200 word response 1 reference/intext citation Due 1/27/2024

King

Reflective Question 1: Do I work to alter the learning at my school?

            This is a tough question to answer, I will say yes, but it is not enough. We still have students who don’t get everything they need and that is not good. I am working to get teachers to see that instead of complaining about all the tests use them to their advantage. Use the information to tell you what you need to teach that student. Don’t just compare the score, analyze it. Use all the skills you have, to teach them, if that way doesn’t work then try another. Build a relationship with the parent.  All parents love their child and want them to learn. Don’t assume that because they aren’t at your door everyday they don’t care, they do. In some cases, I feel as if I’m getting through to them, in others, I wander what I need to do to help them understand. It is like being in the classroom, I need to go about it another way to help the teachers understand.

Reflective Question 2: Do I inquire about the “ends” of schooling or just the “means”?

            I do inquire about the “ends” of schooling. Students being in school serves a purpose, otherwise why are we there. I question and question. When a teacher comes with paperwork to move a student to Tier 3, I question why, what have they done thus far, what do they think will happen at this next stage? Then there are times when a student is not doing well on assessment after assessment and the teacher hasn’t brought paperwork for tier 3 and they aren’t on tier 2 and this makes me question as well. What are you doing, or not doing? Why haven’t you seen a need to help this child more.  There are times though, that I can get caught up in the means, the details of what is going on instead of the goal of it all. 

Reflective Question 3: Do I engage in continuous inquiry?

            Yes, when I have an interaction with a teacher, I reflect on it and think of ways that I can make the interaction better, or analyze the response or to reflect on if I was supportive enough, things like that. I do the same with a student, in fact we have discussions among the administrative team about students who we have to discipline or the parents we have spoken to, to reflect on way we can be more effective. My administrators have always been very big on reflecting and it has become a habit.

Reflective Question 4: To what extent am I empowered to participate authentically in pedagogical matters of fundamental importance, such as what schools are for and how teaching and learning can be aligned with the school’s vision?

            I am empowered to participate in pedagogical matters, the school in which I work encourages it, however, I didn’t really participate authentically until I started in this program at NOVA. These classes have made me think in a different way. Our school has a vision but it wasn’t until recently that we have taken it and aligned it to our goals for the school. Put it in the forefront for all the stakeholders to see, so they can hold us accountable.

Reflective Question 5: To what extent does the organizational culture support me as an inquirer into what I do and how I might do it better?

            My school supports me, we have a culture here of support. Particularly when you are trying to better yourself. Teachers, and support staff are very willing to help and to give feedback on how things are done and how it could have been done better.

Reflection Question 6: To what extent do I engage competently in discourse and action to improve the conditions, activities, and outcomes of schooling?

            We have monthly grade group meetings and these meeting are mostly about improving conditions, activities and outcomes of schoolings. We also have monthly administration meetings and we discuss the same topics. We also have professional developments on these same topics.

Reflection Question 7: To What extent do I care about myself and others in the same way I care (or ought to care) about students?

            When Senge discusses the moral obligation, that struck a nerve. When I was a teacher, I might not have used those words, but I felt it was my responsibility to make sure that the students in my care left my classroom better, not worse. I felt it was my responsibility to make sure they learned all they needed to know, if one way didn’t work then I tried another way. If that didn’t work, I talked to parents, to try to figure out a way that would work. When I became an administrator, I had a disconnect with that, in that I got bogged down with the details that I didn’t focus on what we are really here for. In this position that is easy to do. Like I stated earlier, these classes have given me a new perspective.