Week 2 Reflection

After reading the discussion board in epic and talking with my site supervisor, I have decided to shift my focus from parental involvement to parent communication.  With the change of clientele at my school, I think it will be very beneficial to make a inquiry of their communication preferences.   I learned that it is important to create a specific question when engaging in action research.  This will help enable me to not have such a wide topic and focus on one area.

There were a few items in the Leading with Passion and Knowledge book that sparked my interest.

Principal as staff developer is an integral part of the concept of the principal as instructional leader. Pg. 32

It seems as a daunting task to be responsible of teacher and student learning.  However, I do believe that teachers should model and talk to students about their desire for life long learning through examples.  Last Monday, I was asking my students how their weekend was and I told them about my homework assignment.  In addition, I believe principals should show their commitment to life long learning to staff.  Principals should always come to teacher meetings with ideas, new educational trends, and questions to guide their solutions to problems.

National Staff Development Council www.nsdc.org Pg. 39

This website/organization is new to me.  I enjoyed looking around their website.  They have a section titled "Examining the Evidence, A database of research and reports on the links between professional learning and student success." You can get very specific results when searching the database.

It is people, not programs, that determine the quality of a school. Pg. 39

This is another example of how important it is to have top quality staff.  I think at times, we look for programs and other things to implement to get a change.  I like the KISS method.  We should first reflect and try a new avenue before implementing new programs.  Great teachers can capture any student.  Great instruction does not stem from dollar amounts or programs, it stems from teacher student relationships and creative teaching.

School culture undergirds everything teachers and students in a school say and do... Pg. 46

Creating the family atmosphere is important at any school.  Students need support from different angles and people/peers.  Negativity breeds fear and should be eliminated whenever possible.  Teachers/staff should be upbeat and engaged with their students to promote learning.

5 Practices of exemplary leaders -Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, Encourage the Heart. Pg. 52

I think these practices are equally important to each other.  Principals are the leaders and of their campus and must help foster the culture of their school.