EDLD 673 Instructional Leadership & Supervision
EDLD 673: Instructional Leadership & Supervision
Questionnaire filed by Janet Kosino-Littke an elementary school teacher in Arcadia ElementarySchool in Kalamazoo
PART 1
Status of the Written & Communicated Curriculum
Is the curriculum aligned with the Common Core and/or State Standards?
The school curriculum is aligned with state standards.
How is the curriculum organized and sequenced, horizontally and vertically?
The curriculum is vertically aligned across different grade levels. Its instruction based under the existing standards to improve performance but decrease instructional time.
Have you identified “Power Standards?”
In Arcadia Elementary power standards are the learning goals that are important for the students before they can complete their course or attain their required grade.
How are curriculum expectations communicated to students and parents?
The school involves both the students and the parents in developing curriculum activities and in setting the annual academic goals.
Status of the Delivered Curriculum (Classroom Instruction)
How is time allocated to the delivery of the written curriculum?
Time is allocated on development, implementation and evaluation. At the school we have strongly embraced benchmark literacy.
How are learning goals communicated to the whole class and to individual students?
Learning goals are communicated to both whole class and individual students. To whole class learning goals are communicated using tiered assignments and open questions while to individual students targeted questions that require critical thinking are used.
What instructional strategies do you use and how are those strategies adaptable to different learners?
The instructional strategies that we use in the school include; appropriate text, differentiated learning and high interest reading materials. To make appropriate text adaptable to all students the school has organized flexible leveled reading groups, in differentiated learning independent book study projects and book reports and finally in enhancing high interest reading the school has increased classroom and school libraries, reading logs and besides just right books.
Do you provide digital learning experiences for students?
Yes the school allows digital learning experience by providing intranet.
What are your homework expectations?
For my assignment I expect students to turn in well researched and styled academic papers using the school portal.
Status of the Assessed Curriculum
Have state/national/local assessment data been used in adapting classroom instruction?
State assessment data has been used to severally in adapting classroom instruction since the state provides ranking for schools and students on the same.
What assessments are used to inform the instruction?
The most common assessment embraced here are state ranking, students attendance statistics and parents feedback.
How do you collect, access and use student learning data on an ongoing basis?
The school library and the curriculum department work hand in hand, thus ensuring the two departments assist each other in monitoring what items are required for the school and the quality required.
How do you provide feedback to students on their learning?
We provide feedback to students by providing a mark or grade for their work; this is also accompanied by a brief comment like good work which may be written or verbal.
What types of student work are used to evaluate learning? (collect example of student work)
Different types of student work are used to evaluate learning; the most common are academic assignments, students’ class participation and extra curriculum activities such as sports and art.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The school curriculum is set in line with the state standards that ensure that learning is structured to benefit all students. It also requires that a process of learning is carefully implemented and should end up with students’ and school assessment. In this particular school too much emphasis is based on state ranking which provide evaluation for the school and students.
However, I would suggest that the school can improve learning and the school in general if assessment is mostly done by analyzing the school’s annual vision and mission. Since the school has limited resources and a number of students with special needs achieving the actual vision and mission set at the school should be counted as success.
PART 2
Status of Shared Leadership
Who makes decisions, how are decisions made, and how are decisions communicated in your school?
Decision making in the school is quit decentralized since decisions are made from all departments and then further discussed though the principal. Departments in the school are organized in relation to academic, extra curriculum and students’ welfare and all these departments are responsible for forwarding their decisions to the top office. Decisions are communicated through memos, arranged meetings and using the school portal.
What is the performance evaluation system for the school and how is it carried out and used by principals and teachers?
The school evaluation system is grade based where by grades are allocated for different achievements. Achievements are carried out by ensuring that the four steps are carried out; planning and preparation, instruction, classroom environment and professional responsibilities.
Status of Current State of School Culture
What types of activities promote shared learning between the principal and staff?
The activities that promote shared learning activities between the principal and the staff include; the decision making process, arranged meeting, organized extra curriculum activities and besides open suggestion boxes.
What evidence is there of shared language, common focus, and shared commitments – what are they and how are they established and supported?
The school has shared language, common focus and commitments as evidenced by departmental individual goals. All departments are expected to set their own annual goals, but if we can clearly analyze these multiple goals they all sum up to the school annual vision and mission.
Status of the Current State of Professionalism in the School
What is the working relationship between the principal and staff?
The principal and the teacher work together in establishing the school goals. The teacher assists the principal in carrying out his leadership roles through abiding to the laid down rules and regulations.
What is the working relationship between staff members?
The staff members have a partnership kind of relationship where by all the members work together for a common goal. Even with our different roles and sectors all of us want to ensure the school an excellent place that assists the students to prosper.
What is the working relationship between staff and students?
The staff and students have a validation type of relationship. It is important since the students need to feel that they have a lot to run from the teacher.
What is the relationship between staff and parents?
The relationship between the teacher and the parents is quit scripted; the teacher always comes along when their assistance is needed in the school. Parents respect and appreciate the teacher, they also know their importance and this is the same for the teacher. Therefore, the two groups relate well and assist each other when need be.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
After analyzing the schools curriculum and different modes of operation I can confidently say that; a schools success is dependent on every member of the school. For the curriculum to be effective and assist in producing successful students, it has to be developed by both the teachers and the students. Further, effective curriculum should be backed by unity in the school among or the stake holder; the students, parents, teachers and the principal to ensure all of them have a common goal.
However, I can make some recommendation to our system in Arcadia elementary school on the bases of curriculum development and implementation. The school can ensure that the systems developed take consideration for students with special needs and above all has room for improvement by setting long term goals.
