Teacher Reflection

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The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Leadership Program’s Management and Learning Environment Course is the most dense and challenging course to date. The California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL) simply states, “Education Leaders manage the organization to cultivate a safe and productive learning and working environment.” However, when our cohort starts to dig deep into the standard; it is anything but simple. A new principal’s success is dependent upon their ability to build a shared vision, implement policies and procedures to facilitate group goals, lead stakeholders to determine what good teaching looks like and develop systems to maintain high expectations while identifying gaps in performance,…show more content…
Upon reflection, I can see why this resonates with me so intensely. It has taken me a long time to uncover what commonality the highly effective inspirational educators in my life have shared. “The Heart of a Teacher Identity and Integrity in Teaching” written by Parker J. Palmer asserts, “Good teachers possess a capacity for connectedness. They are able to weave a complex web on connections among themselves, their subject, and their students so that students can learn to weave a world for themselves. The methods used by these weavers vary widely…The connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods but in their hearts…” (Palmer, 1998, p. 244). I believe that this applies to effective administrators as well. Administrators must build strong relationships with all stakeholders. Without strong relationships, a principal cannot effectively develop and implement a shared vision, shape a collaborative culture of teaching and learning, informed by professional standards, cultivate a safe and productive learning and working environment, or collaborate with families and other stakeholders to address diverse student and community interests (California Professional Standards for Education Leaders). An effective leader in education can only accomplish these things if they behave professionally, with ethics…show more content…
As in the classroom, it is essential to be proactive versus reactive and corrective/supportive versus punitive. It is essential that quality professional development is provided and revisited with additional supports if necessary. Such as, peer observation or modeling through instructional rounds, coaching, or other networking opportunities with colleagues. A multi-tiered system of supports should be provided so teachers can meet the agreed upon standards when a gap is identified. Principals must carve out the time to be supportive, provide timely feedback, and gauge success; individually and collectively. If we would like our outcomes to change, then we must change the way in which we do

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