EDLD 5399 Week Four Assignment, Part 1

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Reflection is a type of learning that develops out of experience. It gives one an opportunity to evaluate their experiences and make judgments regarding their success and shortcomings. Many times we become bogged down in the actual experience not pausing to reflect on the actions that were taken. Reflection is a powerful learning tool. During the Lamar Principal’s Academy, Dr. Bob Thompson stressed the importance of reflection. This is a lesson I have not taken lightly.  I appreciate it when a leader takes the time to reflect on thier decsions and improve their leadership style as time passes.  This is the kind of leader I strive to be.  Although reflection is often personal, that does not mean it should always be private. Much is to be said for the individual who is willing to openly discuss their experiences and heed the advice of those around him. As I finish this course, I am reminided of the importance of reflection for the students who walk the halls of our school each day. Are we asking them to reflect? Are we giving them time?

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During the superintendent’s certification course, I have taken time to reflect on many assignments. The first that comes to mind is the comparison of the financial status of two school districts. This was an interesting assignment that reinforced the need for substantive change within the school finance system of Texas. The gap between the school district in regards to their target revenue was substantial.  Over the next few years, we will witness litigation over the way schools are currently funded. For the kids’ sake I hope we get it right.

Another assignment that was interesting, dealt with termination and non-renewals. This assignment provided the learner with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the requirements and steps required to dismiss someone from the district who may be under contract.  This information has been invaluable. In my current position, having knowledge of DFBB is not enough. One must follow the policy precisely to ensure that each step is carried out in an appropriate order and within the timelines that are dictated.  From experience, I can state that the timelines are short and leave little time for preparation for a non-renewal hearing.

The development of a blog was one of the assignments that I was apprehensive about at first. However, as time progressed I came to enjoy posting information and pictures to my blog. I enjoyed reviewing the posts of other classmates and really looked forward to their comments. A blog is an easy way for a superintendent to brag about activities across a school district. It is easily accessible to most parents and can provide community members an avenue to see what is going on in a district in which they may not have children attending. What a great way to keep taxpayers informed.  

Sheldon I.S.D. Board of Trustees

Throughout the year, I have attended all of the board meeting and a couple of the board workshops as part of my campus supervised logs. Sheldon I.S.D. is fortunate to have a board that works together for the betterment of our schools. Although they do not agree at all times, they present a united front in public.  One of the biggest discussion points this past year has been the letter of support for the establishment of a foreign trade zone for 300 acres on a 3000 acre site. This discussion was mulled over for eight months with some deep discussions taking place. However, in the end the board worked together and made the decision that they felt was in the best interest of the students within the district. Watching the board approve and reject action items is interesting. Rarely is an item placed on the board agenda if it is not going to pass unanimously. The superintendent works very diligently to inform and determine the level of board support for an item before it is placed on the agenda.  This is a good routine for a superintendent to follow when developing board agendas.

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Another internship activity for my supervised logs was the development of a district strategic plan. During the strategic planning sessions, we used many discussions and small group activities to develop consensus. The important thing was not to rush to consensus. It must be built from the ground up. Often one group would feel strongly for the inclusion of an item while another group would want it omitted. Those items were tabled, while membership of the small groups was rearranged, then the item was brought out again for discussion. In reflection the steps were relatively simple. First, we posed a problem or an issue. Then we brainstormed in groups or individually to develop solutions. After solutions were posted on chart paper, we ranked the possible solutions and looked for areas that could be combined or eliminated. Then when we had a manageable list the items were ranked. We did not focus on money or time. We were simply looking at a plan to take us further than where we are now.  Once we had set the priorities, we took the goals to outside committees that developed action steps that would be approved by the original group.  Once all of this was completed, the plan was presented to the Board of Trustees by members of the community, parents, business partners and students to garner support while showing the comprehensive collaboration of the plan. I enjoyed this experience and will use many of the strategies in the future.
 

Reflecting on the assessments throughout the course has also been a valuable experience. I have been able to look closely to see how many of the questions are formatted to reflect the state competency test.  The tests often solidified my knowledge of a particular subject and forced me to reassess my strengths and weaknesses.

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In the future, I plan to continue to incorporate reflection as a learning tool. By identifying the need for reflection to be a purposeful activity that occurs regularly both privately and publicly one can ensure that reflection is useful.  During my internship, my attention was drawn to the ORID model of strategic thinking. This model can be effectively used for reflection.  It incorporates the following steps: Objective, Reflective positive, Reflective negative, Interpretive and Decisional.  This process gives one a place to start and a process to work through to strategically reflect on experiences. The same process can be utilized as a facilitation strategy during group projects.  One of the ways I plan to utilize reflection is to incorporate time into my calendar to go back into outlook and document the positives, negatives and items that are in need of change. This will assist to improve the planning of those items that reoccur as well as give information to build on for future projects.

For those reading this blog, I challenge you to watch the attached video. Perhaps it is time we actually reflect on how we provide public education. Is it time for a change?

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms- Youtube