Competency Reflection

Martha Greenfield Intern II

In Competency 001, I learned how to shape campus culture by facilitating the

development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning. I was
able to address this competency by discussing the campus culture goals with Jeff Springer,
the school principal. I learned that it was difficult to share the school vision with all
members of the school. For example, some students refuse to become involved with the
school in any way. These students are disengaged and dont feel that they matter. The
principal continues to research ways to reach out to these small isolated groups of students.
Another challenge is reaching the negative teachers in the school. They scoff at the school
vision and complain that its impossible to reach every student. My challenge is to find
ways to reach out to these students and teachers and find new ways of engaging them.

In learning about Competency 002, I was fortunate to have the State of Texas Principal
of the Year, Jeff Springer, as my mentor. I had an opportunity to shadow him as he
attended meetings, graduations, and other school functions. This principal knows how to
communicate and collaborate with all members of the school community, respond to
diverse interests and needs, and mobilize resources to promote student success. Mr.
Springer is very well liked by students, teachers, staff, and parents. I learned a lot about
being social and polite in a variety of situations. Once, in an ARD meeting, when he was
being challenged by an irate and rude parent, Mr. Springer remained calm and professional.
My goal is to continue to learn this competency by attending extra-curricular activities and
visiting personally with parents and other shareholders in the community. This will be my
greatest challenge as I prefer to be quiet and listen. I will have to learn to search for
opportunities to build relationships with many more people than those in my immediate
circle. I have already begun this by becoming an active member of several committees in
our school.

I could not have a better teacher in learning Competency 003, then my principal. He
acts with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical and legal manner in all things that he does.
I learned that kind words are not enough in dealing with teachers and students. The acts
of kindness and the non-verbal communication of love for all members of the school is
apparent on his face. He promotes this integrity and kindness as he publicly rewards
those that commit acts of kindness and fairness. I also know that he has a special place in
his heart for the students in the special education department. He is kind and accepting of
them no matter what the situation is. This principal also thinks before he speaks. He
listens carefully without interrupting. Both of these behaviors help him to make wise
decisions both morally and legally. I am working on listening carefully before
responding and to think before responding with a decision.

In Competency 004, the principal knows how to facilitate the design and
implementation of curricula and strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning. He is
very familiar with the strengths and weaknesses in our student population in the four core
areas. He meets regularly with department heads to discuss new methods of teaching the
students in a way that they can learn. He checks to make sure that the curriculum is in
alignment and that the necessary resources are available to teachers to help them be
successful. Student assessments are viewed regularly to make sure that student
performance is the best it can be. My challenge will be to view student assessments on a
regular basis and not allow other matters get in the way. I can help master this situation
by having preset meetings with key faculty members who can bring the latest data to a
meeting and discuss the progress. These meetings will be set ahead of time and take a
priority over everything except emergencies.
Another strength in our school is described in Competency 005. Our principal does a
great job in advocating, nurturing, and sustaining an instructional program and a campus
culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth. In meetings
with the principal and personal experience, he is a man that will say yes to virtually
anything that promotes student learning. He is very resourceful in finding funding and
time in obtaining the best teacher development training available. He chooses training
that reaches teachers heart for loving students. He also provides food and drinks to
almost all staff meetings and teacher development meetings. I will continue to learn how
to find resources to help teachers become empowered to teach. I would like for them to
know that they are the most powerful agents in a students academic success. Saying yes
to the little things as much as possible will go a long ways in building rapport, trust and
respect with teachers and staff.
The most important thing that I learned in Competency 006 is to be visible by the as
many people as possible on campus. Our principal greets students every morning as they
walk into the school. It is very nice to be greeted with a warm smile. He also visits
classrooms often. When teachers know that the principal visits the class regularly, they
tend to do a better job of teaching to the maximum of their potential. By visiting
classrooms often, staff evaluations and development systems can more greatly improve
the performance of all staff members. The principal knows the district policies and
procedures and state laws governing professional evaluation systems. By receiving
constant feedback in a productive way, the teacher will improve her teaching style. The
attitude is that there is always a better way of doing something and it is our challenge to
find it. I will continue to learn how to build a sense of teamwork on campus in
improving teaching and learning on campus.
The most important thing that I learned during this internship is that found in
Competency 007. I discovered that the principal includes as many people as possible in
his decision-making. He collaborates and discusses issues before they are finalized. This
gives teachers and staff a sense of empowerment and buy-in. Many of the decisions
directly improved the learning environment for students and teachers alike. I think my
challenge will be to make time for collaboration. It seems a lot easier to make decisions
based on my personal experience. However, research has shown without a doubt that

diversity of thought in decision-making definitely improves relationships between

principal and those under his authority. I hope that I will do an excellent job of
facilitating discussions and not dictating them. I must remember that the more people
involved in the decision-making, the greater the chances will be for a powerful positive
effect.
I learned that management of the details of a school can be very time consuming if
the principal is not gifted in this area. In Competency 008, The principal applies
principles of effective leadership and management in relation to campus budgeting,
personnel, resource utilization, financial management, and technology use. One of the
most important things that I learned was the budget management plan had to be handled
very carefully. Every account had to be balanced and reported according to state and
local laws and district policies and procedures. The principal at our school kept a close
eye on how money was budgeted at the beginning of the year and was able to share the
resources from one area to another, as needed. To not be able to pay teachers what they
deserve was the saddest part of the job. Fortunately, he is able to compensate deserving
teachers in other ways such as days off for teacher development and team-planning times.
With our changing society, campus safety is very important in Competency 009.
Managing the campus physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective
learning environment is extremely important in order provide an environment that
shareholders can be proud. Pride in ones school creates a positive culture in the school.
A clean, comfortable, and safe environment involves performing the proper number of
maintenance checks and fire and emergency drills throughout the year. At my school,
this job is appointed to an Assistant Principal that excels in safety procedures. Another
important management skill that my school principal excels in is to invest in the latest
technology available. Having the latest technology helps students and staff to excel in
learning. Being at the cutting-edge of the safety of students and personnel and addressing
emergencies is an important part of having a successful campus. The principal sets a
great example as he picks up trash when he walks through the halls and compliments the
cleaning staff on a job well done. I now do the same. I cant walk past trash on the floor
without picking it up. My students have seen me do this and now they help me pick up
trash. Teaching by modeling is the best way to teach.