5397_Internship for Leadership - reflection
After completing
the ISTE NETS-A and Reflection on Practice of Leadership Skills, I have
identified areas of strength and where further study and practice is necessary
to continue my development as an administrator and technology instructional leader.
Areas of Strength
My strengths are in creating tech-infused
learning environments, modeling appropriate tech use with students, faculty and
stakeholders and in promoting the inclusion of technology in pedagogy. During
the course of my internship, I have stepped up my advocacy for using tech with
elementary students not only as a tool for learning, but also as a means to
connect with learners across the globe to share information and enhance
learning opportunities. I have increased my own “connectedness” and have
developed learning relationships with a diverse personal learning network. I
have been a proponent and go-to person for the district’s BYOD initiative and
helped facilitate implementation in various classrooms by collaborating to
create teacher/student agreements, lessons, and digital citizenship awareness. I
have developed a vision for technology on a small-scale in my own classroom and
shared that vision with as many people as possible. I recently began to work
with district administration to develop a new school focused on 21st
century skills, project-based learning, and ubiquitous technology. This gives
me an opportunity to show my strengths and work on areas of weakness.
I had to draw on a
variety of internship experiences as I worked through the questions aligned
with the 12 Major Skills outlined in School Leader Internship. After
working through these assessments, I see strengths as developing trusting relationships,
making quality decisions, motivating and developing others, supporting others
with appropriate leadership style, using power ethically and initiating change.
I have really worked to create effective working relationships with people,
even those who hold different philosophies. I’m finding that I can learn more
from diversity than through adversity. I know I have become more aware of how
decisions affect others and considerate of their opinions. One thing I have
added to my decision making process is to consciously think of the big picture.
I have been working more closely with colleagues to work on motivating and
developing others and have had some success in leading a change in their pedagogical
practices. Adopting a coaching and collaborative style has helped to develop
trusting relationships with these people. I take pride in leading with ethics. Even
in limited leadership roles it is paramount to be ethical. A leader may not
always be liked, but and ethical leader will always be respected. I try to keep
this in mind when thinking about leadership and the choices leaders make.
Areas of Study and Continued Practice
While reviewing
the NETS-A standards I identified strategic vision as an area needing
improvement largely due to the fact that I don’t have a lot of opportunity as a
self-contained classroom teacher to develop a vision for a building. I feel
that I have realized my vision in my own room and continue to work to scale-up
the vision to the building as a whole. I speak with my site supervisor often
and realize the challenges faced when attempting to change the way things have
always been. Developing strategies for leading change are priorities for me as
I continue learning the tasks of administration. Systemic improvement of
information and technology resources continues to be an area of weakness for
me. I am fortunate to be literally on the ground floor in the development of a
new school model for our district that will provide many opportunities to
practice this skill. Working on this project will also provide me with
opportunities to advocate for change in education as well as for technology
inclusion for the benefit of learners.
I identified areas
for improvement and personal growth while reviewing the 12 Major Skills in School
Leader Internship and found that those needing the most improvement aligned
with leading the realization of a vision, managing a positive culture and
climate and evaluating others. I see these skills as the most difficult to
practice without being in a building leadership role. To practice these skills,
I think about what I would do in a given situation. I speak with my site
supervisor daily and she has been helpful in sharing information which affords
me the opportunity to practice applying management, decision-making and leadership
skills. The other areas identified for improvement are those that I believe can
always be improved upon – communicating effectively, resolving conflict and
issues, and managing group processes. I doubt there will ever be a time when
absolute proficiency can be attained in these areas. Each communication,
interaction, and collaboration has its own particular issue and no two are
alike.
Conclusion
I conclude this
reflection with a plan for continuing to practice proficient skills and address
those in which I feel proficiency is still to come. I have been fortunate
during the course of this internship to be able to work with experienced
administrators on real problems with real consequences. Each opportunity has
provided me with meaningful learning experiences. For example, while working on
the budget review committee, I was involved in a strategic decision-making
process, communicating results, building consensus, leading change, using power
ethically, and dealing with conflict and issues. As I continue on with my internship,
I am fortunate to have another opportunity to take leadership during the development
of a new charter school. Reviewing the NETS-A and 12 Major Skills refocuses my
attention to the skills in need of further practice and awareness of the importance
of taking advantage of the opportunities present for practice and personal growth
