15. Monitoring Student Learning
a. Demonstrate the ability to create a culture that fosters a community of learners
b. Understand student Guidance and Auxiliary systems c. Ability to implement a positive and effective student management system d. Implement effective student discipline plans e. Develop a master instructional schedule f. Ability to plan to meet the enrichment, remediation and special education needs for all students g. Support and understand a comprehensive program of student activities |
Principals are responsible for creating a culture dedicated to providing a positive environment for successful student learning. This leadership must focus teachers and afford them the tools to provide for students’ social, emotional and academic growth. This includes providing time for teacher collaboration and capable support personnel. Finally, principals must oversee a full array of student extracurricular activities; available for students to extend their learning experiences and find exercise their talents.
One step in creating a safe, positive school is the creation of a building-wide behavior plan. During my field experience, I was able to observe the behavior model from the beginning of the year. Our elementary school has a building commitment to kindness. Every morning when the principal does the announcements, she ends it with, “And don’t forget to fill somebody’s bucket today.” This statement is based on the book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (2015) that the principal reads to each class at the beginning of the year. Beyond the overarching idea of kindness, there are expectations that are taught to students for each area they enter in the school.
The best-laid expectations are not 100% effective because kids are learning and exploring their power and emotions. When I was in Singapore, I created a behavior expectation system for all staff at the center I worked at to create a consistent approach to behavior when we taught our students each week. I also conducted trainings for high school Normal Track teachers (Normal Track students are in the lower track, and often demonstrate behavior challenges) on creating engaging lessons to decrease behavior problems.
As part of my work with building intervention teams, I have been asked to support teachers in creating behavior modification plans. One of the approaches I use is behavior charts. We begin with a student incentive survey to see what kind of rewards the student prefers (Artifact 1). Then, the teacher and I discuss the specific behaviors that need to be targeted and create a chart for the student (Artifact 2). Teachers are asked to use the chart for a minimum of six weeks in order to get a true idea of the success of the intervention.
Scheduling is another challenge that principals face. In 2011, I was part of the transition of our junior high to a middle school concept school. During that time, I served as part of a five-member faculty senate that re-designed the master schedule to include common planning time, advisory time, and exploratory time. In addition, the past two years, I have been the scheduler for our Title I reading department (three teachers and a para), including determining when students can leave their classrooms, avoiding specialist classes, lunch, recess, and core instructional time (Artifact 3). With both of these experiences, I learned that scheduling take a lot of problem solving and manipulation, but the outcome is often an very important tool for quality instruction.
Creating a system of student monitoring entails the integration of many smaller systems. Success in this endeavor lies in a principal’s ability to organize, prioritize, and mobilize staff. Principals must trust staff members to provide support and leadership in the smaller systems in order to have a productive learning environment.
McCloud, Carol, and David Messing. Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids. Bucket Fillers, 2015. Print.
One step in creating a safe, positive school is the creation of a building-wide behavior plan. During my field experience, I was able to observe the behavior model from the beginning of the year. Our elementary school has a building commitment to kindness. Every morning when the principal does the announcements, she ends it with, “And don’t forget to fill somebody’s bucket today.” This statement is based on the book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (2015) that the principal reads to each class at the beginning of the year. Beyond the overarching idea of kindness, there are expectations that are taught to students for each area they enter in the school.
The best-laid expectations are not 100% effective because kids are learning and exploring their power and emotions. When I was in Singapore, I created a behavior expectation system for all staff at the center I worked at to create a consistent approach to behavior when we taught our students each week. I also conducted trainings for high school Normal Track teachers (Normal Track students are in the lower track, and often demonstrate behavior challenges) on creating engaging lessons to decrease behavior problems.
As part of my work with building intervention teams, I have been asked to support teachers in creating behavior modification plans. One of the approaches I use is behavior charts. We begin with a student incentive survey to see what kind of rewards the student prefers (Artifact 1). Then, the teacher and I discuss the specific behaviors that need to be targeted and create a chart for the student (Artifact 2). Teachers are asked to use the chart for a minimum of six weeks in order to get a true idea of the success of the intervention.
Scheduling is another challenge that principals face. In 2011, I was part of the transition of our junior high to a middle school concept school. During that time, I served as part of a five-member faculty senate that re-designed the master schedule to include common planning time, advisory time, and exploratory time. In addition, the past two years, I have been the scheduler for our Title I reading department (three teachers and a para), including determining when students can leave their classrooms, avoiding specialist classes, lunch, recess, and core instructional time (Artifact 3). With both of these experiences, I learned that scheduling take a lot of problem solving and manipulation, but the outcome is often an very important tool for quality instruction.
Creating a system of student monitoring entails the integration of many smaller systems. Success in this endeavor lies in a principal’s ability to organize, prioritize, and mobilize staff. Principals must trust staff members to provide support and leadership in the smaller systems in order to have a productive learning environment.
McCloud, Carol, and David Messing. Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids. Bucket Fillers, 2015. Print.