Ed's Thoughts

I thought the critical incident activity was a valuable tool for us as future administrators facing the application and interview process. It could give the interviewer a quick glance at the applicant's problem solving skills. It also might be a good activity to develop critical incident activities at a student level to teach the students problem solving strategies. In our district, we use a program to teach social and problem solving skills called Second Step. Students are presented with a problem and are asked to role play different scenarios. It teaches them to monitor their behavior.

Thoughts from 10/12

I am glad we are going to be doing the data analysis activities, even if they make me feel like the dumbest person on the planet. Again, I have worked for the past five years in facilities that have not had to collect data, and make AYP. This is something I need to keep up on, even if I just look at the data from neighboring school districts to where I live. Through the class discussions, I have realized some of the disservice that a few of the educators in the youth facility did to both the students and the schools that they went back to. These are the teachers that we discussed  who went to "work" and shouldn't really be in education any longer. They only made the students fill the seats. They did not set high expectations for achievement in their classrooms. Then the students went back to their home schools, and possibly negatively affected the AYP. 

Thoughts From 10/11

I teach in a very security conscience setting (a prison). So, my big aha moment came first thing  in the morning when the discussion began pertaining to the article about the threatening letter. My thoughts went immediately to what would happen where I work, chargeable offenses, incident reports, segregation, shipment to a different facility etc. Not to what I would do as a principal in a public school. I realized that if I am to someday work as a principal, I need to think outside the razor wire. I need to get back in touch with the public schools that I left five years ago.  

Thoughts on class 10/11

Hiring and recruiting teachers is a daunting task. As we were doing the case studies in class, it was a little shocking to understand that this is a process that happens every year several times over for a principal. To try to find the most qualified teacher that fits best with your school is always going to be a gamble. Yes there are things you can look for to help you decide, but in the long run your decision will affect every staff member and student and parent that your hire comes in contact with. This person will also affect the principals job security. Lastly, to add to the pressure of the hiring decision, the principal and the school will only be as effective as those the principal decides to hire.

Thoughts on class 10/12

When we were talking this morning about administrators living in the district where they worked, it touched a topic that I feel very strongly about. I do believe that administration in a district should live in and their children should attend schools in that district. In my mind, what message are you sending when you live and/or send your children to another district. We have a lot of this going on in my district. I believe in loyalty and as a parent I would wonder why administrators are saying we have the best schools in the state yet choose to send their children to the neighboring district. I also belive that it sends the message that maybe our schools are not safe or not as good. Last but not least, your livelihood depends on the very district that your are choosing not to support through property taxes. Not sure how one can justify this.

Ah-ha for 10-12

I guess I didn't realize how stupid people are when it comes to applying for jobs, interviewing, and hiring staff members. It seems some people really have no common sense when it comes to having sending resumes on legal paper, not dressing up for interviews, and hiring your spouse to work under you at the ROE. I realize Dr. Closen is right when he says that there are jobs available for everyone if you are willing to move. I would then guess that idiots have a high mobility rate within the state of Illinois.

A-Ha: Cynthia Hinderliter

I have been in several classes where data is seen as the Holy Grail. I was surprised that in this class, we also have spent time looking and analyzing data. I am finding out that data is instrumental in making many decisions, no matter who you are. It has many uses especially for principal candidates – provides background information on the district, shows areas that need attention, and gives the candidate background for questions to ask. However, one must also know how to read that data to be able to quote and interpret it to ask questions.