This is a reflective paper that summarizes what the author learned over the course of his internship at a school. The principles of equity, diversity, unity, excellence, and continuous learning are some of the core values discussed throughout the paper. The educator examines what strengths he built upon over the course of his educational experience and explains how he will use them in his work as a school administrator.
Personal Reflection: Program Dispositions
My experiences over this course forced me to fundamentally re-examine what is meant by student equity, the first, fundamental concept of all of the program dispositions. Before, I had a relatively narrow understanding of equity as being 'parity.' Now I understand that equity does not mean treating all students the same, but rather it means having the insight to perceive individual student's needs yet the ability to unite them in a common curriculum. Equity means tailoring student learning experiences while still keeping in mind the ideal of a high-quality education for all.
As well as having teachers who take the time to get to know their students, it is also essential to have regular screening mechanisms in place to assess students and ensure that every child's education is up to a certain standard. The concept of equity is thus critically linked to the course disposition concepts of scholarship and diversity and unity. The disposition of 'scholarship' underlines the need for objective, data-driven evidence about 'what works' and what does not work in educational settings. Using quantitative statistics can actually be very helpful in fostering unity, given that it is an objective rather than a subjective measurement of student success that cannot be argued with, unlike personal feelings. However, it is still important to use anecdotal evidence in constructing school policy and lesson plans because certain aspects of human experience cannot be fully encapsulated by numbers alone.
With this course in mind, I will thus place an emphasis on positive student assessment, but use a variety of instruments and types of feedback to make decisions as a leader. Teachers and parents must be actively involved in the process of assessment. This will encourage 'buy in' in terms of any changes of policy and will ensure staff members become committed to any changes which must transpire. The core elements of leadership are often referred to as influence, empowerment, creating a viable process, and fostering an inner circle (Adamek, 2007). As a leader, it is important to set high ideals regarding equity and student standards and take proactive steps to empower educators to become involved with curriculum development and truly understand student strengths and weaknesses. Teachers should feel empowered to take individual actions to suit the needs of students when necessary in the classroom but be fully aware of the needed learning objectives students must obtain. This is accomplished by creating a process in which leadership decisions can be disseminated effectively, such as through teacher-administrator meetings and dialogue. All members of the organization should feel as if they are a part of a core, tight inner circle of persons committed to the same goals.
Good leaders are able to foster change: given the ever-shifting nature of the demands placed upon students, there is no single program or approach that will work well for all students, all of the time. I better understand the value of the disposition of lifelong learning, which stresses that all great educators and educational leaders are students. Only if prospective leaders strive to be learners is excellence -- another course disposition -- possible. And like learning itself, achieving excellence is a continual struggle of setting a higher and higher standard. A good leader always asks "what more can we do" even while he takes the time to praise people for the successes and gains they have made.
My mentor, Mr. Gary Williams, the principal of my school, PS 180, stressed the importance of cultivating positive relationships which strive to build people's esteem up, not break their self-worth down. Although disagreements are inevitable, any disputes must always be appear to be about the issue, not be located in personal ire. Excellence is always the goal, although there may be disagreement about how to achieve it from time to time.
You’re 81% through this paper. Sign up to read the full paper.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.