Competency 6

Communication

a. Formulate and carry out plans for internal and external communications

b. Demonstrate facilitation skills

c. Recognize and apply understanding of group and individual behavior in normal and stressful situations

d. Facilite teamwork

e. Demonstrate an understanding of conflict resolution and problem solving skills

f. Make presentations that are clear and easy to understand

g. Respond, review, and summarize information for groups

h. Communicate appropriately, speak, listen and write for different audiences

i. Understand and utilize appropriate communication technology

Cheat Sheet Math MCA-II.pptx (581,1 kB)
Test Monitor Checklist.doc (24,5 kB)
Test_Monitor_Training[1].pdf (91,9 kB)

Communication Reflection

    In a complex organization, such as a school, it is of dire importance that all communication from the administration be clear and concise.  When this does not occur, assumptions will likely be made and frustration can easily result.  It is the responsibility of the school administrator to communicate building and district initiatives or directives, schedules, daily procedures to staff, and many other things to staff, students and parents.  Communication does not just lie in the communicator’s ability to speak, but to listen and respond appropriately as well.

    In my field experience I was given the opportunity to develop MCA-II testing schedules, create proctor testing materials, and communicate to our staff any and all terms surrounding the testing process. Being the first year our building was taking the online version of the math test there was a lot of stress amongst teachers as they learned they would be proctoring the tests themselves.  In preparation for training teachers, I attended a district administration meeting and developed a plan for training.

    The original training presentation given to me was 27 slides long and both overwhelming and vague in terms defining proctor responsibilities.  As a result, I felt it would be beneficial to condense the training material, and put a much needed emphasis on specific proctor responsibilities.  I was able to cover the exact same information in 14 slides.  I felt this was a much better way to present the information to teachers, while emphasizing their specific responsibilities and lowering stress levels.  I also felt it was important to create a separate document in the form of a checklist outlining their specific responsibilities.  My goal in doing this was to give the teachers a quick point of reference, and to ensure they would follow proper protocol.

    The morning of Wednesday, March 30, 2011, I trained approximately 20 teachers on proctoring our school MCA-II tests.  I took them through all of the required material from the state, emphasized the areas in which they needed to focus their attention, and spent time answering questions.  I felt the training went very smoothly and that most of the teachers left feeling confident that they knew their role in proctoring the tests.  I also feel I helped lower stress levels by showing them the whole picture of the testing process and communicating who the key players would be behind the scenes.  Our building technology professional would be loading the computers prior to each test session and ensuring that the sound would be working on all machines prior to testing.  I would be teaching next door, and would be available for questions during testing, and our principal would be the go to person in case of an emergency. 

    The entire process of scheduling testing sessions and training proctors was very eye opening for me. Just like in a classroom every individual has different needs.  I am now more aware of the fact that similar concepts and principles apply when working with adults as with children.  For example, scaffolding and differentiation will likely be necessary when communicating with adults.  I found that despite how thorough I was in terms of communicating schedules and responsibilities, there were certain teachers who consistently needed extra support.  One teacher in particular needed directions sent to her three separate times, and she still did not understand her role in the process.  As a school administrator I would be sure to communicate the need to read any and all testing materials very carefully.  I would also encourage staff members to ask questions to ensure understanding. 

    In terms of my future in school administration, I feel this experience was very valuable. I now have a better understanding of the complex nature of schedules in an elementary school and how difficult it can be to work around them without creating a domino effect.  In this particular experience I was able to work around all specials, lunches, and reading and math programs in our building.  I know that may not always be the case and more complex schedule changes may need to occur. This could result in further communication specifics for staff. 

    I feel I have grown significantly in the area of Communication throughout my internship.  In order to demonstrate competence in this area, I have attached the copy of my MCA-II proctor training presentation, and the specific checklist of teacher responsibilities I created and distributed.  I also included a copy of a trouble shooting presentation I put together once specific problems occurred during the online testing.  I made sure to include pictures of the computer screen so teachers knew exactly what to look for.  This presentation was given to all proctors and copies were kept next to the proctor’s computer stations in each of the computer labs to help ensure the information was readily available.  The purpose of this presentation was to lower anxiety and to help teachers through the process. As a future administrator my experience in this competency will prove beneficial for years to come.