Our class on Monday, Feb. 18th focused primarily on the special needs of students and the structures in place and changes to be implemented in the near future.
Sam gave us an overview of what changes will be in effect. In essence, schools will be forming something called a "School Parity Committee" to oversee the allocation of resources for speical needs students. For example, requests may be made to have a speech therapist in the school twice a
week - something we urgently need at my school (Nesbitt). The change stems from the fact that money will be allocated by the boards but schools will get to decide who they get (e.g. speech therapist, child-care worker, etc.). In addition, the entire school staff will get to vote on proposals for resources and distribution as oppossed to a small group (school level or board level) or some ad hoc committee.
Things will get a little tricky given that you will need a majority vote from the school staff (80-85%) to approve of a particular plan. The plan will be developed by a school level committee made up of the principal, teachers and or resource teachers. Going back to the issue of a majority vote, this is going to have the potential for stalling requests for resources. That is, if a plan does not get the required majority from the staff, the plan is scrapped and a new one must be formulated. This requires more time to meet, discuss, reflect, and draw up another plan and once again go through the process of another vote. Meanwhile, little Johnny, who is desperate for a speech therapist, has to wait while we get the magic number to vote in favour. If the plan is rejected once more, a new plan will be formulated, but this time it will go to the school board where a Central Parity Committee must create it - in other words, we have gone back full circle.
As it has become obvious by now, I have some concerns about this entire process. I am worried that schools with a large staff will be faced with the kind of delays that will be detrimental to our students. I see the potential for certain staff to use this process as a way of grinding an axe with administration or other staff members by purposely derailing proposed plans. I like the concept of democratization but there is too much at stake here to allow for the kind of delays this process can create.
I think that certain things must be decided by those who have been entrusted the job of educational leadership. Consultation is crucial, but tough decisions need to be made from the top as well. As I reflected on the issue of a majority vote, I was reminded of the article by Heifetz and Linsky, "When Leadership Spells Danger." One of their recommendations for the survival and success of an administrator is to "accept casualties." They argue that changes that benefit the organization as a whole can hurt others and this is something we must accept. It is a choice between acquiesence and making progress.
Rather than risk losing the advantage of preparing a plan that is formulated at the local, school level, we must forego the need to have a majority school-wide vote. The potential for stalling, political sabotage, and losing the final say to a Central Parity Committee at the board level is not worth this particular exercise in democratization of schools - the will of the masses is not always progressive.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
February 15 -OISE RUBRIC
I am currently the Vice-Principal at Nesbitt Elementary School (EMSB) and finishing off my first year as an administrator. As I reviewed the OISE rubric, I was able to identify the levels under which I fall. This exercise also gave me the opportunity to underscore some areas of strength and areas that require improvement.
Under the heading of Principal as manager, I feel that I am at the advanced level as it pertains to student conduct. I have made it a priority to use a progressive discipline policy; one that provides students with the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. In other words, an effective discipline policy entails the ability for students to change their behaviour because certain attitudes and values have been modified. Their behaviour does not change as a result of fear of consequences. I cannot claim that all the students that I have reprimanded have had this type of progressive change, but I am sure that most have.
An example of my approach involves a case where a sixth grader made an anti-semitic comment. The child's parents were contacted and our policy on racial slurs was explained. The child served a detention, but I felt that this incident should be used as an educational experience. I arranged for this student to visit the Holocaust Museum. During his visit, a Holocaust survivor spoke to the students and explained the horrors of the concentration camps. After the visit, this student wrote a report on what he saw and learned and there was no doubt in my mind that this experience had a deep impact on him.
In terms of regulations and policy, I am learning more and more everyday. Recently, I was involved in a case where I had to signal DYP because I suspected neglect in two of my students. I kept records of conversations with students, observations about their lunches, clothes, behaviour and so on. Similarly, I have had to inform myself about policies regarding absenteeism. The EMSB has a policy that is informed by sections in the Education Act and Youth Protection Act. For example, a student who has had 5 or more invalid absences in one month. I am currently monitoring such cases. I would say that I am at the intermediate level as described by the OISE rubric.
I believe that the area where I need most improvement is in time management. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed to the point that I am paralyzed and unable to proceed with certain tasks. I feel I need to learn to delegate and prioritze my tasks to improve my time managment plan.
In the heading of Principal as instructional leader/program facilitator, I see the need for improvement as well. In terms of learning environment, I am sensitive to the needs of staff and welcome their suggestions. Recently, I implemented an idea related to improving student supervision after school that was brought forth during a staff council meeting. In this area, I think I would fall between intermediate and advanced. There is still the need for further consultation with staff and more formal and informal monitoring of the school culture.
In terms of leadership strategies, I feel that I must encourage my staff to share their instructional strengths and curricular interests. I believe some form of mentoring would be helpful for some of my younger teachers.
The role of Principal as school-community facilitator is very important to me. Here, I believe that this is an area of strength. I am very open to suggestions that parents and staff members make in terms of bussing, discipline, safety measures and security. Some of our parents had concerns with various school yard exits and we worked together to eliminate potential safety issues.
In terms of visionary, I have not had much time in my role as a vice-principal to forge an articulate vision for the school. I know, however, that effective change and setting goals are best achieved through inviting all stakeholders to contribute. If everybody feels included, the vision that is articulated can go beyond rhetoric. At this point, I would say that I am operating at the basic level in that i sense the need for change within the school and have initiated some changes. For example, community work has become an important element of the school disciplinary policy. Suspensions have been modified to include in-school suspensions and community work which entails working in the cafeteria.
An area of strength is that of problem solver. I identify problems but address those which are identified by others as well. Consideration is often given to the perspectives of parents and school staff. As stated earlier, I am always open to suggestions provided by others and encourage such input.
The OISE rubric is an excellent tool and has helped me identify areas of strength and weakness in carrying out my duties as a vice-principal. It has also helped me recognize the responsibilities of a principal.
Under the heading of Principal as manager, I feel that I am at the advanced level as it pertains to student conduct. I have made it a priority to use a progressive discipline policy; one that provides students with the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. In other words, an effective discipline policy entails the ability for students to change their behaviour because certain attitudes and values have been modified. Their behaviour does not change as a result of fear of consequences. I cannot claim that all the students that I have reprimanded have had this type of progressive change, but I am sure that most have.
An example of my approach involves a case where a sixth grader made an anti-semitic comment. The child's parents were contacted and our policy on racial slurs was explained. The child served a detention, but I felt that this incident should be used as an educational experience. I arranged for this student to visit the Holocaust Museum. During his visit, a Holocaust survivor spoke to the students and explained the horrors of the concentration camps. After the visit, this student wrote a report on what he saw and learned and there was no doubt in my mind that this experience had a deep impact on him.
In terms of regulations and policy, I am learning more and more everyday. Recently, I was involved in a case where I had to signal DYP because I suspected neglect in two of my students. I kept records of conversations with students, observations about their lunches, clothes, behaviour and so on. Similarly, I have had to inform myself about policies regarding absenteeism. The EMSB has a policy that is informed by sections in the Education Act and Youth Protection Act. For example, a student who has had 5 or more invalid absences in one month. I am currently monitoring such cases. I would say that I am at the intermediate level as described by the OISE rubric.
I believe that the area where I need most improvement is in time management. Sometimes, I feel overwhelmed to the point that I am paralyzed and unable to proceed with certain tasks. I feel I need to learn to delegate and prioritze my tasks to improve my time managment plan.
In the heading of Principal as instructional leader/program facilitator, I see the need for improvement as well. In terms of learning environment, I am sensitive to the needs of staff and welcome their suggestions. Recently, I implemented an idea related to improving student supervision after school that was brought forth during a staff council meeting. In this area, I think I would fall between intermediate and advanced. There is still the need for further consultation with staff and more formal and informal monitoring of the school culture.
In terms of leadership strategies, I feel that I must encourage my staff to share their instructional strengths and curricular interests. I believe some form of mentoring would be helpful for some of my younger teachers.
The role of Principal as school-community facilitator is very important to me. Here, I believe that this is an area of strength. I am very open to suggestions that parents and staff members make in terms of bussing, discipline, safety measures and security. Some of our parents had concerns with various school yard exits and we worked together to eliminate potential safety issues.
In terms of visionary, I have not had much time in my role as a vice-principal to forge an articulate vision for the school. I know, however, that effective change and setting goals are best achieved through inviting all stakeholders to contribute. If everybody feels included, the vision that is articulated can go beyond rhetoric. At this point, I would say that I am operating at the basic level in that i sense the need for change within the school and have initiated some changes. For example, community work has become an important element of the school disciplinary policy. Suspensions have been modified to include in-school suspensions and community work which entails working in the cafeteria.
An area of strength is that of problem solver. I identify problems but address those which are identified by others as well. Consideration is often given to the perspectives of parents and school staff. As stated earlier, I am always open to suggestions provided by others and encourage such input.
The OISE rubric is an excellent tool and has helped me identify areas of strength and weakness in carrying out my duties as a vice-principal. It has also helped me recognize the responsibilities of a principal.
Friday, February 8, 2008
EDEM 628- Discussion on Reform-Change Dip (Feb.8)
During our last class (Feb. 4), we discussed the reform in terms of how well staff members were coping. For example, in my group, we discussed the fact that schools varied from levels of impatience to avoidance and stress. We all agreed that it was the more senior staff members that demonstrated feelings of resistance and avoidance.
In my own school, I have not had much time to guage how my staff is dealing with the reform. The teachers have been using the assigned textbooks with their students but this hardly means that the reform is alive and well.
Another point that I brought forward in my group was how easily most administrators have accepted the reform as the way to go without much debate as to whether it can achieve its desired goal, i.e., greater educational success that translates into higher numbers of students graduating from high school. Some students brought up examples in Europe where similar reforms were implemented and abandoned because they failed to generate desired results.
Sam responded by arguing that the French school system in Quebec has been experiencing a drop-out rate of close to 40% under the traditional curriculum. He then posed the question:"How can we go back to this?"
I think that Sam is right about how the traditional curriculum has failed many students, especially minority students and students of Afro-Caribbean descent. A radical break with the past was needed; however, we do need to study the long-term effects of the reform before we can declare whether it has met its objectives. It is also necessary to look once more at the overall objectives of the reform. If we continue to try to measure its success by hoping to see a significant change in the drop-out rate, we will probably declare this educational project to have been a failure.
The reason I make this dire prediction is because I feel that it is extremely naive to believe that changing the curriculm alone can have such a desired effect. Let us not forget that schools are a microcosom of society and that students are affected by social ills such as poverty, racism and a plethora of pyscho-social variables that can affect their desire to learn and how they learn. If we are looking to make changes at the micro-level of schooling, shouldn't we also be striving to bring down levels of poverty and other socio-psychological structures that impede a child's chance for success?Does a child who goes back to a home and finds his father who is unemployed and stretched out in a couch in a druken stouper care about the new math that is being taught?
If we are truly serious about making a fundamental change in the educational success of students, we must start coming up with answers to help those living in the fringes. We must develop a wider and more comprehensive social network to provide financial and social assistance to the children that are at higher risk. If we cannot successfully meet the needs of such students at the most basic levels, how can we expect educational success for all?
In my own school, I have not had much time to guage how my staff is dealing with the reform. The teachers have been using the assigned textbooks with their students but this hardly means that the reform is alive and well.
Another point that I brought forward in my group was how easily most administrators have accepted the reform as the way to go without much debate as to whether it can achieve its desired goal, i.e., greater educational success that translates into higher numbers of students graduating from high school. Some students brought up examples in Europe where similar reforms were implemented and abandoned because they failed to generate desired results.
Sam responded by arguing that the French school system in Quebec has been experiencing a drop-out rate of close to 40% under the traditional curriculum. He then posed the question:"How can we go back to this?"
I think that Sam is right about how the traditional curriculum has failed many students, especially minority students and students of Afro-Caribbean descent. A radical break with the past was needed; however, we do need to study the long-term effects of the reform before we can declare whether it has met its objectives. It is also necessary to look once more at the overall objectives of the reform. If we continue to try to measure its success by hoping to see a significant change in the drop-out rate, we will probably declare this educational project to have been a failure.
The reason I make this dire prediction is because I feel that it is extremely naive to believe that changing the curriculm alone can have such a desired effect. Let us not forget that schools are a microcosom of society and that students are affected by social ills such as poverty, racism and a plethora of pyscho-social variables that can affect their desire to learn and how they learn. If we are looking to make changes at the micro-level of schooling, shouldn't we also be striving to bring down levels of poverty and other socio-psychological structures that impede a child's chance for success?Does a child who goes back to a home and finds his father who is unemployed and stretched out in a couch in a druken stouper care about the new math that is being taught?
If we are truly serious about making a fundamental change in the educational success of students, we must start coming up with answers to help those living in the fringes. We must develop a wider and more comprehensive social network to provide financial and social assistance to the children that are at higher risk. If we cannot successfully meet the needs of such students at the most basic levels, how can we expect educational success for all?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
EDEM 628 -Survey on the Reform (Feb.2)
I'd like to begin with the article that was discussed in last week's class: "When Leadership spells Danger". Some students remarked that the context was too American and did not have much relevance. I disagree. I think that the role of educational administrators transcends national and regional boundaries because of a few fundamentals.
Whether discussing schools in the U.S. or Canada, administrators all have similar challenges: working with a diverse staff, student population and beauracracy. All are bound by the educational structures in which they operate and all deal with the personal dimension as well.
Leadership is defined in many ways but the authors see the need for leaders to deal with what they term as "adaptive challenges" which they differentiate from "technical challenges". In the former, administrators require the skills to change people's values, beliefs and habits -a task much more difficult than making sure the thermostats in the classrooms are working properly.
My own experience thus far (one year) as an adminstrator has been challenging in terms of having to make certain decisions that may be perceived as unpopular by some. Recent changes in student supervision caused some conflict;however, the staff was made to understand that these changes would help minimize inappropriate behaviour and conflict among students during recess. I think that the dilemma that some administrators face, including myself, is that we sometimes have to initiate change that will upset those comfortable with the status quo and this may undermine good relations between staff and administration.
The suggestions offered in the article do provide some help in dealing with such dilemmas. For example, the need to acknowledge the needs and concerns of those who oppose, but at the same time to be able to accept "casualties" - not everybody will have their needs met.
In reading this article, it help shed some light into questions I had about making changes (adaptive challenges) that administrators face in trying to implement and sustain elements of the QEP.
I believe strong leadership has been achieved by my principal in terms of community involvement. The role of the parent is stressed and communication with the parents is key. One mechanism designed to achieve thisw is monthly newsletters that go out to all parents. The newsletter not only informs the parents of on-going activities but invites parents to share their own ideas and encourages involvment.
I think that areas where stronger leadership may be required is in providing opportunities for teachers to network and mentor each other. Too often, pedagogical days are used up doing the routine "house-cleaning items" A plan is required here to provide more opportunities for teachers to meet and discuss issues of pedagogy and so on.
Also, the need to become more active in monitoring the differentiation of instruction of teachers is an area that requires more active administrative presence. As a whole, some teachers will use journals, for example, to allow opportunities for students to reflect on course content or providing choice to students. However, a large gap remains between those who continue to subscribe to the status quo and teachers who have incorporated elements of the QEP. Again, this is where strong leadership needs to be present. There is a need here for building alliances to advance and make progress on getting others aboard. As the authors of "When Leadership Spells Danger " argue: "Don't do it alone."
Others areas where staff and school need to make progress is in explaining the purpose of the reform to parents. Many parents are wary of the reform because they are uninformed. Again, we are presented with a bigger problem when the actual teachers in the school want no part of the reform.
Whether discussing schools in the U.S. or Canada, administrators all have similar challenges: working with a diverse staff, student population and beauracracy. All are bound by the educational structures in which they operate and all deal with the personal dimension as well.
Leadership is defined in many ways but the authors see the need for leaders to deal with what they term as "adaptive challenges" which they differentiate from "technical challenges". In the former, administrators require the skills to change people's values, beliefs and habits -a task much more difficult than making sure the thermostats in the classrooms are working properly.
My own experience thus far (one year) as an adminstrator has been challenging in terms of having to make certain decisions that may be perceived as unpopular by some. Recent changes in student supervision caused some conflict;however, the staff was made to understand that these changes would help minimize inappropriate behaviour and conflict among students during recess. I think that the dilemma that some administrators face, including myself, is that we sometimes have to initiate change that will upset those comfortable with the status quo and this may undermine good relations between staff and administration.
The suggestions offered in the article do provide some help in dealing with such dilemmas. For example, the need to acknowledge the needs and concerns of those who oppose, but at the same time to be able to accept "casualties" - not everybody will have their needs met.
In reading this article, it help shed some light into questions I had about making changes (adaptive challenges) that administrators face in trying to implement and sustain elements of the QEP.
I believe strong leadership has been achieved by my principal in terms of community involvement. The role of the parent is stressed and communication with the parents is key. One mechanism designed to achieve thisw is monthly newsletters that go out to all parents. The newsletter not only informs the parents of on-going activities but invites parents to share their own ideas and encourages involvment.
I think that areas where stronger leadership may be required is in providing opportunities for teachers to network and mentor each other. Too often, pedagogical days are used up doing the routine "house-cleaning items" A plan is required here to provide more opportunities for teachers to meet and discuss issues of pedagogy and so on.
Also, the need to become more active in monitoring the differentiation of instruction of teachers is an area that requires more active administrative presence. As a whole, some teachers will use journals, for example, to allow opportunities for students to reflect on course content or providing choice to students. However, a large gap remains between those who continue to subscribe to the status quo and teachers who have incorporated elements of the QEP. Again, this is where strong leadership needs to be present. There is a need here for building alliances to advance and make progress on getting others aboard. As the authors of "When Leadership Spells Danger " argue: "Don't do it alone."
Others areas where staff and school need to make progress is in explaining the purpose of the reform to parents. Many parents are wary of the reform because they are uninformed. Again, we are presented with a bigger problem when the actual teachers in the school want no part of the reform.
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