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Sunday, February 12, 2012

EDLD 5345 Human Resource Management Course Reflection

In this class I gained some insight on issues I will com across as a principal.  As of now, I am involved in the technology program but I do have interest in pursuing the administrative side of education.  In the beginning I had a chance to view the principal competencies and what they involve.  I knew that a principal has many responsibilities and their leadership is important in running a good school.  I took a survey to look at my personal view of the competencies and which were important to me.  I also gained some additional knowledge on the “fight or flight” response system.  This particular theory was not new to me because it can be applied to other areas.  In this area, I recalled instances where I’ve seen conflict in the workplace and possible solutions to these conflicts.  In this I also discussed ethics.  I had a chance to discuss how I’ve seen these standards violated and the possible consequences to theses actions.  I had a chance to look at the different types of teacher contracts and how they compare with each other.  I like the assignment that discussed how the principal conducts evaluations and the process.  “Teacher observations, especially of new hires, usually begin early in the school year in order to provide assurance that the new teacher knows the curriculum, provides proper instruction, evaluates students’ progress, and manages students’ behavior.” (Patterson, 2008)  Each week, I realized that the assignments were focusing on how to deal with employees and different issues that might occur on the job.  The readings were informative and helped me learn about many aspects of education that teachers in the classroom don’t experience.  Prior to this class, I knew about conflict management and methods of dealing with conflict.  I knew about the “fight or flight” response system.  Fortunately, I have never witnessed this conduct in my workplace.  In week three, one par of the assignment addressed the many “hats” a leader wears during the course of a school year.  I am familiar with the concept and I agree that leaders will take on many different roles to serve the school.  During this class, the information that I gained opened my eyes to different aspects on my campus.  The relationship between the new and old information did not have an affect on my personal experiences.  If anything, I realized that my campus is pretty good.  I have worked in three different districts and the campus culture I is very good compared to the others.  I believe much of it has to do with the administration and the way they treat the students and the teachers.
            To complete the assignments during this class, I had to coordinate my schedule with other when I needed to conduct an interview.  Because of my extra-curricular duties, at times this could be a challenge.  Most of the interviews were conducted during my planning period or I emailed a copy of the questions if the schedules conflict.  To complete the remaining portion of my coursework, I had to balance my day after practice and my children were settled for the night.  Each week night and weekend was dedicated to getting my work completed.  By following a strict schedule, I usually could get everything completed by the sixth day.  I think I did a really good job completing assignments under the strict time constraint.  Some of the assignments called for collaboration, which is always good for me.  It allowed me to visit with educational professionals of varied backgrounds.  The interaction with all expressed their viewpoint on some of the same subjects, just a different vantage point.  “We have come to the realization that our workforce need all generations to have a diverse and viable pool of employees.” (Savage, 2007)  My performance was enhanced because of the wide variety of resources I received input from.
            What I gained from my learning that will have an impact on my future is the value of collaboration with other teachers and administrators.  Many of the techniques I have discussed with administrators they learned from on the job experience and conversation with other administrators.  They didn’t learn it from a textbook.  The tips that they have offered resulted in me considering administration as a career route.  Educational technology will always be at the forefront so I would like to infuse the two careers, if given the opportunity.  Because of my past interactions and collaborations with other co-workers, I am considering going into administration.  I realized that I like the conversation and the opportunity to receive feedback immediately in a round table type discussion.  Now I am debating enrollment in another program that caters to more face to face interaction because of the auditory learning opportunity, but I like the flexibility of the Lamar system.  I think the issue that deserves some research deals with the relationship gap between the school and some families.  “Students and families can access the best of what schools have to offer if educators can communicate effectively with them, understand who they are and the cultural context from which they come, and perceive and treat them with respect.” (Nuri-Robins, Terrell, & Lindsey, 2007)  I’d like to find out why the community and the school relationship can become strained in some communities when both groups want the best for the children.






References
Nuri-Robins, K., Lindsey, D., Terrell, R., & Lindsey, R. (2007). Cultural proficiency: Tools for secondary school administrators. Nat. Association of Secondary School Principals: NASSP Principal Leadership 8(1), 18

Patterson, J., (2008). Which comes first, the job description or the evaluation. Best Practices, 17

Savage, S.L. (2007). HR leadership of today: Taking on the hot issues of tomorrow. American Association of School Personnel Administration: AASPA Best Practices in School Personnel, May/June/July 2007, 18

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