Self-Reflection

Know thyself.

-Socrates

This assignment correlated with Educational Leadership Core Curriculum (ELCC) Standards. The standard that most directly linked to this project was standard one, which states…

Candidates who complete the program are educational leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a school vision of learning supported by the school community.

This vision project truly lay the theoretical groundwork and foundation for my educational leadership philosophy and core values.  This assignment gave me the opportunity to examine a public elementary in depth and develop a school vision statement for learning that promotes the success of all students.  Through the creation of the vision assignment it aided in the development of my values.  I learned to be committed to the educability of all students and the inclusion of all members of the school community. 

I learned that a school's vision and mission of the school are effectively communicated to all stakeholders including staff, parents, students, and community members.  First, relevant demographic data pertaining to students and their families was collected, reviewed and analyzed, and as a result, a communication and action plan was created that marketed the school's vision and mission.  I gained a great deal of insight into how powerful the school's vision is.  I learned  that it shapes  the educational programs, plans, and actions of the school.  During this project, many efforts were made to involve all stakeholders towards school improvement.

My favorite part of this assignment was the assessment data and collection piece.  It is extremely important for leaders to use a myriad of information, such as demographics, student achievement data, community needs, student and parent perceptions of the school to implement various plans and programs for the school.  Though a difficult and cumbersome task, analyzing and evaluating data collected provided great insight in where the school was presently and where it should go.  As a future leader, it was up to me and my group members to develop a plan that examined where we are now, where we would like to go, and how best can we get there.

One aspect of this assignment that was especially challenging was working with other members.  Unfortunately, this assignment was my first exposure to collaborative teamwork and shared-decision making.  It was initially difficult to share ideas and consequently narrow ideas down to one topic.  However, after completing the assignment, I realize the great value in team leadership and collaborative learning. I gained great insight from my colleagues and learned that as a future leader it is important to share responsibilities and even delegate tasks at times.  As a result of this project, I became chair person of the Shared-Decision Making Team at my school and often I share my experiences with this first assignment with my students and colleagues.