Leadership Program Reflection

1. Leadership Program Reflection Tara Kramer Georgia State University

2. Reflections on Coursework

3. EPEL 7000: Leadership in Educational Organizations • Leadership styles • Effectively implementing change • Mission and vision • Culture and climate of a school • Relationship building • Role of a principal

4. EPEL 7510: Issues in School Governance • History of education in Georgia • Formula for public school funding • School revenue and expenditures • Development of school board policy • Structure of federal, state, and local school governance • Research project on Rosenwald Schools

5. EPEL 7500: Human Resource Administration • Staff recruitment process • Interviewing potential staff members • Issues in organizational motivation • Staff development and performance evaluation • Compensation process • Research project on ethics in schools

6. EPEL 7330: School Law • Student and teacher freedom of expression • Academic freedom • Racial, ethnic, and sexual discrimination • Freedom of religion • Special education • The school’s responsibilities regarding child abuse and neglect • Due process and search and seizure • Teacher liability

7. EPSF 7450: Curriculum Foundations for Educational Leaders • Dewey’s theories and beliefs on curriculum • Expanding the curriculum to increase student interest and achievement • Curriculum in urban classrooms

8. EPEL 7410: Instructional Leadership • Instructional supervision in standards-based classrooms • Conducting teacher observations and developing professional development plans • Planning and implementing professional development • Mentoring and peer coaching • Action research and clinical supervision

9. Reflections on Leadership Practicum

10. GLISI Role 1: Data Analysis LeaderDemonstrates the ability to lead teams to analyze multiple sources of data to identify improvement needs, symptoms, and root causes. • Researched and wrote a profile of my school, detailing all relevant demographic and academic data • Analyzed GKAP-R data for all Kindergarten classes and set goals for student improvement • Routinely analyzed grade-level data from six-week math and language arts benchmark tests, and set goals for student improvement

11. GLISI Role 2: Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction LeaderDemonstrates the ability to implement a systems approach to instruction in a standards-based environment prioritizing curriculum standards, developing aligned assessments, and planning instruction to improve student achievement. • Served as staff representative for SST meetings • Served as a member of my school’s Design Team • Conducted classroom observations of multiple teachers • Developed new school-wide lesson plan template for use by all staff members • Participated in IEP meetings for individual students

12. GLISI Role 3: Performance LeaderDemonstrates the ability to strategically plan, organize, and manage school systems and processes necessary to improve student achievement. • Conducted focus walks on various instructional topics in an effort to identify areas where improvement is possible • Conducted and analyzed GAPSS classroom observations

13. GLISI Role 4: Operations LeaderDemonstrates the ability to effectively and efficiently organize resources, processes, and systems to support teaching and learning. • Developed master activity block schedule for school • Organized schoolwide textbook checks • Supervised morning bus duty and afternoon car rider duty to ensure safe arrival and departure of students

14. GLISI Role 5: Relationship LeaderDemonstrates the ability to identify and develop relationships among customer and stakeholder groups and communicate school goals and priorities focused on student learning. • Discussed Pre-K-to-Kindergarten transition with parents at Kindergarten Roundup • Presented results of GKAP-R data analysis to staff at after-school meeting • Created grade-level Kindergarten newsletter

15. GLISI Role 6: Process Improvement LeaderDemonstrates the ability to identify and map core processes and results to create action plans designed to improve student achievement. • Participated in post-planning team meeting to plan for upcoming school year • Developed plan to improve student tardiness rate • Assisted in planning Level I parent meeting

16. GLISI Role 7: Change LeaderDemonstrates the ability to drive and sustain change in a collegial environment focused on continuous improvement in student achievement. • Planned and implemented diversity lesson for No Place for Hate anti-bullying campaign • Interviewed prospective teachers for 2008-2009 school year • Attended ACTIVboard training class • Assisted with after-school tutorial

17. GLISI Role 8: Learning and Development LeaderDemonstrates the ability to guide the development of professional learning communities to develop leaders at all levels of the organization. • Attended and redelivered Social Studies textbook training • Attended and redelivered GSP Writing standards training • Facilitated book talk on small group instruction • Attended Better Seeking Teams Meetings

18. Final Thoughts on Leadership

19. I believe… • I believe in a student-centered philosophy of educational leadership, in which all actions are centered on the goal of helping all students achieve at their highest potential. • I believe effective leaders work to create a school culture built around learning, in which all faculty members have opportunities to learn and develop leadership skills.

20. I believe… • I believe effective leaders work to build schools focused on student learning and achievement. • I believe leaders must have multi-faceted leadership skills and the ability to evaluate a wide variety of situations in order to determine which of those skills are required. • I believe an effective leader must lead the school according to a mission and vision that are shared by all members of the school community.