Competency 14
Instructional Leadership
a. Demonstrate the ability to apply school-wide literacy and numeric programs
b. Demonstrate the ability to apply district-wide literacy and numeric programs
Instructional Leadership
Prior to the implementation of building/district literacy or numeracy programs many things need to be thought through. I had the opportunity to speak with my cooperating principal about the processes involved. Prior to any initiative the needs of the building/district must be recognized. Our district taught the Investigations math curriculum for several years. This particular curriculum focused on exploratory and shared learning. It had many valuable pieces, but lacked focus on basic skills. Often students would take entire pages to answer a two digit multiplication problem. One argument, in favor of investigations, claimed it fostered a better understanding of number concepts and reasoning ability. Through teacher data and observation it was clear that students had developed good problem solving skills, but they were lacking in ability to process basic operations. This evidence pointed to a need to incorporate basic facts practice.
After determining a specific need, the first step was to research different initiatives being used in pursuit of accomplishing the same goal. A program used in Arizona was at the top of her list. My cooperating administrator put in a request with the school board to visit a school in Arizona to learn more about the program. The trip was approved and she was able to go along with the superintendent, and our building peer leaders. The school in Arizona was more than accommodating as they allowed our district employees to come into their school to observe their process of basic facts practice. The program consisted of specific skills practiced with a peer tutoring component and included daily data collection. Those who were fortunate enough witness the program in action were immediately excited about the possibilities. This excitement helped create buy-in from other teachers and immediately after receiving training we were all committed.
We have now been using what we call “Flashmath” for the past two years. In this type of program success is charted daily and easily seen by both students and teachers. Growth takes place almost immediately which triggers motivation amongst students. They set goals and challenge themselves. Best of all the program takes a mere 10-15 minutes each day, and the results have been phenomenal.
The success of the program has been noticed district wide. My cooperating principal has presented the data to the school board and it has been decided the program will be adopted district wide. Having been the pilot school we are now the “experts” and can offer support to teachers from other schools in the district. One thing that I have noticed about the other schools adopting the program compared to ours is more tension and hesitation among the teachers. Even though the success we’ve had hasn’t been a secret by any means, the other schools lack the excitement for the program. Having witnessed the program at work, our teachers were able to pass on their excitement. As a result, the other district buildings are at a disadvantage and may not experience the same amount of success, at least not right away.
As a future administrator I have thought about what I would do if I were in the place of the other principals in the district in order to spread excitement and create buy-in. My first thought would be to invite the peer leaders who initially saw the program in action to speak to staff in those other buildings. I feel that hearing about the success from a peer would be more relevant and help create the needed sense of excitement.
Another initiative our district is working hard at integrating is the use of i-Pads, applications, and web-based tools to increase student learning. I was very fortunate to be part of a select group of pilot teachers. During the course of the 2010-2011 school year I had access to a classroom set of i-Pads. I was solely responsible for them, including: updated, syching, and charging them. By the end of the year I had downloaded and folderized approximately 160 applications for educational use. The district has now moved forward and purchased more i-Pads. Ultimately, the goal is to have one for every student in the district. Though still in the visionary stage, our district is committed to technology integration and teaching 21st Century skills.
Overall, I feel the biggest thing to think about when trying to implement new programming is to be proactive in thinking about the best way to create buy-in amongst staff. It could mean the difference between a successful program, and one that loses steam. In order to demonstrate my competence in the area of Instructional Leadership, the artifacts I have included are: a copy of an i-Pad story written by one of my second grade students, and a set of answer keys for a specific skill in our Flashmath program. I am confident in my ability to implement building/district wide programs, and in creating buy-in amongst staff. All that is needed is vision, a feasible plan and follow through.