Internship Experiences/Competencies Reflections As an administrative intern I have had the opportunity to be able to observe and shadow school administrators.

Through my first internship I interviewed people from different areas of education. With these experiences I have learned the importance of communication and also the collaboration amongst peers. Another great, highlight was the student confidentiality above everything else. Ive learned that student safety and privacy should always be considered a priority. Overall, my internship experience has helped me to see beyond the classroom walls. For my second internship my overall experience was every bit that I expected and more. I had the pleasure of training and working side by side with a supportive and collaborative administration. I enjoyed the many opportunities that were given to me in which I was able to put them all into practice. With the help and guidance of my peers and also the administration I have been able to learn and grow within the field of education. I am more than confident that I am going to succeed and achieve any goal or task set before me.

Competency 1: The principal knows how to shape campus culture by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community. While working on my projects with the campus supervisor I learned the importance of an empowering staff. The principal was very supportive in all three projects by providing me with advice from her personal experiences. She provided me with all the materials and resources that were necessary to complete my tasks. Due to her helpfulness and collaboration I was able to develop a relationship with both the school administration and staff. Competency 2: The principal knows how to communicate and collaborate with all members of the school community, respond to diverse interests and needs, and mobilize resources to promote student success. As an intern I was able to observe several Site Base Committees where all stakeholders were involved. One of my projects involved creating a social media website so that stakeholders would be able to communicate and stay up to date with current school events within the school year. With my involvement in these projects I am more than confident that I will be able to succeed within this area. Competency 3: The principal knows how to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical and legal manner. Confidentiality of students and staff was always a priority while working on my projects. I had the opportunity to work for two different principals throughout my internships who both have different interpretation of this competency. As administrators it is imperative to be honest and
Jessica Gomez Internship II 2013

fair with decisions and actions. School staff is quick to gather whether their leader is worth following or not by their character traits. Due to my experiences school climate and culture is built according to how administrators carry this competency out. This year I have the pleasure to work under an administrator who model and promotes the highest standards.

Competency 4: The principal knows how to facilitate the design and implementation of curricula and strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning; ensure alignment of curriculum, instruction, resources, and assessment; and promote the use of varied assessments to measure student performance. This school year I changed districts and work as a departmentalize teacher. The subjects I am responsible for are Math, Science and ESL. The principal makes it a point to meet with teachers to discuss curriculum and instruction. She is constantly helping with materials, resources or ideas. Teachers have the freedom to create their own assessments according to student needs. We are encouraged to use technology to heighten curriculum especially in math and reading. I have learned from Mrs. Carpenter how to delegate responsibilities to other staff to ensure teacher and student learning. The principal has designated individuals to guide and advice teachers in their strong subject areas. Competency 5: The principal knows how to advocate, nurture, and sustain an instructional program and a campus culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth. Working with Mrs. Carpenter I have seen this competency come to life. She is very supportive of staff professional growth. She is always sending e-mails of current professional developments. Mrs. Carpenter herself encouraged me to do a book study for one of my projects. She facilitated all the materials needed and ideas to enhance participation and learning. This a competency I am more than confident I will succeed in when I become an administrator. Competency 6: The principal knows how to implement a staff evaluation and development system to improve the performance of all staff members, select and implement appropriate models for supervision and staff development, and apply the legal requirements for personnel management. None of my projects addressed this competency, but I was able to experience it in a professional level. The district I am currently working for requires teachers to create Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). Teachers are asked to focus on two areas they would like to grow

Jessica Gomez

Internship II 2013

throughout the year. The IPDP are created by the teacher with the help of his/her appraiser. The areas selected should be based on teachers weakness and strength and professional learning goals. Through this form administrators help teachers find support and the development necessary to improve instructional practices and increase student learning. Competency 7: The principal knows how to apply organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to ensure an effective learning environment. As a future administrator I put into practice every day my organizational, decision-making and problem-solving skills. On a daily basis I make decisions regarding classroom goals. Another, is as problems arise with students daily I put my problem-solving skills into practice to find the root of the problem and solve it. Another, example is that as a grade level we were asked to collaborate together to decide and create our tutoring schedules and to Tier students with the agreement of our colleagues.

Competency 8: The principal knows how to apply principles of effective leadership and management in relation to campus budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial management, and technology use. This school year I have observed how Mrs. Carpenter has applied effective leadership and management. At the beginning of the school year she moved teachers around according to district and campus needs. For example, she moved several teachers to other grade levels according to campus goals and needs. As the year went on she moved a teacher to an upper grade level due to her effectiveness and switched another pair of teachers their subjects of focus. Competency 9: The principal knows how to apply principles of leadership and management to the campus physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning environment. This is an area I am confident in. One of my projects was to create a proposal for after school dismissal. Currently parents come through the back of the school and are allowed to take student. The only requirement is to let the teacher know they have the child in their possession. At the beginning of the year is usually very chaotic and parents need to be reminded of notifying teachers and to wait until the bell rings to take the student. At the moment there are two teachers per grade level, plus administrators outside supervising to ensure student and staff safety. As a future administrator I suggested that students should be inside the school and be release to parents in an orderly manner. Parents must present a tag with teacher and student name that was provided at the beginning of the year. This ensures that the schools is releasing students to proper individuals and are accounted for preventing abductions and etc.

Jessica Gomez

Internship II 2013

Jessica Gomez

Internship II 2013