no matter what situation arises, is imperative. He shared that on occasion, a school leader will make news headlines for poor judgment or for an indiscrepency. He added that while everyone is going to make mistakes and even at times make poor judgment calls, it is not ok for a school leader to make the 5 o’clock news because he or she has poor ethics or morals.
My site supervisor also taught me that the Superintendency is also a service oriented position. The leader of the school must be willing to serve all students fairly and must be an advocate for them, which may mean championing their cause. Parents and families are another critical portion of the equation. The communities’ core value system is of essential consideration as well as families’ needs. Serving the community, which includes families, is not always glamorous. My supervisor related several incidents that required his service that while rewarding, were not always pleasant.
Two of the major assignments for this course included writing an internship plan and writing a professional vita. Through the writing of the internship plan, I used areas of weakness that I identified in the self-assessments to begin my plan. Choosing the activities from thirty-eight leadership areas taught me that there is an overabundance of undertakings by which I could learn. I was inclined to choose areas that I had adequate prior experience to accomplish, but was aware that it is necessary for my professional growth to choose some activities that will require me to step out of my comfort zone to achieve. Writing the intern plan also caused me to reflect upon the needs of my school and my students. I not only referred to my self-assessments, but to other documents including my District AEIS document and district and campus improvement plans. As the principal, I take pride in achievements and positive changes our school has enjoyed in the past and look forward to leading new activities that will lead to further accomplishments. It is my desire to see increased learning, overall school improvement and development of stronger leadership skills by me. The act of writing the internship plan helps me organize my thoughts and taught me the importance of recording my goals and examining resources that I will access to achieve them.
Writing a professional vita was a new experience for me. I have written resumes; however I soon realized a vita was a different document. Not only did I learn what a vita is and how to compose a vita, I learned that they are used much like a portfolio to highlight education, experiences and accomplishments. Both the internship plan and the vita are living documents that will be changed and/or added to as I progress through my certification program. I will continue adding to my vita even though the certification program and internship plan will come to an end.
I also learned a lot about technology while completing this course. While this was challenging, it was also gratifying to accomplish the task of building a blog and a wiki, learning to maneuver through Epic and TK20 and even to navigate through five weeks of web conferences. As I reflect upon this part of the course, I am excited about the opportunities that these new skills open up. The possibilities of using blogs and wikis are literally endless for educational purposes! I am already planning to host a blog for my faculty and staff. I want to initiate better communication of school happenings, but more importantly, to teach my staff to reflect upon their learning and teaching in a community of educators. I will also have a wiki that they can join that we will use to plan events, share information and maintain resources that may be accessed.
I enjoyed the interaction among the members of cohort 3 throughout these past weeks. Message boards were very helpful as we shared insight, information, frustrations, and critiqued each other’s’ work. Personalities have begun to emerge and we are beginning to feel comfortable asking for advice and assistance from the cohort. Meeting weekly on the web-conferences taught me not only the technical skills I used to access the meeting, but the importance of learning about and from my peers. Our combined experiences are a strength of our cohort. I learned that patience and perseverance were also lessons revisited in order for us to muddle through the use of some of our new technology skills. It is my belief and desire that all the lessons learned throughout this first course will be building blocks for those learned in the courses that remain in my certification program. I look forward to new experiences, new ideas and new challenges!

Benefits of a professional Development Plan

I have reviewed the Professional Development Plan template and posted it to my wiki. The 6 elements of a Professional Development Plan are: (1.)TExES Domain and Competency addressed,(2) Objective, (3)Coursework/workbook/workshops utilized, (4.)Mentor/Professional support, (5) Expected date of completion and (6) Evaluation. Each of these elements are important for satisfactory completion of the plan.
I think it is highly important to develop a professional development plan for both personal and professional growth. It is obvious to me that without planning, the accomplishment of long term goals will be minimal if at all. The plan will benefit me by helping me to focus on my priorities, follow a timeline and guide me to evaluate the progress toward my goal. By identifying a specific goal, or a few goals, and developing a plan, I know what I need to be working on and I am able to gather the materials in an organized fashion, and contact and access any mentor or other key people that will be able to help. In addition, a timeline will keep me on task and an evaluation tool will help me to understand in which areas most emphasis must be placed.
In my career, I have utilized the process of setting both short and long term goals. The aspect of writing the goal down or verbalizing it to someone builds in accountability. It has helped me to clarify my expectations and to commit to the work that needs to be done in order to attain the goal. This Professional Development Plan that will carry on long after my certification courses are done will be a valuable tool for me as a leader.

Reflections on Site Supervisor Meeting

Site Supervisor Meeting
I met with Mr. Jim Revill, Superintendent of Frost I.S.D. on Tuesday, June 21 in his office at Frost ISD to discuss my Internship plan. We had spoken in the past about my plans; but this meeting gave me the opportunity to clarify my direction and establish a workable timeline.
I gave Mr. Revill a copy of my draft internship plan the day before so that he could look over it prior to the meeting. At the meeting, I presented him with a copy of my needs assessment and had my text book available with the activities checked that I had chosen. I then explained to Mr. Revill that I needed experiences in all 3 Leadership Domains and the 10 Knowledge and Skills Competencies for Texas Superintendents.
We looked over and briefly discussed each activity. The highlight of the meeting for me was the feeling that I had not only a seasoned Superintendent to guide me through the details of my internship, but also a friendly person who was willing to give of his time to assist me in this endeavor. I felt like he gave me his undivided attention and sincerely critiqued my plans in order to help me align the activities to my needs and to the needs of our school. The more I learn about the Superintendency, the more I realize that it is a position of service, one in which the needs and best interest of others is put before your own. I was also given much encouragement at our meeting. Mr. Revill believes in me and that was made clear in this meeting. He reassured me that my weaknesses can and will be overcome.
I made a few revisions to my plan during and after our meeting. We collaborated on a few of the activities that I needed to change wording in order to make them more specific. An example of this is activity 10 in which I will survey faculty members to solicit methods of motivation. I had limited this to Elementary teachers. Mr. Revill suggested I change the wording to specifically say “successful teachers” so that I could eliminate teachers that need help in the area of motivation as well as to include teachers who are good motivators at our secondary level. There were other activities in which my site supervisor gave feedback as to how I could implement those that did not warrant a change on the internship plan, but the suggestions will be used when I actually implement my plan. The major change that was suggested was that I spread my timeline out over a longer period of time. There are some activities that lend themselves to be done at a specific time of year, while others may be done randomly. We discussed those that could be rearranged so changes were made accordingly.
I was pleased with the outcome of our meeting and left with an excitement about my Internship plan. A project that first seemed overwhelming now is viewed as a helpful and doable experience.

Vita

Rebecca Melton

1000 W. Mock St., Anytown, TX 77777

(W) 555-555-5555 (H) 444-444-4444 email rmelton@lamar.edu

Education / Certification

M.Ed. Educational Administration, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, 1997

B.S. Elementary Education, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 1983

Associates Degree Liberal Arts, Navarro College, Corsicana, TX 1981

Superintendent Certificate Texas, expected date of completion July 2012

Mid-Management Certificate Texas, 1998

ESL Certificate Texas, 2002

Kindergarten Certificate Texas, 1991

Teacher Certificate Grades 1-8; English endorsement,

Texas, 1983

Administrative and Leadership Experience

Principal, Frost Elementary

Frost Independent School District

Frost, Texas, 2005-Present

• Collected and evaluated data from various sources to gain understanding of strengths and weaknesses of students so that they might improve on state mandated testing.
  


• Supervised and evaluated elementary teachers using the Professional Development Appraisal System
  


• Created master schedule for all elementary grades and ancillary classes
  


• Collected data and assigned each elementary student to their class section
  


• Evaluated curriculum and adjusted to fit the needs of our present students
  


• Expanded the recognition program for students including attendance, honor rolls, student of the month and weekly recognition
  


• Established a Principal's Excellence fund for purchasing of awards through donations, eliminating the need for elementary students to be involved in fundraising
  


• Worked collaboratively with the Parent Teacher Organization to initiate new service-oriented programs
  


• Maintained disciplinary procedures for Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5
  


• Directed and managed the district English as a Second Language program.
  


• Organized Parent University Night
  


• Initiated curriculum teams among elementary teachers to broaden cross-curricular and cross-grade level learning
  


• Initiated and managed Response to Intervention program for the district
  


• Maintained compliance with Title I Program
  


• Monitored expenditures for Elementary Campus
  


• Attended School Board meetings to have a better understanding of their goals, visions, and priorities
  


• Directed elementary UIL academic program at the elementary level prior to the hiring of a teacher assigned to this position, after which I assisted her in hosting UIL meets on our campus
  


• 
  
  Created and Directed School Health and Advisory Council
  
  
  

  
  

Adjunct Instructor, Navarro College

Child Development and Elementary Education Department,

Corsicana, TX, 2003

• Presented instruction to classes of students that were seeking elementary teacher positions or day care director licensing in accordance with college standards
  


• Engaged in a variety of teaching methods and instructional strategies to generate student interest
  


• Mentored students as they engaged in educational activities
  


• Evaluated student projects and class assignments
  


• Maintained a positive rapport with adult students and encouraged them as they completed coursework
  

Mentor Teacher, Texas A&M Commerce

Navarro College Partnership Program,

Corsicana, TX 2003-2004

• Modeled appropriate teaching methods, discipline strategies and classroom management for student intern
  


• Provided positive feedback for student intern as she prepared lessons, lesson plans and managed the classroom
  


• Evaluated student intern in accordance with college program standards
  


• Collaborated with University Supervisor and my campus principal to evaluate student intern
  

Gifted and Talented Advisory Council Member

Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2000-2002

• Participated in Gifted and Talented training that included Texas State Policy and Procedures
  


• Interacted with peers concerning new policies for Gifted and Talented programs
  


• Maintained two-way communication between advisory council and my district
  

Professional Development and Appraisal System

Orientation Facilitator and Teacher Liaison,

Frost ISD, 1998-2005

• Participated in Professional Development and Appraisal System training, Education Service Center, Region 12, Waco, TX
  


• Passed competency exam on PDAS
  


• Provided orientation to PDAS to teachers of the district and to new teachers as they were hired
  


• Modeled and participated in lessons to improve instruction of select teachers
  


• Served as a contact for teachers needing PDAS information
  

Professional Development and Appraisal System Implementation and Evaluation Group Member, Education Service Center, Region 12, Waco, TX, 1998-1999

• Participated in group discussions and informative meetings concerning the Professional Development and Appraisal System with members of the Texas Education Agency
  


• Offered opinions and information from my district about the system
  


• Communicated to my district the needs and requirements this system would require
  

Navarro County Steering Committee Member on County Staff Development,

Education Service Center Region 12, Corsicana Satellite Center, 1996-1998

• Collaborated with peers across Navarro County to assess needs for professional Development
  


• Planned, implemented and evaluated a County-wide day of Professional Development
  

Teaching Experience

Elementary Teacher,

Kindergarten, 1987-1992,

Third Grade, 1992-1994,

First Grade, 1994-2005

Frost Elementary, Frost, TX

• Designed and implemented Kindergarten curriculum
  


• Integrated a variety of teaching methods at each grade level taught to meet the diverse needs of all learners
  


• Collaborated with Principal and teaching partners to maintain safe, and comfortable environment conducive to learning
  


• Maintained a rapport with parents and other community members to contribute to the success of the students
  


• Held all students to high level of expectations
  

First Grade Teacher

Bynum Elementary

Bynum Independent School District

Bynum, TX. January 1987-May 1987

• Assessed first grade students that had previously been in a classroom with Kindergarteners and were deemed deficient in their progress
  


• Implemented an accelerated program that included integrating various learning styles and compacted curriculum to contribute to the efficient progress of student learning
  


• Communicated with parents concerning the deficits of the children largely due to an inadequate program at the beginning of the year
  


• Caught all students up so that they satisfied knowledge and skills to move on to second grade
  

Additional Training/Professional Development

"Gifted and Talented Training" Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX and Texas Association for Gifted and Talented, Austin, TX 1990-present, (over 200 CPE hours cumulative)

"Review of TEA Guidelines for Using Supplemental Aids on State Assessments", Educational Service Center, Region 12, Waco, TX, 2011

"C-Scope Implementation Guide Training", Education Service Center, Waco, TX, 2010

"No Magic Bullets: GPS 4 Change", Educational Service Center, Region 12, Waco, TX, 2010

"C-Scope Foundation for Classroom Teachers" Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2009

"Understanding the C-Scope Unit Assessments", Education Service Center Region12, Waco, TX, 2009

"ESL – Spring Cleaning, Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2008, 2009

"Administrator's Institute for School Improvement" Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2006, 26 hours, 2008, 26 hours

"Training for School Administrators – Effective Practices for English Language Learners", Education Service Center Region 12, 2008

"Bilingual/ESL Directors' Meeting", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2007

"Bilingual/ESL LPAC, Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2007

"G/T – Questioning Makes the Difference", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2007

"Principal Assessment for Student Success", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX 2006

"Nutrition-Wellness Policy", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2006

"Technology Planning – STAR Chart Training", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2006

"Overview of the 3-Tier Reading Model", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2006

"Instructional Leadership Development Training", Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2005

"Professional Development and Appraisal System Training", Education Service Center, Region 12, Waco, TX 2005

"Policy Foundations of District Governance and Management", Texas Association of School Boards, Frost, TX, 2005

"Intel Essentials Course", Intel in cooperation with Education Service Center Region 12, Waco, TX, 2004-2005 (40 hours)

"Special Education Referral and Modifications", Bi-County Co-Op, Fairfield, TX, 2003

"Conversational Spanish", Navarro College, Corsicana, TX, 16 hours,2002

"Texas Association of Gifted and Talented Conference", TAGT, Austin, TX, 2000, 2002, 2004

"Texas First Grade Teacher Reading Academy", Education Service Center, Region 12, Hillsboro Satellite Center, Hillsboro, TX, 2000

"CPR and First Aide" American Red Cross, Waco, TX, 1999,2000

"Results 200", Education for Excellence, Dallas, TX, 1999

Presentations

Melton, B. (1997, January) Gifted and Talented – Compacting Curriculum, Frost ISD Inservice Training for District, Frost, TX

Melton, B. (2010, June) Response to Intervention, Frost ISD Inservice Training for Elementary Teachers, Frost, TX

Melton, B. (2003, September) Gifted and Talented Differentiating Instruction, Frost ISD Inservice Training, Frost, TX

Professional Affiliations

Texas Elementary Principal and Supervisor's Association, 2005-present

References

References available upon request.

Superintendent Interview

Commitment, being true to oneself, ethical, moral, passionate, prioritizes...these are all words or phrases that kept being repeated as I interviewed my superintendent. All of these qualities overlap in some ways and are hopefully those in which many people posses to some degree. However the school superintendent must posses all of these at all times. It was evident that my Superintendent realizes this is a difficult task, and one in which any candidate for the superintendency should understand. He also emphasized safety and an environment rich in educational opportunities as high priorities.
My superintendent defined leadership as the ability to commit everyone to a common cause. This is not always easy. In doing so, the leader must share the vision and be able to present the needs, project, or new idea in such a way that all will come together to attain the goal. This is linked to the question concerning shared vision. He added here that in order to develop a shared vision, the superintendent must have total commitment from him or herself. Others will not share a vision that is not a committed vision of a leader. Stakeholders, usually the teachers or school board in this case, would be able to recognize if the superintendent was not wholeheartedly committed and would therefore be compromising in their own commitment.
We discussed ethical leadership more than once during the interview. He described ethical leadership as the type of leadership that is the same regardless of the audience. I have often heard him say that you should treat others as you would want to be treated. This applies to working with staff as well as working with state agencies, parents, or students. Along with this we must realize that not everyone is going to agree with decisions or directions, but if the superintendent is true to him or herself, the road will be more tolerable.
The ability to maintain proper ethics also was discussed when I asked about attributes of a good superintendent. He explained that a good superintendent must be of good moral fiber and be true to oneself. He also added that approachability, good communication skills, being personable, and being a team player are all necessary components. When asked about effective communication, he spoke of the smoothness of the operation as a way to evaluate the progress of whatever is going on or being communicated. Regardless of the situation some are going to complain or claim lack of understanding. This is the nature of the position. Evaluation of proper communication is ongoing and takes into consideration these hurdles; however when the big picture is viewed, communication may be deemed successful when the most important stakeholders, the children of the district are kept at the top of the priority list.
My superintendent also spoke of board - superintendent relationships and describes them simply as a honesty and trust. He humorously expounded on this by saying, "It's not poker." He explains by saying that you must not give answers to the board members when asked a question that you do not know. It is better to say that you will find out and get back with them or that you will research the matter etc., rather than to attempt to save face by giving what might be false information. He added that effective relations require total trust in all directions.
I came to understand the role of the superintendent better after this interview. It was a nice activity to participate in and a rewarding learning experience.

TRANSFER THEORY

I learned a lot about transfer theory while viewing the video of Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Arterbury. In all of my educational experience, I have known of the need for a transfer of knowledge. In my teaching career, I was frustrated when a student did not transfer reading skills learned in reading class to social studies text, for example. My peers and I have discussed the need for better transfer for years. It seems to be a common issue among educators.
Transfer theory as it applies to this course, or any adult education process, is what goes on when a person uses the knowledge and skills, most of which are second nature, to build upon new knowledge. As I paraphrase the lecturers, transfer happens at a subconscious level when the new knowledge to be learned is similar to that of the earlier learned knowledge. A good example of this is managing a campus budget. A principal must know how to allocate funds for a campus in a fiscally sound manner. A superintendent must see a broader picture and must be able to fiscally manage the entire district. A new superintendent takes with him/her the skills learned on the campus level and adds vision and prioritizing that comes from having to see things on a grander scale.
Leadership experience is required when transitioning from a principal position to a superintendent position much as teaching experience is required before one can become a good lead teacher or principal. It is much like crawling before you walk. The knowledge and skills learned in the leadership role are necessary prior to taking on the management role of the superintendency. It is my opinion that the leadership experience acquired also gives credibility and respect to the superintendency. Ideally as a principal, a leader has earned a respect as well as acquired skills that enable him or her to handle any problem that comes their way. This carries over to the needed ability to respond to varied situations as a superintendent.

Frustration

Mind if I vent? This is our last week of school. We have early release tomorrow and the kids and teachers are done! So I am thinking I will get to work on coursework today, then. Wrong...computer glitches have me at a standstill! Grrrrr..... I will get it figured out, though!