Reflection Log #3

The school culture is a living, breathing and growing part of any community. When that community is in need of improvement, we look to reform models for help. As effective leaders, we need to be aware of how this change will affect each member of the school community. If the reform model is implemented well, then the culture of the school will only become stronger. But if that reform is put together without much planning and preparation, the culture could suffer drastically. Culture is unwritten rules in the school which each participant interprets differently. As the culture is more clearly defined, that definition will become more unified and enhance the school for the benefit of the learners. In order for administrators to be more effective, they need to take advantage of all of the reform models and technology tools (Web 2.0) that are available to help inform the community, provide professional development, and implement the strategy to improve the school.
As the course progresses, we are learning about new reform models, how to evaluate them, how to prepare the staff for the change and how best to use technology. My concept of administration isn’t changing but growing and becoming refined after each week. The information is helping us to become more well-rounded and prepared leaders for the future. I have always been aware that the school culture is there, but unaware of how much it affects the school and, in the end, student learning. In order for us to be the effective leaders we should be we must have a deep knowledge of how the school is running and what are the best ways to implement change. Change is something that will be constant and necessary no matter where we begin our careers. It is also important for us to observe and respect what has happened before our arrival, use that information and apply it to decision making for the future of the school. Administration is going to be a lot of prep work, tough decision making, long hours, and many other stressful parts of the job description. But with the proper knowledge base and preparation, we will succeed and share the benefits with the entire community making it a very rewarding job that I want to be a part of.