This leadership platform explains my personal beliefs about education. It includes my own experiences as a student - including 10 years overseas - and describes how I came to be an educator. My experiences as a student and teacher have shaped me into the leader that I currently am. I am excited about what I have learned through this MA in Educational Leadership Program thus far. It’s my hope that I will be able to implement many of the great lessons that I have learned along the way and make a positive impact in students’ lives.
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Curriculum and Instruction
I believe that teachers should have ample freedom in selecting effective curriculum and should tailor instruction so that it is most effective for their students. This means that instruction should be done through a variety of methodologies and using a variety of tools. I believe this because I have seen what happens when books are purchased for the school with no input from the teachers. Teachers are expected to utilize books that are not the best teaching tool and end up supplementing with other materials to be effective. Administration can support the learning process by treating teachers as professionals and placing high value on their input regarding instructional material. I am excited that technology is moving us away from textbooks. But, many schools - including my own - will be slower to change. Choosing good core textbooks is still critical and needed in our program. In regards to instruction itself, I know that mentorship is powerful. When I became an Adult Ed instructor there was no formal mentoring program available. I observed seasoned teachers and asked a lot of questions. Teachers now have the benefit of participating in a BTSA program or being assigned a mentor teacher. In summary, most teachers want what’s best for their students. This means that they will want the best tools to do the job. Administration should support this and also support mentorship for new teachers and continued Professional Development for all teachers. This will help ensure that teachers “Sharpen their saws” and are effective at their craft. Community and Family Involvement Having community volunteer tutors has made a huge difference to our program. Our partnership with Laubach Literacy Council of San Diego has benefited our school, teachers, and students. Volunteers are trained through Laubach, then placed with students who need extra help. The volunteers are able to give extra attention to Beginning Literacy students twice a week. Their partnership with our program is invaluable. Since I am in an Adult Ed program, I am substituting “family” for “parent”. I believe that family plays a strong role in how quickly a student progresses in our program. I believe this because I have seen students with supportive families flourish and those without support flounder. This week a concerned husband came to tell me how smart his wife - my new student - is, but that she is shy. I told him that the best thing he can do is speak English at home so she gets extra practice. He nodded in agreement. I explained that we had an additional Distance Learning class that could be beneficial. He thanked me. Families can support the student by: respecting their class time, encouraging their learning, asking what they learned during class, helping them at home with any homework, and speaking English with the student at home. In summary, support from family makes a vital difference in how quickly a student progresses in our program - not only for the reasons listed above, but also for building up students self-confidence. In El Cajon, where it is possible to conduct your day-to-day business in Arabic, a lack of confidence is a major barrier for our EL students. If they don’t feel confident, they won’t step out and try to communicate in English. School Discipline My belief is that most students want to be successful in learning and are respectful of the classroom environment. Therefore, they are less likely to be disruptive or disrespectful. This has been my experience with adult learners in my school and in community college. Adult students recognize the importance of learning English in relation to reaching other goals - college, helping their families, employment, etc. I believe this because in my 9 years of classroom experience, I can count on one hand the number of disciplinary problems I’ve had. In my class, after I’ve addressed the problem and it continues; the student goes to the principal. Depending on the outcome, they may return to class, be transferred to another teacher, or in serious cases expelled from our program. I also believe that a good teacher is a good classroom manager. He or she should be able to take care of most problems before they become serious. If it is not easily fixed by a short meeting; administration should be there to support the best decision for the situation. In summary, as long as Student Expectations are clear and teachers are connecting with and inspiring students, discipline problems should be rare. However, if they arise, there should be set protocol in place to address disciplinary issues. Technology My belief is that all students should become proficient with technology and using technology in their learning is critical. I believe this because well…. look around you. Smart phones are the norm, not the exception. According to one statistic, In 2014, “84% of U.S. households own a computer.” (Census: Computer Ownership, 2015) Technology is embedded in our lives. Technology is also embedded in virtually every job worldwide. If we are preparing our students for employment, they will need to be adept at using technology. Schools are an appropriate place for them to hone their skills. But, our teachers should be qualified to teach with and about technology. If they’re not, administration should provide Professional Development to help build their skills. In summary, technology should be embraced by educators and used in classrooms. Because of my beliefs, I bring my students to the computer lab four hours a week. We do word processing, students learn on ESL websites and YouTube. I maintain a Facebook page for my students and am currently building a website to share resources with them. Additionally, I use the Remind app to communicate with students. I’m only scratching the surface and I’m eager to learn other ways to incorporate technology into the classroom. Resource Census: Computer ownership, internet connection varies widely across U.S. (2014, September 19). Retrieved October 7, 2015. As a school leader there are three things that are non-negotiable for me. First, the school where I lead needs to be safe for teachers, students, and guests. We will have lock-down drills and closed-campus drills to know how to deal with any physical threats. The facilities will be upgraded, maintained, and cleaned as needed so that they are safe for students. I have zero tolerance for unsafe classroom or office interactions. No disrespectful actions between staff members and students will be tolerated, including sexual harassment. Students will learn to respect others’ differences regardless of country of origin, religion, gender, language, etc.
My second non-negotiable is that school is a place where students’ needs come first. This is done through being an active and productive Professional Learning Community. It will be a community that continually looks at what we are doing as staff and how we can better meet the needs of students. We need to be open to feedback from students, parents, community members, and other stakeholders. We will set goals and celebrate victories as we achieve them. My third non-negotiable is that learning and training is for everyone. Instead of doing Professional Development to turn a form, PD should be focused, what was learned should be shared, and it should have a direct/positive impact on students. This applies to the principal, teachers, office clerks, and all staff members. Our business is teaching to improve ourselves. We should model that learning is important by putting our money where our mouths are. I would definitely fall into the “Democratic” Leadership style. I value shared decision making. As a leader, I would see my teachers as equals as well as part of my team. We would set goals together and develop a plan to work toward those goals. (Green, 2013, p. 31) From my years of teaching experience, I know that a top-down approach would not be well-received. This Democratic style involves teachers in decision-making and shows respect for their professional opinions. I would encourage group interaction, team work, and good communication.
I most identify with the “Distributive Leadership” Theory which states that “All members of the faculty should play a role in addressing decisions, especially if they have to implement them or will be held accountable for the outcome.” As a new leader, I would identify the strengths of the staff members. I would leverage their strengths for the betterment of the school. I would provide mentors, training, and resources to build up existing leaders and those who have an interest in becoming a leader. I would create a team of leaders to carry out tasks and help in reaching school goals. Running a school cannot be accomplished by any one person. There are many moving parts and I will show that I trust the staff members to be professional. I will verbalize and show that the teachers are valued. Every person who works at the school will know that they are contributing to the success of the school. Resource Green, R. (2013). Practicing the art of leadership: A problem-based approach to implementing the ISLLC standards (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill. My past work experience has been varied. My very first job was in Japan on the Naval base. It was a summer job, I was fourteen years old. Mostly I made sandwiches and salads at the restaurant my mother managed. As an older teen, I worked as a hostess in a restaurant and worked concessions at a movie theater. These little jobs taught me the importance of hard work. I started working in education when I was nineteen years old. I was a college student at Cuyamaca and saw an ad on a bulletin for an Instructional Aide position in the independent study GED, High School Diploma class offered through Adult Ed. It seemed like a good fit for me, plus it was at my alma mater. It was part time, the work was easy for me. I enjoyed hearing the students’ life stories. After the IA position, I also worked all over Grossmont Union HS District as an on-call substitute clerk. When I left GUHSD, I worked as a real estate agent and a secretary at a long-term care facility. I got married and had a family. I started thinking about what I could do career-wise. I considered becoming a licensed social worker and lawyer through a program at SDSU. I went as far as applying for the program and taking the LSAT. But, life derailed that plan. I returned to education about a decade later in a roundabout way - a call from a clerk out of the blue. Long story short, I was oddly told I wasn’t qualified to teach basic English and Math skills, but it lead to me to interview for an ESL teaching job in El Cajon. So, I started 2 nights a week at Grossmont Adult School. I had a great team teacher for my first ESL class - Intermediate level. Later, I got my own morning multi-level (0-7) class. Currently, I teach a 0 - 3 multi-level class. I’ve also taught a few different levels (Levels 2, 5, and 7) through San Diego Community College District. I had morning classes and night classes. As a sub, I’ve taught at various locations. I love subbing because I get to meet different staff members and I enjoy visiting different campuses. It’s like eating samples. In 2010 our principal retired and a new principal took over. Out of my offer to “help any way I can” with her transition, I became a TOSA. I had never even heard of a Teacher on Special Assignment. I was excited to gain Admin skills, work on special projects, and develop my leadership abilities. Other things on my resume are: WASC Leadership Team, Grant Writing Team, El Civics Team, CCAE Committee (CA Council on Adult Education), Mentor Teacher, PLC Lead for multi-level teachers, and Laubach Literacy Volunteer Liaison. My Belief
I believe that education improves lives. Some argue that a degree is not a guarantee that you’ll make more money; but, it sure does help. So, take away the economic benefits and education still gives you: a healthier lifestyle, positive self-esteem, and knowledge to make informed decisions. My Own Story I had a unique experience educational experience. Ten years of my K-12 education was in Department of Defense schools- in Philippines and Japan. I was the girl who cried when she had to miss school. I remember as young as 4 years old, knowing that I would go to college one day. So, you see, my love of learning started early. School became more challenging as I got older; but, I always did well. My mother emphasized the importance of school and reinforced this by paying me for every “A” I brought home on my report card. Maybe this was the beginning of my connecting education with money. What Formed my Beliefs? As an adult, I've experienced how education has opened doors for me. I remember the time after my husband's traumatic motorcycle accident (resulting in 12 surgeries); I could not find a decent paying job. I finally ended up working as a receptionist in a shady part of town with shady clients. It wasn’t until I started working as a teacher that I saw how education equated to more income. In addition to the income, I had work benefits like medical, dental, vision, Personal Necessity Days and Sick Days. At my previous jobs, if I didn’t work I didn’t get paid. Conversely, I know someone who despite having plenty of work experience was not qualified for certain high-paying jobs because he did not have a Bachelor’s degree. There are people who are successful business owners without a college degree. But, I would argue that they possess a different type of education than the one I received. With my Adult ESL students, I have seen how learning gives them positive self-esteem. They are more confident and this spills over into other areas of their lives. They can talk to the doctor without a translator, help their child with their schoolwork, talk to a stranger, venture outside of El Cajon, get a job, read food/medicine labels, and more. They learn about U.S. laws and customs and are able to make better decisions in their day-to-day lives. My Belief Declaration
Education improves lives. Some argue that a degree is not a guarantee that you’ll make more money; but, it sure does help. So, take away the economic benefits and education still gives you: a healthier lifestyle, positive self-esteem, and knowledge to make informed decisions. Students of All Ages My adult school/college students see the value in education. My gentleman students are focused on getting a job or getting a better job. My ladies are focused on helping their children with their schoolwork or furthering their own education. Some ESL students simply want to learn English so that they can talk to their doctor or neighbor without a translator. Whatever their goal, education is the vehicle to reach their goals. With younger students, they might not always see the value in education. In my own experience as a student, I learned most from teachers who were passionate about what they taught. It is up to parents and teachers to instill the thirst of learning and explain why learning is important. Education Beyond Classrooms Not attending formal school, is not an excuse not to learn. As long as you are living, you can and should be learning. Technology has allowed us all to be inter-connected and to benefit from what others teach without paying a dime. |
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Sheila L. DavisPassionate Adult ESL Instructor at Grossmont Adult School. Seeking to learn new habits and unlearn bad ones. ArchivesCategories |