Short Essay Item 1: "Having been hired as the first principal of a new charter school, propose to the board a process for developing a shared vision of learning for the school.
Include methods for involving stakeholders and apply theories relevant to building, implementing, and stewarding the vision. Integrate course content from the present and/or previous courses in educational leadership, using theory to practice in meaningful, practical ways."
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Defining the school, we want to become would be the first step. On the basis of core beliefs, a shared vision need to be outlined by the school community to commit. The school vision must be recognized by all employees as a pathway to joint growth, motivating them to become better. As parents and students are part of the school, practical vision reveals why they ought to support it and the direction school is heading.
Teamwork is necessary for a school set –up; therefore, all the stakeholders must create a vision. To achieve this, conducting a school meeting with the parents and faculty members would be my next take to form a vision. I would then request the faculty shareholders to remember the core reason for becoming educationalists and reflect on their source of contentment in the line of duty. According to the school records, parents, and staffs' views, a clear vision is likely to be reached. Leading the school in sustaining the stated vision would be the immediate step, fostered by re-stating it continuously. Also, we would communicate the vision as well as remind the school fraternity through available platforms such as school magazines and online outlets.
Moreover, I would urge the school stakeholders to continually review and assess the progress towards realizing the vision. This would be achieved through the school fraternity's engagement in reviewing the work done and conducting a survey on the learning public. In the long run, relations that value others would be enhanced, leading to a common goal in accomplishing the specified vision.
Short Essay Item 2: "As an educational leader, you are responsible for the teaching and learning aspect of education. Describe the learning environment for which you will strive. Include how you will apply theories of human development behavior, personalized learning environment, and motivation to influence school culture and to ensure student success. Integrate course content from the present and/or previous courses in educational leadership, applying theory to practice in meaningful, practical ways."
In order to build a positive and safe environment for learning, I would urge staff to practice the following; first, students must be recognized as beings with a diverse ethnic background, which teachers need to be acquainted with. Consequently, a distinction is made between a student's readiness to learn or not by understanding these exceptional characteristics. Besides, instructors must enhance strong relationships with students to make them understand their value as individuals and the willingness to become a crucial portion of their lives. In turn, the relationship between teachers and parents will be instigated since the student is at ease to take parents along the institution.
For learners to be inspired, the teaching practices and decisions must be based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. According to Maslow, people are driven by inherent factors instead of unmet desires or physical rewards. Different levels of needs are featured in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, namely, needs, physiological needs, security, self-actualization, and esteem needs that are aimed at by all beings before proceeding to other needs. Therefore, students' basic needs must be addressed first to stimulate their activeness and engagement in the learning experience.
Short Essay Item 3: "As a school administrator, how will you develop a plan of action to address the needs of students, parents, and caregivers? Include approaches for collaboration with stakeholders and strategies for effective oral and written communication with families and caregivers.
Integrate course content from the present and/or previous courses in educational leadership, applying theory to practice in meaningful, practical ways."
I would involve several action steps in developing an action plan to attain effective teamwork with the shareholders. First, I would recognize that every caregiver needs to be included in their children's learning, irrespective of their education level, income, and cultural background. Secondly, I would join the family and society's hard work to engagements in the learners' education. Thirdly, to direct the children's education, initiatives would be formed to support families. Also, by providing professional growth on community and family commitment, would improve the capacity of teachers to teamwork with caregivers.
Then, concentrating efforts to engage families on cultivating respectful and trustable relations. Besides, an outreach policy would be developed to update families, community and businesses concerning the school programs, policies, and family engagement opportunities. Lastly, I would make the school fraternity to understand that learners' education is a collaborative initiative that would be promoted through embracing partnership philosophy and readiness to empower families.
A fundamental key in building partnership and community sense between school and home is effective communication. There are several communication chances availed to instructors which entail, school-home announcements, caregiver conferences, and the use of online services. To effectively communicate with the parents and community, teachers are required to have communication skills and knowledge, in addition to their skills in teaching.
Short Essay Item 4 "Ethical behavior is characterized by honesty, fairness, and equity in interpersonal, professional, and academic relationships. Explain how ethical behavior influences school culture, student achievement, and leadership. Support your statements with examples. Integrate course content from the present and/or previous courses in educational leadership, applying theory to practice in meaningful, practical ways
Learner's moral behavior is greatly influenced by educationists through mentorship and the content of their interactions every day. A significant focus in leading the highest performance among students is making character teaching ( Rebore, 2017 ). For instance, evidence by Josephson Institute of Ethics's report shows that over 30,000 high school scholars in 2008 confessed to cheating. They further said their attempt to cheat was propelled by the vague outcomes and varied from one instructor to another. Therefore, rather than the world financier to set standards, schools' responsibility is to teach ethics.
Although character education was once considered a disturbance, realizing it can improve the learners' overall performance. Evidence by research supports the effectiveness of character education where the teachers who witness that learners' performance is dependent on character lessons incorporated in the school's culture. Most ethics education focuses on instilling upright habits, teaching virtues, developing students' capacity to reason morally, and rewarding good behaviors.
Case 1.
Nurturing learning environs where learners feel relaxed, safe, and ready to take risks is significant in fostering the learning institution's performance. There are several ways in which a safe learning environment can be created, such as building a communal classroom, contributing to improving self-efficacy and self-confidence amongst learners. Three phases in the crisis development policies include; organizing a team for managing crisis, creating strategies of action for the crisis team in times of specific emergencies, comprising incidents of violence in school playgrounds. These policies should protect such matters as the procedure for reporting occurrences, defining harmless zones in schools, providing safety and managing groups of scholars, and further communicating warranty situations to parents and the community.
The development of crisis strategies should not be done in a vacuum. Efforts by the community and school to establish supportive learning environments are ongoing on the natural extension. I would evaluate needs fully and analyze other records used to feed the school later. Also, I would make specific incidents occurring inside institution grounds, structures, and the community addressed by crisis plan. We would also partner in developing crisis plans with other public groups such as fire safety officers, law enforcement officials, emergency medical amenities, and health specialists, which are conversant with emergency issues and plan development.
In developing a collaborative strategy of response for an occurrence, every stakeholder should be at per. I would ensure that the varied needs of workers and children, including mental, physical, sensory, developmental, and sensory challenges, are covered by the crisis plan. Also, exceptional care is required for kids with limited English ability, and documents reaching families may be desirable in several translations. To enhance the understanding of the plan's components and act on staff, I would avail its access to them to eliminate anxiety and panic in case of an incidence. Finally, since practice and training are crucial for effective crisis plan implementation, I would advocate for fire drills, allowing proper evaluation and improvement of the plan.
The crisis plan will be in a script, updated continuously, and handed to all workers. Specified responses to any emergency occurrence will be identified; hence the workers will have prior knowledge to react. For the effective response to the recognition of security threats and alarms, training will be offered. Furthermore, limited movements and access to school property need an update on the school's policies. Also, trained workers, law enforcement officials, and volunteers will be employed to guard the school possessions, thus creating a welcoming and threat-free environment. Lastly, I would cultivate a culture among all school fraternity that discourages subtle crime, harassment, and disruptions and engages parents and the community to ensure student safety.
Case 11
To bring a change in this institution and community, I would suggest an organized approach. First, I would implement instructional methods that are proven and cultivate values in which teachers, administrators, community, and parents effectively communicate and teamwork. I would make every effort to ensure equal results, such as meeting quality standards for every student and excellent performance by engaging equitable learning opportunities ( Jenlink, 2019 ). Also, I would focus on leveling playing grounds to enhance an excellent competing platform for students from privileged and humble backgrounds, thus promoting equity in school.
Below is my action plan;
To set a high expectation culture through the intense emphasis on academic success for every learner. The significance of this culture is the belief that each student can thrive academically. The processes of continuous learning and self-evaluation posed by students model everybody.
I would discourage poor performance excuses. Educators uphold high expectation culture and commit to ensuring academic achievement by all students.
Continuing analytical assessment to create an openness to employing several plans. Teaching plans to be adjusted accordingly with the help of assessment records to recognize particular areas where learners need to improve.
Making caregivers be partners in learning through constant engagement with parents and the community. Showing caregivers as essential stakeholders in their children's education process and active teamwork with parents in embracing learning.
Teamwork among educators in a disciplined and safe setting with mutual respect is a crucial consideration. Achieving discipline and safety is deeply rooted in high expectation culture. Establish a norm where teachers and students respect one another regardless of the environment. Focus on emphasizing and embracing collaboration and teamwork by providing avenues for instructors to help and critique each other. Consequently, learning barriers will be addressed, find solutions together, and participate in the school's broad intervention strategies.
Focus on employing dynamic, dedicated, and able instructors focused on continuous perfection and career development to enhance student achievement. As well, to instigate instructional leadership other than achieving high expectation culture. Besides, I will support, encourage, and cooperate with employees while utilizing their experience, talents, and creativity maximally, fostering academic performance among students.
The reason why schools do not attain high performance is performing things in distinct manners. Institutions must prepare to accomplish significant goals by employing a systematic approach to make a difference in student results. I will aim to nurture high expectation culture for both students and teachers that puts emphasis on education and participate in the constant evaluation. Therefore, implementing the outlined approaches as per my plan, the pathway for a high-performance school is guaranteed.
References
Jenlink, P.M. (Ed.).(2019). Equity issues for today’s educational leaders: Meeting the challenge of creating equitable schools for all. Lanham,MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Rebore, R. W. (2017). The ethics of educational leadership (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN: 9780132907101.
