Describe why reflection is an important skill in leadership.
- Reflection is a very important part of being a leader that is always trying to improve. From the very start of this superintendent’s cohort I have been reminded of all of the fun and not so fun stories that have occurred in my administrative journey. I never thought of it as “reflection”, just me thinking about what memories I have been making as an administrator. This is when I know each one of us as educators could write a best seller containing all of the funny tales concerning the lives we have been touched by. Reflection requires time, and this has been one part of the cohort that has been very good for me. Our course assignments have made me visit each lesson and reflect on how I will be as a superintendent. This is going to be the most important tool in my educational “tool box”. Making the decisions that will help kids, teachers and other stakeholders to learn at their very best is only going to be reached by using the reflective practice.
Provide examples of reflective practices throughout this program citing examples from:
· Course assignment activities- Reflective practice is what allowed me to grow and learn with each lesson. Applying this technique with each lesson really helped me to learn the competencies that are being studied. I think the lesson that made me appreciate reflection the most was when we did the finance lesson. There was no way to solve the problem unless we got together as a cohort. I know it makes sense now, but at the time the frustration and collaboration was making me “nuts”. In this internship assignment it required us to use our reflective actions to review and think back on the video and language of finance. This made us think like superintendents in the “hot seat” of decision making.
· Blogs- I had never “blogged” until this cohort. I now know that this is exactly what was meant in the phrase “two heads are better than one”. By reading other folk’s blogs I was able to look at my own educational decisions and make them better or drop them completely for a better decision. Reflections on the postings and comments made me see educational administration in a completely new way. I did not want to look like a goofball among some really great educators, these blogs make me think first and then put it down in writing. They can help me be a better administrator by giving me other ways to do things.
· Course and campus supervised logs- Course and campus supervised logs provided for a time of reflection. Especially now that Dr. Creel is doing interviews. This is making each time that I talk with my sight supervisor more important. I am learning how she has used these same learning activities to improve her administrative duties. Reflecting how decisions will be good or bad make a better superintendent candidate.
· Assessments- The assessments are kind of strange. Some of them gave the corrections so that I could figure out why I put down the wrong answer. Then other times there was no way to review the corrections. Technical issues that are still showing that our superintendent’s courses are being improved as each cohort will allow our professors to reflect on these online tests. I think it will make me do better on my superintendent competency test.
· Other intern reflection experiences- The web conferences, discussion boards, blogs and interviews have been great. I know that they make me a more “well rounded” administrator. I was only able to rely on my experiences, now I have an entire cohort to get ideas from. Dr. Benavidez and Dr. Creel have a great way to ask questions and make me think about really being a superintendent.
Describe how you plan to use reflective practice to improve your leadership skills – provide some specific suggestions for applying the skills of reflection.
I did not really know I was using the reflective practice. I write down what has happened during the day so I won’t forget the details if I need them in the future. I am now realizing that I can use this technique to plan better for better educational outcomes in my kids, teachers and especially for myself. I plan on using reflective thinking to make me a better administrator and person. It will take a lot more self discipline on my part to use this tool. My days as a principal have made me do things “too” quickly. I am going to have to make time to reflect on decisions that will lend to better practices in our school. Throughout this internship I have learned that this reflective practice will make me be a better superintendent, principal and educator.
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