STANDARD TWO - Instructional Leadership
A. Focus on Learning and Teaching, Curriculum, Instruction and assessment: The school executive leads the discussion about standards for curriculum, instruction and assessment based on research and best practices in order to establish and achieve high expectations for students.
I provided training to the EC team on how to progress monitor and we worked on effective team building strategies to enhance the collaboration of the EC department. As a younger EC team who had not worked together for many years, building capacity within the team was vital this year. Incorporating opportunities for the staff to share what worked for them was most helpful and being able to provide examples as requested. I learned that our team has many strengths and needed the opportunity to showcase them through a structured PLC.
|
I am the testing coordinator for Cooper Academy and developed the testing plan for each local and state test given at the school. I created this website for easy one-stop access for all testing needs. As they year progressed, I found it was beneficial for staff to have all testing related information in one location and at their fingertips for help.
|
B. Focus on Instructional Time: The school executive creates processes and schedules which protect teachers from disruptions of instructional or preparation time.
Throughout the year, I performed walkthroughs at least twice a week to monitor the level of student engagement and the use of curriculum throughout the school. These walkthroughs provided me with a look at the needs in the classroom and allowed me to start conversations with teachers about the instruction that was taking place in the classrooms. Often teachers were grateful for the non-judgemental feedback and enjoyed having administration in the room more often.
|
In an effort to provide more efficient transitions for students and staff, a specific schedule was created to minimize instructional interruptions for students requiring specialized instruction. I developed and updated this plan many times throughout the year. This document was ever changing this year as the needs changed and required frequent adjustments. I learned quickly that people relied heavily on this support and helped to instill the value of time for all involved. I also learned to encourage the giving of grace on days when we were short staffed.
|