Motivation and Culturally-Responsive Instruction
Shadowing a Student
This I Believe...Now I Believe...
Observing and Supervising Instruction
Reflections on Educational Beliefs, Teaching, and Supervision:
What are the relationships among educational beliefs, teaching, and instructional supervision?
(Brief-think of this as a prewrite for your final paper)
The AWSP Leadership Framework User’s Guide states that, “Principals need to know strong instruction when they see it, …encourage it when they don’t, and to set the conditions for continuous academic learning among their professional staffs.”(AWSP Leadership Framework User’s Guide, pg 3). This is why I believe in the power of collegial schools-schools that are always studying teaching and learning, setting common priorities, making decisions about internal changes and resource allocations, and assessing effects on student learning. In order for collegial schools to be high achieving, democratic characteristics of inclusion, integration, and internalization must be embedded in the shared leadership practices of the administration and school leadership teams!
ReplyDeletePart One
ReplyDelete“Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
I believe your reputation and integrity are everything.
Be impeccable with your word. Being impeccable with your word requires constant vigilance and at times uncomfortable silence. Our words have the power to motivate, create and devastate. Our words must align with our intent and our clarity is key to convey a message. Above all under promise and over deliver as your word is the foundation for trust. A promise broken is many times irreparable.
Leaders with integrity walk the walk. Our actions must match our words. This take courage at times as having integrity during the sunshine is much easier to have integrity through the stormy times. Saying NO when a no is needed is vital to showing your honor. Integrity means going to the pressure and doing what is right despite the hardships that may arise.
I believe that if you want to go fast you go alone, but if you want to go far you go together.
Building positive relationships is at the heart of this work. Trust is an integral part of this process. Trust is an individual's or group's willingness to be vulnerable to another party based on the confidence that the latter party is benevolent, reliable, competent, honest, and open. Benevolence is confidence that one's well-being or something one cares about will be protected by the trusted party... the assurance that others will not exploit one's vulnerability or take advantage even when the opportunity is available. Reliability is consistency and the belief that one's needs are being met. Honesty is character, integrity, and authenticity and not shifting blame on others.
Key is to believe that leadership is action not position. Distributive and shared leadership requires empowerment and encouragement for all stakeholders to develop leadership skills. Our teachers, bus-drivers, para-educators, staff, students and families having opportunities to learn and to share their strengths as leaders. Everyone is a novice and an expert. We all have something to teach and something to learn from another. Moral authority not positional autority.
Buy-in is not the answer. Buy-in is a superfluous state of being. It is compliance not a shared vision or understanding of where we are going. Instead, we must have voice heard in all decision-making and systems-building. I believe in providing numerous opportunities to share and learn together to create a system that builds capacity of all.
All members should have ongoing opportunities to share their voice. This does not mean every decision is democratic, it means everyone's input is valued. Use the informal and formal power in a school community to work together for the purpose of student achievement as opposed to working against change or administration or each other. Together we go far.
Part Two
DeleteI believe that what matters is measured and what is rewarded repeats.
Legendary basketball coach, John Wooden, once stated, “Anyone who fails to prepare is preparing to fail.” A Comprehensive School Improvement Plan is that preparation. It is both the vision and the plan. It may not change the whole world, but most assuredly it can change a school, and most importantly make a difference in the life of children.
Yet, a plan is only a plan….. the plan needs to be ingrained in our day to day work. The plan needs to be created by all the stakeholders working collectively to focus on student achievement. Collecting and analyzing data will tell us about our current state. What trends to we see? What is the data not telling us? These questions must be looked at through the lenses of student learning, demographics, perception and process. Improvement cannot happen on accident (Even a broken clock is correct two times a day.) The data should lead to questions to determine the root causes of our current reality. What are adult and student practices that need to be examined?
Above all provide the system with alternate learning experiences to model the feeling of success. Make these small successes visible and irresistibly alluring!
I believe in a relentless focus on instructional improvement
We must have goals that are specific and strategic, measurable, attainable, relevant and results-based and time bound (SMART). From those goals we must identify how we will get there. What research-based actions and strategies will we use for core, intervention and enrichment? What job-embedded professional development will our educators needs to support our students? How will we implement these strategies and who will be responsible for this implementation and monitoring this implementation? We must build capacity and share the responsibility of high-quality learning for all students.
Once we have identified the actions and strategies we will use how will we monitor and determine which evidence is needed to know if we were successful? What evidence will be needed to determine adult and student success? How will we know that ALL students learned not ALL students are taught?
Once we have set this stage, the implementation work begins. How will we operationalize? How will we support are teachers and staff? What job-embedded professional development will be provided to meet the varied needs of teachers? How will we monitor the ongoing progress of this implementation?
I believe in a school culture where ALL members are supported in continuous learning and growth.
A school culture is about the promotion of continuous learning for ALL stakeholders. As lead learner and principal teacher, my role is to create systems and time for educators to work on the cycle of inquiry and reflect on problems of practice. It is imperative to create a safe environment where risks - for the purpose of student achievement- are valued and mistakes are seen as failing forward. It is a leaders responsibility to model this risk-taking and to continuously focus all discussions back to student -centered learning.
Reciprocal accountability is key. As a leader, I must provide organizational capacity in which to support my team with the skills and support that is needed. For every performance we demand from a principal or teacher or student, we have a responsibility to provide the support and the capacity for each member to meet that responsibility. There is no time to posture or blame. We must all be the change agents working towards the same goal.
My three core educational beliefs reflect back to the philosophy of Servant Leadership. I believe the role of an instructional leader is to serve students, staff, families and the surrounding community. When you are truly serving others, building genuine relationships and creating effective systems is natural because the needs of others always comes first. Servant Leadership means you will do whatever is necessary to make sure others succeed. The question, “How can I help my staff, students and teachers develop and grow in their abilities?” continually guides your decisions. As a true Servant Leader, credit for that success is always reflected back to those you are serving. It is a selfless view of leadership that I have come to realize mirrors the core values in which I was raised and how my husband and I have chosen to raise our own children.
ReplyDeleteMy three basic educational beliefs that reflect back to the core of Servant Leadership are: Positive Relationships, Everyone is a Learner and Capacity Building.
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
I believe the forming and cultivating of positive relationships to be the first and foremost foundational belief. The existence of positive relationships becomes the support for the other two beliefs and allows for growth to be sustained through difficult and systematic changes. Building and maintaining positive and authentic relationships with those around us is essential for success. It is imperative that you get to know those who you are working with. You need to be aware of their strengths, struggles, accomplishments and challenges - both personally and professionally. The same is true of the students we serve. If students, staff, families and the community at large do not have relationships with each other and those who are serving their children, then success will be hindered. There needs to be a human connection. James Comer stated that, “No significant learning can occur with a significant relationship.”
EVERYONE IS A LEARNER
It is not simply a question of whether every child can learn, but really that every child (or person for that matter) is a learner. Perhaps not every child comes to school having learned what educators hold to be pertinent, but they have most definitely learned. “How are students intelligent?” needs to be the question that is addressed (Ginsberg, 2015). Everybody is intelligent in his or her own way. As educators, our relationships with individual students, staff members and parents will be the key to helping them realize how to utilize their strengths to ensure success. As educators, we need to constantly be aware of Gardner’s multiple intelligences: Linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist. These multiple intelligences, which connect closely to learning styles, should be in the forefront of our thoughts during instruction, teacher coaching and professional development. Allowing for and acknowledging various intelligences and learning styles will ensure that each individual is able to grow and build on previous learning. We always want to ask, “What do you know?” and use that knowledge as a starting point and a guide for extended learning. Capacity should never be limited. As leaders, we should continually build on existing capacity, which leads to my 3rd belief.
CAPACITY BUILDING
ReplyDeleteAs stated in the beginning, educational leaders are meant to serve others. It is the job of an educational leader to help others become better at their jobs, whether that be a staff member, student, parent or community member. People need to believe in their ability to be successful. As leaders, we are entrusted with the power of encouraging others so that they all hold that belief of themselves. As an instructional leader, it is imperative that we work to build capacity in our staff. “In the past decade, a host of research has suggested that the decisive determinant of whether students will learn is not school technology, nor building logistics nor administrative funding, but the presence or absence of high-quality instruction (Bambrick-Samtoyo, 2012).” It is our duty to go alongside our staff and support them in whatever way necessary so that they can be successful in the classroom. This includes relevant and continuous professional development, feedback, and data analysis that is focused on student progress.
These three educational beliefs reflect back to the core of my leadership philosophy which centers on Servant Leadership. As an educational leader, we are charged with ensuring success in those around us through the building and maintaining of positive relationships, helping others see their strengths, intelligences and learning styles and aligning instruction accordingly as well as building capacity so that everyone is achieving at their highest level. My hope is that this will create a new generation of servant leaders, allowing the cycle of success to continue.
I believe it takes a village to raise a child. In education that is collegiality and collective action. The principal is the facilitator, balancer,inquirer, learner, and leader. As an instructional supervisor, the principals job is to communicate and foster relationships, empower teacher leaders, provide time for planning, evaluation, and collaboration.
ReplyDeleteMy educational beliefs are grounded in what I believe to be the three cornerstones of educational leadership; positive relationships established through trust and respect, systems that serve, and building capacity for culturally responsive and motivationally intrinsic teaching and learning at high levels.
ReplyDeleteNothing happens accidentally. Building positive relationships is the most important job of an administrator and trust is the foundation of successfully running a building where all students are learning at high levels. I come back to two favorite quotes; “Every interaction is an interview,” and “of the thousands of interactions that you have each day, you may only have one interaction with that person.” Make it memorable. Bringing community members on board, working endlessly in the dirt with staff, students, and district to support, promote, and lead. “Everybody deserves somebody to make them look forward to tomorrow.” The people in a building make the programs great, it’s not the programs. It is the deposits in the moral bank accounts, with no intention of making withdrawals. In all things be transparent, and operate with integrity honesty.
For schools to operate effectively, the systems in place need to serve the needs of the staff and students in them. Aligning the resources of a building to the mission and vision by developing systems for positive behavior supervision, systems for intervention and differentiated instruction to happen fluidly, and professional development that supports the staff. Systems in a school promote balance, equity for each student, and every staff member. Systems that serve promote the laser beam focus on the end goal, student achievement. For the purpose of...
Building capacity in our staff, students, and community members is a life-long process. In order to build capacity you must get to know the staff, students and community members and know them well by their name, strength, and need. These are the starting points for identifying the teacher leaders, and building a core leadership team that supports the vision and mission. Understanding the needs of the community will guide your decisions with students and parents, and will help you make decisions that will support them best. “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou)
With these three foundations in place, a building will continue to be forward thinking, proactive not reactive, and continuing to focus on student achievement with no room for complacency. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
“The principal of a successful school is not the instructional leader but the coordinator of teachers as instructional leaders.” Glickman,1991
ReplyDeleteEffective instructional supervision is a formative practice. It creates a collaborative culture between administration and teachers. It assists with generating a shared understanding and clarity of educational beliefs. Through intentional and candid collaboration a natural occurrence of professional development emerges promoting teacher professional growth. Clear and effective professional development guides classroom instruction and positively impacts student access, engagement and learning.
In order for a tricycle to work well all three wheels need to be in working order. If a wheel is off, it impacts the functionality of the tricycle. Educational beliefs, teaching, and instructional supervision is like a tricycle. If any one of these elements is not functioning well it will be challenging to move forward and student achievement will be more difficult to obtain. By supporting and nurturing a clear understanding of educational beliefs, teaching, and instructional supervision, teachers and administrators can work collectively to support student engagement and learning.
Potential
ReplyDeleteI believe one of the greatest pursuits in education is empowering people to access their potential. This happens in numerous ways with all stakeholders; students, staff, parents, and administrators. You see, in the paradigm of education there are always opportunities for growth in the midst of continually moving targets, and unpredictable outcomes and responses from people. I believe this is the foundation of a growth mindset in education.
Evolving educational standards, for the sake of student improvement, college and career readiness, and ultimately being able to compete in a global market, introduces new challenges each time a shift occurs. In fact, education has never settled for very long on a set of educational outcomes, has never arrived at a final destination of proficiency standards. This being the case, students, teachers, and administrators are encouraged to grab a hold of the newest adoption through the perspective of growth…accessing more potential. The growth mindset perceives increased rigor in standards as an invitation to make students more capable and adept to handle the increasing rigor of society, technology, and employment market in general. When students are lead in an effective and empowering way, they will rise to the challenge. It is part of human nature. However, the premise for leading starts with an invitation to follow. The key aspect of empowering students to access their potential is – what does the invitation look like?
Students are presented with an opportunity to pursue their academic potential when they are asked to consider whether they have been taught foundational skills that can be built upon to access higher levels of thinking and learning, whether someone has instilled in them a confidence to persevere, whether they have been given safe opportunities to fail, followed by encouragement to choose determination and let that be the deciding factor of their potential. What kind of invitations have our students been presented with?
Teachers are presented with an opportunity to pursue their instructional potential when they are asked to consider what their “invitation” to students will be; at the beginning of the year, during conferences, in the midst of formative assessments, and from day-to-day. Teachers are asked to consider whether their invitation is compelling, compelling enough for even the least of these? Furthermore, what invitations have been extended to our educators to access professional development? Are teachers being empowered to lead our students to access success and growth?
Administrators are presented with an opportunity to pursue their instructional leadership potential when they are asked to consider what their invitation to teachers will be to build their skill set capacity. Administrators are tasked with the very dynamic work of orchestrating opportunities for teachers to engage in PLCs, pursue professional learning opportunities, and intentionally reflect on their teaching practice for the sake of improvement.
I believe all of these invitations are founded on the cornerstone of relationship and rapport; students with teachers, teachers with administrators, and students with administrators. The invitation to pursue one’s potential has the power to be effective when the foundational relationship is built on trust, acceptance, and understanding. Communication is the primary catalyst for such a relationship to develop and grow; asking relevant questions, listening well, and validating through understanding. Once an empathetic trust is developed, I believe the invitation to pursue potential is authentic, as both sides have a mutual concern for the other’s growth, success, and well being.
When I reflect on my views on my educational beliefs I go back to what we have talked about in multiple classes; build relationships, creating systems that serve and building capacity of your staff, and throughout all three of these a drive for all means all.
ReplyDeleteAs a new staff member in a building I can see the preexisting relationships of the various staff members and how that relationship allows things between certain staff members to remain unsaid things just get done because of past knowledge or practice. But what are we doing to make sure that we are getting that information passed on to all the new staff members? As an administrator I need to make sure that I am actively building relationships with all staff members. These relationships can then help me later to better work with each person knowing them as an individual both as a teacher and learner, finding connections between us so that conversations can be relevant and productive. In showing that I care about each staff member I am also showing them that I care about them and what is going on in each of their lives. This intern becomes my expectation of the way that they treat each of their students as well.
Building systems that effectively serve helps support each person in our building. Systems could be as simple as how to fill out time sheets or ordering things, or more complicated things around how PLC’s expectations. In looking at the daily life of our staff, are the systems that have been put in place effective and beneficial or are they cumbersome and time consuming? I need to make sure that how things are expected to be done is transparent so that all staff are operating with the same understanding, not just staff that have been in the building for many years. This also means that we don’t leave systems in place just because that is the way that they have been done in the past. If there isn’t a valid reason for a system, or if the system isn’t serving the needs of the staff or students then it needs to be looked at and fixed.
Building the capacity of our staff from in is the best way to improve a school. After I have built the relationships with the all of the staff I can then use the understanding gained to help each of them become better at what they do. This isn’t just getting staff to do new or additional things to take a load off someone else’s plate, this is truly helping each person become better at what they do. In doing so, each member can feel valued and know that I really do care for them and want what is best for them.
All means all is a belief that runs through everything I do. I am not here for just some of the staff, I am here for all of the staff. I am not here for some of the students I am here for all of the students. I believe that many times we make decisions that are good for some students, or groups of students, but then leave others out either intentionally or unintentionally. The point of education isn’t for some students, it is for all students.
I believe in being a: LEADER (all educators have this capacity!)
ReplyDeleteLife-Long Learner
Effective Communicator
Advocate for ALL Students
Data Driven Leader who focuses on GROWTH
Engineer of Instruction & Professional Development
Relationship builder
The beginning of my Leadership platform:
ReplyDeleteI believe good leaders bring out the best in others, students, teachers, staff and parents. We all play huge roles in a child’s life, academically and socially. As we are working toward making a difference in a child’s life it is important for good educational leaders to develop and sustain positive working relationships.
I believe in continued growth and achievement. Part of my core beliefs include lifelong learning. I went back to college when I was 36 to get a bachelor’s degree. Many of the teachers I work with are much younger, however much more experienced teachers. Now as a graduate student, I am 43 years old and I am in classes with teachers with much more experience than myself. I feel like that gives me a unique perspective of what it means to be willing to learn and change. I also realize that is not how everyone thinks or believes. Encouraging growth and change is important in our world of education, being an example of that is helpful in leading others.
As an instructional leader, I believe that…
ReplyDelete1) Relationships come first.
This means that I will need to be intentional on building and encouraging positive relationships among staff, students, parents and community members. This effort must be purposeful as sometimes, positive relationships do not happen naturally amount all stakeholders. In my supervision of teachers, I believe that every staff member needs to feel known and supported in order to grow in their role. I also believe that time must be spent learning and understanding the culture of the kids that we serve so that our instruction can connect and motivate all learners.
2) Schools must exist to educate the whole child
All decisions and reflection circles around the question, “how will this improve student learning and development? Teaching kids virtues, social skills, empathy, fitness, music, arts, etc. will be held to the same importance as reading and math.
3) We (PLC’s, leaders, families, etc) should always be looking at multiple measures of student growth as a measure of success in our instruction and support.
As a leader, I hope to instill and support a culture of ALL means ALL within our school. I hope to enable educators to help all kids achieve high standards of learning and growth through a high quality instruction.
4) Collaboration improves learning and the culture of a school
In a supervisory role, I must provide time and context for meaningful collaboration to take place. The leadership at the school must also teach effective collaboration and problem solving strategies.
5) Data should influence decision making.
As an instructional leader, I hope to help teachers use meaningful data to guide their inquiry. I believe that there must be effective systems in place to support this inquiry cycle.
6) The principal must be the instructional leader.
One of my most important roles is developing the capacity of the people in our school. I must be model lifelong learning and create opportunities for them to do the same. Professional Development must be purposeful and support the data backed needs of our kids.
7) Systems should support kids, not adults.
That’s pretty self-explanatory but surprisingly difficult to do.
8) Mission and Vision
My goodness, this is my favorite one. There HAS to be a vision that support the decision making in your school. It is the backbone of a school. Without it, a school is ineffective. A mission guides the work and effects real change. Everyone in that school must know and support the mission and vision. Teachers, support staff, kids, parents alike.
ReplyDeleteOur values drive the manner in which we live each day. Every we step we take is a statement of those values. In education our values may be challenged and questioned but what really matters to our hearts will not waiver. Our core beliefs define who we are and how we will impact the world. What we believe is intertwined intimately with teaching and instructional supervision. As a Tim follower my core values have similarities with what our district values. My three core values are; empower each child, foster positive relationships, and practice servant leadership.
Empower each child. I believe in nurturing the whole child. This drives the way I teach and mentor others in the profession. Every child has a story to be heard and every child is comprised of unique pieces that make them who they are. These pieces are to be celebrated and respected. It is our job to listen with intent and work to understand what that child needs to be successful. We are there to facilitate the learning experience while cultivating student ownership. We need to ensure that we are focusing on providing equity in the educational experience. To create access for all children we need to listen to student needs and meet them where they are. To me, it isn’t about ensuring children meet all common core state standards, it is about instilling self-confidence. My goal each day in the classroom is to let our students know they are believed in, cared for, valued, unique, and capable. I want them to know they can achieve anything and should be proud of who they are.
Positive Relationships are everything. Developing positive relationships between students, stakeholders, and staff has to be our first priority if we are to build a system that serves. Students want to feel cared for and valued by the people in their world. Educators need to dedicate time to working on relationships and listening to our students. Investing in understanding our students as individuals significantly improves our behavioral management and instruction. Embedding relationship building strategies within our practice can make a world of difference in student achievement. As educational leaders, we also need to remember that every interaction is an opportunity to make a statement of how we operate and lead. Just like in our classrooms, taking the time to build positive relationships with our team promotes our professional growth. Meaningful collaboration can happen in a culture where everyone feels respected and valued. Through positives relationships we can begin to work on shared ownership and work towards making a difference for our students. As Tim would say we must move to a culture of We, Us, Our if we are to make real progress.
Servant leadership. Being an effective leader means you are there to listen, support, and show empathy. I believe it is our job to acknowledge the perspectives of others and come along side to attain shared and personal goals. My favorite part of this journey is that I am able to help others grow in their practice. As a servant leader I am committed to the growth of others. Through the evaluative process we are able to engage in discussion focused on improvement. I appreciate the language of the framework and how we can systematically help teachers move from one area of the rubric to another. Although I am focused on the growth of others, I believe being a servant leader means being transparent in your personal growth and goals. I want to be clear with the areas I am working on as well and hopefully lower anxiety. Being open with my practice hopefully with serve as a model for others.
As an educational leadership member at my school it is important to have my own vision and beliefs when it comes to teaching and educational supervision. I also have to make sure that the beliefs I share can fit with the vision of the school and the administrative team that is in place. Ideally we share a common vision and purpose. If the vision is not similar then there will be conflict in the team that can cause greater problems for the staff and students within the building.
ReplyDeleteI believe that all students can and want to learn. I believe that teachers are the primary reason that students are successful. This comes from creating an educational environment that supports student choice and inquiry. There are high expectations and high levels of involvement from students, staff and the community. I have seen that the more that members of your community can be in the school the more the community will respond to the needs of students and the school because they recognize a common interest. I believe that instructional supervision does not stop at the classroom door. This supervision needs to translate into the twenty-first century workplace for both student and teachers to grow and meet the changing demands of a complex world.
I believe that specific, measureable, and timely feedback is necessary in order to make decisions. Data also drives the decision making process, as does funding. I believe we often over think decisions and fail to apply basic and best practices to situations that can be addressed in a short amount of time.
I also believe in creating a culture of supervision that allows teachers the opportunity to watch each other teach. This requires a true commitment from everyone but allows teachers to receive feedback from a non-evaluator while at the same time allowing teachers to grow their own practice by seeing others strengths and weaknesses.
I'm enjoying reading your comments and thoughts as you begin to crystallize your beliefs around your leadership platform. Remember, your challenge is to go beyond leadership and to think about the importance of supervision in changing the learning conditions on behalf of all children, particularly those who find themselves on the wrong side of the achievement gap. I am not seeing the importance of culturally responsive instruction, motivation theory, or supervision (Glickman, Fink and Markholt) reflected in your writings. Be thinking about how you are going to tie this all together for your final reflection and poster session.
ReplyDeleteWhat is HOPE? Is it goal-setting? Is it telling students that they can’t do something because of their academic weakness? Is hope for only some students and not others? Is it for students to reach their dreams or achievements on their own? I believe that hope is the future, the unknown, but it’s the possibility for our students. The idea that there is more to life than what they have now. As educators, the future is something that we can support, inspire, and guide our students to believe in and themselves! My educational beliefs support students’ dreams and goals for their future.
ReplyDeleteWe must start with building relationships, as it is the utmost important! A leader must cultivate a caring, collaborative working and learning environment that supports all stakeholders. One who makes meaningful connections with the learning community that are sincere, authentic, and culturally-responsive. A person who honors individuals’ ideas, builds on their strengths, and listens to their needs & wants will earn trust. Trust is also established by building systems that serve. When teaching and supervising, we (leaders) must ask ourselves how I can better this situation or learning environment. Does our system of support provide what our students and teachers need? How can we better this situation with the time and resources we have? Remembering that serving others follows the rule, “do onto others as you’d like done onto you.” Going the extra mile makes a lasting impression and has an even larger pay-off…trust, integrity, and connectedness. A leader who will walk beside you is one that supports, models, and guides individuals to reach their potential.
As a leader, once you’ve built meaningful relationships and systems that serve, then can you build student and teacher capacity. The school community is full of learners and teachers. It is one that fosters the love of learning by taking risks, the willingness to challenge oneself, accept a mistake, and the notion that failure isn’t bad. As the building leader, we must model what learning looks like, put yourself out there to be critiqued, ask for feedback, and evolve our practice. Teachers must do the same for their students. Instructional supervision and feedback is a learning process that grows our students’ future. Learn to accept that we aren’t perfect and that learning is a cyclical cycle. We promote and inspire the HOPE for all learners in our school community.
My educational beliefs seem to change weekly, but the theme seems to stay the same and they are obviously built around my values. Whether my beliefs are based on a positive attitude, commitment to excellence, or building strong and genuine relationships I will always believe that every student in our school has the capacity to learn and do great things. Consequently, it is also my responsibility to establish this culture within our staff and school building. Throughout this process it will be my duty to educate our entire staff on learning about and respecting the multitude of backgrounds and cultures that our students bring to us each day. Margery Ginsberg gives us a solid foundation of learning to begin this process of changing mindsets and taking our growth to another level, especially in the midst of the increasing amount of ELL students across every school district. Through intentional professional development and continuous encouragement, culturally responsive techniques will become a natural part of every classroom environment throughout our building. Furthermore, as an observer and evaluator of teachers I have the unique ability to change instruction as a school leader. Walking alongside our staff to build capacity, teamwork, and a commitment to each child will have an immediate impact on our school atmosphere and academic success. When students notice administrators and teachers working collaboratively they instinctively become more involved in their education and are willing to take more risks, regardless of ability level. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that students will flourish in an environment where all staff demonstrate an authentic interest in them as individuals rather than just another student sitting at a desk.
ReplyDelete