J.

Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 1 of 31

EDS 6900
Capstone Paper

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

April 2015
Jasmine S. Farrow

Introduction

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 2 of 31

According to Robbins and Alvy, authors of The New Principals Fieldbook: Strategies for
School, their book was written to, Provide newcomers to the principalship with research-based
practical strategies and sage advice from practitioners designed to help them succeed-right from
the start. I believe this statement encompasses what I have experienced during my time in the
EDS program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The course work, professors, and
relationships built with other teaching professionals within the program have helped create a
solid foundation for my future career goals of becoming a school administrator. It is vital that
new and aspiring principals be provided with clear, concise, and practical information, along
with effective strategies to help them become visionary leaders, skilled in promoting the success
of students and teachers, facilitating a positive and learning-focused collaborative culture, and
building strong home-school-community bonds (Robbins & Alvy, 2004). Through my field
experiences, classes, projects, and many discussions with my peers, I feel that I have been
provided with enough knowledge and opportunities to effectively perform the above leadership
responsibilities. Although my book knowledge has increased throughout the program, Ive
discovered that self-reflection is one of the most important tools and help me be the best school
leader that I can be.
Standard A: Continuous Improvement
An effective instruction leader implements a systematic, coherent approach to
bring about the continuous growth in the academic achievement of all students.
Proverbs 29; 18 (KJV) says, Where there is no vision, the people perish. Effective
leaders care deeply about what they want to accomplish and work with their colleagues to
identify common, shared goals and aspirations for the future (Gorton & Alston, 2009). These
goals and aspirations are put into the vision and mission of the school. According to the TILS, a

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 3 of 31

mission is a concise statement of the unique, fundamental purpose of an organization and its
programs.

The mission describes the organizations reason for being and identifies the

organizations purpose, service, priorities, and beneficiaries of services. (Tennessee Department

of Education, 2010). A vision is what a school is working to become.
Throughout the program, I learned about the importance of relating all things back to the
vision of the school. That could include a curriculum, program, or field trips. As a future
administrator, I must have a clear understanding of the vision and direction of the school and
make sure that everything is aligned to that vision. Visions are quite often the simple part, with
the hard part being the execution - turning the vision into reality (Clark, 2010). As I reflected
about this TILS standard, I asked myself, What have I done at my school the support the
vision? Our vision states that East Brainerd is committed to fostering a caring environment
where students and teachers feel safe to share their ideas, explore a challenging education, and
value growth that leads to life-long learning. Some of the things Ive done to support this vision
are:

Created a new-teacher mentoring program to provide new teachers with opportunities for

professional growth
Implemented whole-brain teaching into my classroom to encourage students creativity
and provide them with multiple opportunities to support, encourage, and challenge each

other in a non-threatening environment

Planned and facilitated several after school professional development sessions on current

best practices
Worked closely with administration to disaggregate data and made suggestions on how to
improve our current curriculum to meet the needs of all students

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 4 of 31

As a current teacher leader and a future administrator, I now understand the need for
constant evaluation. At the beginning of my Ed.S program I thought of my principal coming into
my room to do an observation when I heard the word evaluation. Now, at the end of the program,
I think about vision, goals, and objectives when I hear the word. An effective school leader
should use program evaluation as a tool to make sure that the vision is constantly at work.
Through self-reflection, I was able to see that the things that I have made a priority are directly
supporting my schools vision. When I step into the role of an administrator, I will make sure that
I have evaluations in place so that my school has that systematic approach to continuous growth
as mentioned in this TILS standard.
Standard B: Culture for Teaching and Learning
An effective instructional leader creates a school culture and climate based on high
expectations conducive to the success of all students
This standard focuses on the importance of the school leader creating and implementing a
positive school culture and climate, a safe, secure, and disciplined learning environment, and
being able to appropriately implement change. During this program, I focused on using my
position as grade level chair to change the culture of my grade-level. During the 2013-2014
school year, our school did a book study using The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick
Lencioni. After leading the book study during a faculty meeting, I decided to use the information
and suggestions in the book to implement some changes on my grade level. As mentioned in the
text, my team was suffering from lack of trust, inattention to results, and avoidance of
accountability (Lecioni, 2006). Through surveys, role playing, games, some tough conversations,
and a lot of time, our team was able to make some necessary changes in order to begin moving in
the right direction of being functioning, collaborative, and on one accord.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 5 of 31

At its core, the culture of an organization is the behavior of its leader, leaders get the
behaviors they exhibit and tolerate (Thacker, Bell, & Schargel, 2009.). This statement helped
me to realize that I can facilitate PD, create fun planning sessions, and mediate difficult
conversations, but if I do not exhibit the behaviors I am advocating for, its all in vain.
Throughout this program I was able to have numerous opportunities to work with other teachers
and I made sure that I was implementing the strategies and suggestions into my daily behavior
and instruction. I was able to gain others trust and I found that people were more interested in
what I had to say when they saw for themselves that I was actually putting them into practice. As
a future leader, I must make it a priority to exhibit the behaviors and practices that I want to see.
Mahatma Gandhi said it best, Be the change that you want to see in the world. This is my goal.
In the physical world, climate can determine whether plants thrive or fail. The climate of
a school can similarly have a major influence on morale, learning, and productivity. A
welcoming, safe, and supportive environment can help students reach their potential for success
(Gorton & Alston, 2009. p.170). Students play a huge role in the climate of the school. A positive
school climates means that each student will be empowered to reach their fullest potential. This
means that students should expect a safe and secure learning environment. There are 5 action
steps a school leader can take to promote a safe and orderly environment (Marazano, Walters, &
McNulty, 2005, p.88):

Establish rules and procedures for behavioral problems that might be caused by the
schools physical characteristics or the schools routines.
Establish school-wide rules and procedures for general behavior.
Establish and enforce appropriate consequences for violations of rules and procedures.
Establish a program that teaches self-discipline and responsibility to students.
Establish a system that allows for the early detection of students who have high potential
for violence and extreme behaviors.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 6 of 31

As a teacher mentor, I was able to assist a first year teacher with creating a safe and
orderly learning environment for her classroom. Because I have had 7 years of teaching
experience, a lot of things come second nature to me and as a school leader I have to be mindful
that there are a lot of things that 1 st year teachers do not know. In my role as a mentor, I learned
the importance of modeling and assisting. I also learned that my role as a mentor begins long
before the first day of school. From helping with classroom set-up to creating class rules, it is my
responsibility to make sure that all teachers, especially those new to the profession are provided
with the support they need in order to create a safe and orderly classroom environment.
Through my course readings I gain a deeper understanding of change and its process. Some
of the most important things that I will remember and use on my journey as a school leader
include:

Change is inevitable
Have a plan before change is presented
Expect resistance
The movie Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson
People want to know Whats going to happen to me?
People need ownership in the change
Effective leaders view change as an opportunity
Communicate what is expected clearly
Follow up to see that the change is being implemented
As a leader in my school I know that change can start with my efforts. I was able to

experience the difficulty of introducing something new to the staff during a professional
development session on a new math strategy that came from central office. Because I am the
numeracy support staff member at my school, it was my responsibility to train the faculty on
the new program. There was a lot of resistance, complaining, and rejection at the initial

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 7 of 31

professional development session. I asked my administrator could I visit each grade level
during their planning period to further discuss and promote the program. After more smaller
and individualized meetings, I was able to gain the support of more staff members. This was
a very enlightening experience for me because it allowed me an opportunity to self reflect
and create different ways to engage different grade levels and teachers. As a school leader, I
will have to constantly create ways to present information in such a way that it appeals to the
varying needs and demands of the teachers in the building. At times it was frustrating, but
after I heard the math coach talking about all of the classrooms shed visited and observed
them doing the new math program, it was all worth it.
Standard C: Instructional Leadership and Assessment
An effective instructional leader facilitates instructional practices that are based on
assessment data and continually improve student learning.
In order to be an instructional leader of a school, you have to be familiar with the
curriculum. That means you have to know the state standards (not just be able to recall them, but
actually know the expectations and goals that go along with them) and be able to help the staff
align the curriculum, be able to assist with modifying lessons, activities, and assignments for the
varying ability levels of students, give suggestions and resources on how to create engaging
lessons and activities, help create valid assessments, and be able to use various types of data to
drive instruction. Marazano, Walters, McNulty identify 21 responsibilities of a school leader. Of
the 21, I feel that the responsibilities listed below are directly related to standard TILS standard
C.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 8 of 31

#8: Focus-Establishing concrete goals for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Establishing high goals and expectations that all students will meet them (Walters, et. al,

2005. p.50).
#12: Involvement in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment-The extent to which
the leader is directly involved in the design and implement of curriculum, instruction and

assessment activities at the classroom level (Walters, et. al, 2005. p.53)
#13: Knowledge of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Addresses the extent

to which the leader is aware of best practices (Walters, et. al, 2005. p.54)
#14: Monitoring and Evaluating- The extent to which the leader monitors the
effectiveness of school practices in terms of their impact on student achievement
(Walters, et. al, 2005. p.55).
Since school administrators have moved out of the role of managers and into the role of

instructional leaders, it is no longer solely the teachers responsibility to be an expert on

curriculum. Before this program, I was unaware of all of the professional development that
administrators are required to attend. In one of my classes, I had to interview my administrator.
From that interview I learned that there were versions of the same professional development that
teachers attend in August and January for principals. Administrators are continually trained on
the latest best practices in all content areas which helps them be an effective instructional leader.
One of my responsibilities as the numeracy support staff member at my school is to create
professional development sessions for K-2 and 3-5. I was able to become familiar with math
standards across grade levels by working closely with our math coach and attending monthly
numeracy support sessions for grades K-12. This was very important during the planning stage of
the professional development sessions because I had to make sure that what I was presenting was

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 9 of 31

aligned with the grade level standards and needs for all grade levels, not just one. Becoming
familiar with the standards also helped during professional development sessions because when
teachers asked questions during the PD, I was able to answer them. As an instructional leader, I
had to be equipped with background knowledge so that I could provide a more in depth
explanation or another example when asked to elaborate. These field experiences helped me see
becoming familiar with content as a top priority as well as reviewing and studying the standards
in my personal time. I also learned that it was ok to tell teachers that you dont have an answer
for them at the moment, but you will find out and get back with them. Not only did I learn to go
find answers, I learned that it was also important to follow through. If I told a teacher that I was
going to let them know something, I need to get that information to them in a timely manner.
Another important component of standard C is that a school leader recognizes literacy
and numeracy are essential for learning and ensure they are embedded in all subject areas.
Teaching students how to use literacy strategies in all content areas day to day, helps raise
student achievement in reading, writing, and all content areas (Moxley D.E. & Taylor, R.T.,
2006). This is the same belief with numeracy. While taking Middle School Literacy and
Assessment, I did a project on text coding. This is a great way to integrate literacy into the
mathematics classroom. This assignment is directly related to this TILS standard because it
focuses on using reading comprehension strategies to understand and solve multi-step word
problems. As a future administrator, I would introduce and revisit this strategy throughout the
year as a way to support the research that says literacy should be embedded into all content areas.
For too long, many school leaders have made decisions about instructional leadership by
using intuition and shooting from the hip. All too often, school leaders do not include data

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 10 of 31

collection and data analysis in the decision-making process. We are realizing that meaningful
information can be gained only from a proper analysis of data and that good decisions are based
on this thoughtful process of inquiry and analysis (Bauer & Brazer, 2012). During my first 3
years of teaching, I taught at a low performing, inner city school where data was the driving
force of everything. We were always creating data walls, completing forms based off of
assessment data, and using the results of a test to modify our curriculum. When I transferred to a
suburban school with good test scores, data was a foreign word to the staff. That was before our
demographics changed and test scores dropped. Now we are continuously looking at data.
Because I am a member of the leadership team, I have been able to work closely with
administration on using data to make instructional changes within the school. RTI is a huge thing
in elementary schools in Hamilton County and my administration has made it a top priority and a
norm for our entire school. For one of my portfolio reflections, I wrote about one of my
experiences disaggregating data from the new MAAP assessment in order to create ability groups
for RTI and non-RTI. This was one of the most difficult things Ive ever had to do. I realized that
as an assistant principal, data will be one of my biggest responsibilities. Even though I had to
change my student placements and class roles 3 times before they were correct, I was able to see
the benefits of using that data to create individualized student groups. For 5 months, students
were able to get extra support on their academic ability level in their area of weakness for one
hour a day. It was much easier for me to read and disaggregate the data and use it to modify the
RTI and non-RTI groups after the second assessment in January.
Administrators must use research knowledge along with analysis of school data to engage in a
systematic action planning and implementation process focused on improving instruction

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 11 of 31

(Bauer & Brazer, 2012). As a future administrator I have learned that no matter what the level of
performance is for your school, you must use data to drive instruction. Data is the only solid and
valid way to prove what needs to be done in your school when it comes to instruction.
Standard D: Professional Growth
An effective instructional leader improves student learning and achievement by
developing and sustaining high quality professional development.
As a teacher, I have always known that I would be a life-long learner. One of the most
obvious ways to continue learning about best practices, the latest research, or to just simply
improve your craft is to attend and participate in professional development. As a current teacher
leader and a future administrator, it is my responsibility to know the needs of the students and
staff and use that knowledge to create professional development that addresses those needs.
Effective administrator must create professional development that:
Focuses on teachers as central to student learning, yet includes all members of the school
community
Focuses on individual, collegial, and organizational improvement
Respects and nurtures the intellectual and leadership capacity of teachers, principals, and
others in the school community
Reflects the best available research and practice in teaching, learning and leadership
Enables teachers to develop further expertise in subject content, teaching strategies, uses
of technologies, and other essential elements of teaching to high standards
Promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the daily life of schools
Is planned collaboratively by those who will participate in and facilitate that development
Requires substantial time and resources

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 12 of 31

Is driven by a coherent long-term plan

Is evaluated ultimately on the basis of its effects on teacher instruction and student
learning, and uses this assessment to guide subsequent professional development efforts
(Zepeda, 2007)
In my Human Capital class, we often discussed different ways to conduct professional
development. One suggestion that I really liked was the idea of a professional development menu
in which the staff had to complete a combination of must dos and can dos. This strategy is
beneficial to both administrators and teachers because the must do components are what is
necessary for everyone to do, while the can dos gives the teachers ownership and options. As
a future administrator I want to aim towards creating different types of professional development
and move away from the traditional hour long faculty meeting once a month. I believe that by
using a combination of faculty meetings, book talks, jig saw activities, teacher presentations, and
online programs, I will be able to keep the staff informed, engaged, and interested in learning.
Too often, educators attend seminars or professional meetings to satisfy requirements for
recertification (Thacker, et. al, 2009). Sometimes teachers attend PD because they have to, but as
a school leader, its important to monitor to make sure that attendance at the training is not in
vain. I have also been given many opportunities to present material to my staff during in-house
professional development which is also important. Engaging the staff in a collaborative approach
to professional development helps to develop a learning-focused community (Robbins & Alvy,
2004). Planning professional development is one of my favorite things about being a leader. My
favorite PD session was my presentation of The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team. Instead of requiring

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 13 of 31

teachers to read certain pages of the book, I created a mini version of the fable, it was titled, The
5 Dysfunctions in 5 Pages. I included the most important and interesting parts of the book into a
short story with pictures. After the staff read it, they rotated through 5 stations. Each station
focused on one of the dysfunctions. Once everyone completed the stations, we did a 10 minute
debrief, I passed out a handout, and adjourned the meeting. I received excellent feedback for
weeks after the session, even from teachers Id least expect to get a compliment from. This
experienced helped me to see the benefits of change and the reward in trying something new.
Standard E: Management of the School
An effective instructional leader facilitates learning and teaching through the
effective use of resources.
A good principal must first possess the basic skills necessary to keep a school running.
That is, a principal must be well-grounded in budgeting and other nuts and bolts processes at the
heart of a functioning school (Peterson, 1995). Principals have many different important tasks in
their role as leader of their school, but one of the most important is being the budget manager.
Sorenson and Goldsmith (2013) say, Those leaders who fail to do so commit a terrible
disservice to their schools and, more important, to their students (p. 1). Even though being an
instructional leader and manager are two vital roles, principals must remember that budgeting is
a key component to a successful school. It is important to look to other principals who have
been successful managers and understand their beliefs, strategies, and plans to gain a better
understanding of how budgets should be created, what they include, and how a successful
principal deals with obstacles and frustrations that may arise. It is also important to consider
how a principal chooses to supplement the budget since budget cuts are almost inevitable from
year to year.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 14 of 31

Sorenson and Goldsmith (2013) list ten steps to budgeting success. The second step is
involving all stakeholders and they point out that it is important to involve as many stakeholders
as possible (p. 25). At my school the stakeholders that are involved in budgeting decisions the
administrators, lead teachers, grade level chairs, family partner specialist, the guidance
counselor, a related arts teacher, an exceptional education teacher, the secretary, and the PTA
president. It is important that the principal develops a plan, proposes it to the leadership team and
all included stakeholders, and then revisits and revises the plan as it is necessary so that money
can be used appropriately thus ensuring the success of the school and its students. Although it is
a team effort and it is vitally important to have all stakeholders involved in the budgeting process
and decision making, it is important to remember that An integrated budget and academic
action plan will not work unless you do (Sorenson & Goldsmith, 2013, p. 30). Budgeting is a
very tedious job that requires much discipline and planning. But if an administrator maximizes
their office support staff and leadership team, the load will be lightened and the outcome will be
greater for the school.
The most important thing that I learned in my Human Capital class was to work very
closely to the bookkeeper. Even though it is the administrators responsibility to oversee the
budget, he/she must still work side by side with the bookkeeper in order to make those decisions
accurately. A book keeper plays a massive role in the way a school functions financially.
Bookkeepers are responsible for maintaining the financial records of a school's expenditures,
cash flow, profit and loss as well as other financial activities. He or she works in collaboration
with the accounting department of the school and is responsible for utilizing database
spreadsheet computer programs to perform record keeping activities of the school. They also

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 15 of 31

prepare accounting records and statements for the school. The school bookkeeper is also
responsible for balancing bank statements every month and submitting quarterly reports to the
finance department. A school bookkeeper also keeps accurate trail of all transactions and hands
them over for auditing (Muchira, 2008).
Not only do school bookkeepers have all of the previously mentioned responsibilities,
they also have to make sure the school is abiding by the state law and district policies. Even
though the bookkeeper is the expert in this area, it is also the responsibility of the administrator
to be familiar with the laws and district budgeting policies. During a panel discussion in the
Practicum class, one of the speakers, who was also a bookkeeper for a high school, stressed the
importance of having a competent and organized bookkeeper and making sure that as an
administrator you make sure youre properly evaluating and checking to make sure that all funds
are being allocated correctly.
Of all the TILS, I feel like Ive had the least experience with this one. Because of this, I
choose school budgeting as my topic of research in the Capstone class. I was able to spend some
time with our bookkeeper and gain a lot of insight on how a budget is created, where monies for
the budget come from, the different accounts a school has, and how money is allocated. I was
also able to use Hamilton County Board Policy to get more specific details on the requirements
and stipulations within the county. One of my goals is to work with our instructional coach on
the Title 1 notebook so that I can get more involved with the schools budget.

Standard F: Ethics

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 16 of 31

An effective instructional leader facilitates continuous improvement in student

achievement through processes that meet the highest ethical standards and promote
advocacy including political action when appropriate.
School leaders are expected to make rational decisions in an irrational environment and
defend these decisions based on established legal and ethical principles (Stader, 2013). Ethics
was a huge topic throughout this Ed.S program. From creating a personal ethics statement in
Ethics and Advocacy to learning how to handle to media in Human Capital and the Practicum, I
gained a lot of knowledge and practical advice in this area. The ISLLC standards and the
comprehensive descriptors that accompany them are designed to provide high-level guidance
and insight about the traits, functions of work, and responsibilities expected of school and district
leaders (CCSSO, 2008). One of the biggest things that I have learned while in this program is
that school administrators must behave ethically in all situations, especially in decision making.
Effective administrators relate their decisions back to the basic principles of right and wrong.
Ethics is the science of right and wrong, moral judgment, and conduct (Kocabas & Karakose,
2009). As a future administrator I must always think of the big picture before making decisions. I
have learned that I need to think about how my decision will affect the staff, all students,
stakeholders, and consider if it is aligned with the overall vision of the school.
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) established a list of 10
ethical principles for administrators to abide by (Rebore, 2001). Of the 10, those listed below
were the most important to me. The educational administrator:

Makes the well-being of students the fundamental value of all decision making and

actions
Fulfills professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 17 of 31

Supports the principle of due process and protects the civil and human rights of all

individuals
Implements the governing board of education's policies and administrative rules and

regulations.
Maintains the standards and seeks to improve the effectiveness of the profession through
research and continuing professional development.
The foundation of my administrative position should be the success of all students. I have

learned that I need to make sure that everything that I allow in my school positively impacts
student learning. From budgeting, to hiring and retaining teachers, to text books, to after school
programs, my main goal is to create an environment that supports and nurtures student learning.
Before this program, I had no idea what Hamilton County Board Policy was. I have become very
familiar with this document and all of its components. When reflecting back on ethical things
that I have done in my school, I decided to look at Board Policy said about ethical behavior.
According to Hamilton County Board Policy number 5.600 #2, All employees are to adhere to
the Code of Ethics of the Tennessee Education Association. I believe that I have exhibited the
following behaviors that support Board Policy and the Tennessee Code of Ethics:

Being equitable when creating professional development for the New Teacher
Program- After conducting a survey of the new teachers needs, I created a list of areas
they needed support in and emailed it to the leadership team. I asked each member to
pick an area from the list in which they felt they were strong in and lead a professional
development session on it during one of our mentor meetings. I also let them know that if
they did not feel comfortable presenting and knew of another teacher who had strength,
they could ask them to present. I felt like this was more ethical than planning and

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 18 of 31

facilitating all of the sessions myself. I included other teachers and provided them with an

opportunity to exhibit their strengths while growing other teachers professionally.

Treating all of my team members with the same professional respect- This year, I
have worked hard to find the balance between team leader, teammate, and friend. There
are 2 teachers on my team that I have built strong friendships with, but at the end of the
day my responsibilities as a team leader come first. I have made it a priority to remain
professional during the school day and hold everyone accountable to our grade level
norms during planning sessions and grade level meetings. I believe that not showing
favoritism is a huge part of exhibiting ethical behavior and I believe that I have really put

that into practice.

Making sure that all 4th graders have the same access to education and the
curriculum- This year, I have a teammate, that is a seasoned teacher, yet struggles with
discipline. When students misbehave in his class, his first reaction is to send them to
another classroom to write sentences. After having several students frequently visit my
class, I met with him during a planning session because I wanted to know how those
students were able to learn the material for the day if they were not in the classroom
during instruction time. My teammate had not considered how much instruction time
these students were losing and together, we created a plan for them. If students were
unable to remain in his classroom, they would go to another math classroom where they
would be included in the lesson and activities. Instead of using instruction time as a
consequence, they would write the sentences during recess or during writing block. I

believe that even when students misbehave, they deserve the right to learn.
Games during planning- Because everyone on my team has very strong personalities
planning is sometimes a difficult task. After talking with my administrator about different

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 19 of 31

ways to get others to consider and respect others points of view, he suggested playing
different games where the team had to be in different roles. One planning session a
month, we would do role play. Teammates may receive a task card, a colored hat, or a
piece of paper that described a point of view that they must take during the session. They
had to stay in that role regardless of their personal feelings and share input for the
decision making process through a different set of lenses. This helped my team think
outside of the box, learn to respect others ideas and opinions, and allowed us to bond
because it was fun. I believe that this was an ethical approach to planning in a difficult
situation.
My most important take away in the area of ethics is that as an administrator, I must
combine my managerial skills with my own personal code of ethics. In my Ethics and Advocacy
class we wrote our own personal code of ethics. This was a powerful assignment because I had
never really thought in detail about what type of administrator I wanted to be. Through this
assignment, I was able to prioritize things that were important to me and create a set of
guidelines in which I want to lead. Ethical frameworks are designed to encourage reflection on
the consequences decisions have for others as well as for the school leader personally (Stader,
2013). I believe that if I make it a habit to always consider others and reflect, I will consistently
make ethical decisions.
Standard G: Diversity
An effective instructional leader responds to and influences the larger personal,
political, social, economic, legal, and legal cultural context in the classroom, school, and the
local community while addressing, diverse student needs to ensure the success of all
students.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 20 of 31

Every sector of the school community from head and trustees on down through the ranks
must be proactive in listening, accepting and welcoming people and ideas which are different
from their own (Kennedy, 2015). It wasnt until this program that I realized that diversity was
more than integrating various cultures and traditions into the classroom and curriculum. It
encompasses including a variety of stakeholders to gain different perspectives, being a good
listener, and getting to know your staff, students, and community in such a way that you are
aware of their individual needs and work towards meeting those needs in equitable and ethical
ways. Creating a diverse environment takes time, patience, and tolerance. As a future school
leader, I have to make sure that I am constantly communicating with all stakeholders so that I am
able to create and maintain a diverse school. I have learned that this can be done through
surveys, face to face meetings, and informal conversations.
Robert Kennedy gives three simple strategies to promote diversity in schools. His first
suggestion is to hold workshops for faculty and staff. Although he encourages bringing in
consultants, I have learned that seeking out talent within your building is a much more effective
way to conduct professional development. Teachers are more likely to support the ideas of
someone who is in a similar situation as them. As a future principal I will seek out teachers that
exhibit diverse behaviors and practices and allow them to share their strategies with the staff. His
second suggestion was to teach diversity. As an administrator I have to include diversity into the
vision and mission statements of the school and clearly communicate my expectations to all
stakeholders. Often times administrators send dozens subtle messages with the expectation that
people read between the lines to interpret the message. I must remember to be clear and concise
in my communication. We cannot embrace diversity by remaining set in our ways, beliefs and

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 21 of 31

thoughts. In many cases it means shedding old practices and altering traditions and modifying
points of view (Kennedy, 2015). Kennedys last suggestion was to encourage diversity and to
hold staff members accountable. An effective administrators staff must know that they are held
just as accountable for meeting diversity goals as they are for reaching teaching outcomes.
As a current teacher leader, I believe that I have done things that supported diversity in
my building. From working with the PTA and community members to find classroom volunteers
to adding more diversity to the way professional development is done at our school, to being
more diverse with my team with their roles and responsibilities, I have made it a priority to be a
more inclusive leader. Becoming a more diverse leader is one of my main goals. In the future I
would like to be more involved in the community as well as with teachers from different grade
levels so that I can do more to encourage diversity within the school and not just on my team.

Practicum Project Report:

Why this project was selected

Teacher retention is a persistent issue in school improvement. While it is true that some
degree of teacher turnover in schools is both healthy and inevitable, the loss of large numbers of
teachers over time weakens the overall capacity of a school to serve its students. In addition, it
creates new problems related to recruiting and inducting new teachers. Statistics show that small
schools, urban schools, and schools serving high-minority, high-poverty populations are
particularly at risk of losing teachers (Marvel, Lyter, Peltola, Strizek, & Morton, 2007). One
body of research highlights the importance of supportive working conditions and teacher mentors
for new teachers in these high risk schools. Factors such as time, leadership, professional
development, access to resources, and teacher empowerment all exert a significant influence on

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 22 of 31

the degree of satisfaction teachers feel in their jobs. Recent research indicates that teachers with
positive perceptions about their working conditions are much more likely to stay at their current
school than educators who are more negative about their conditions of work, particularly in the
areas of leadership and empowerment (Hirsch & Emerick, 2007, p. 14).
Over the past few years at my school, the demographics have changed tremendously. We
have had a large influx of minority students, especially English Language Learners as well as an
overall increase in student body population. Because of this we have had to add teachers to our
staff each year. With all of the demands of changing standards, decreasing test scores, and
meeting the diverse needs of students, I saw a need to create a new teacher mentoring program at
our school. I truly believe that no matter how good a teacher preparation program is, the program
alone will never be able to provide new teachers with all of the necessary tools to be successful
during their first years or during a transitional period. In an effort to continue to provide new
teachers with support during their first years of teaching, I created a mentoring program in which
all teachers who were in their first 3 years of teaching, were new to a grade level, or new to our
school would work closely with a teacher mentor, administration, and all instructional support
staff to get the support they need to make a successful transition into their new phase of teaching.
Our school vision states that our school is committed to fostering a caring environment
where students and teachers feel safe to share their ideas, explore a challenging education, and
value growth that leads to life-long learning. A new teacher mentoring program directly supports
my schools vision because it provides new teachers with a safe and non-threatening
environment where they can share strengths and weaknesses, explore different strategies to use

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 23 of 31

in their classroom, gain insight from experienced teachers, and build relationships with
administration and other support staff all while becoming a better educator.
Specific goals of the project and alignment with specific ELCC/TILS standards
TILS Standards

ELCC Standards

Standard A: Continuous Improvement

An effective instruction leader implements a
systematic, coherent approach to bring about the
continuous growth in the academic achievement of
all students.
Standard B: Culture for Teaching and Learning
An effective instructional leader creates a school
culture and climate based on high expectations
conducive to the success of all students
Standard C: Instructional Leadership & Assessment
An effective instructional leader facilitates
instructional practices that are based on assessment
data and continually improve student learning

ELCC 1.3 Candidate understands and can promote

continual and sustainable school improvement

Standard D: Professional Growth

An effective instructional leader improves student
learning and achievement by developing and
sustaining high quality professional development.

ELLC 3.5 Candidates understand and can ensure

teacher and organizational time focuses on
supporting high quality school instruction and
student learning.

ELCC 2.3 Candidate understands and can develop

and supervise the instructional and leadership
capacity of the school
ELCC 3.3 Candidate understand and can promote
school based policies and procedures that protect the
welfare and safety of students and staff within the
school.

The new teacher mentoring program was aligned with both sets of standards in the areas
of school improvement, culture and climate, professional growth, and instructional leadership.
The main goal of this program was to bridge the gap between teacher preparation programs and
the apprentice years of teaching. By utilizing administration, support staff (instructional
coaches), and other teacher leaders in the building, this program would provide new teachers
with the knowledge and support to be able to have a successful transition into the classroom, a
new grade-level, or new school. Through mentor meetings, individualized professional
development sessions, and outings, new teachers would become accustomed to the expectations
and culture of the school in a non-threatening environment. Not only would they become

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 24 of 31

familiar with school procedures and norms, they would be relationships with some of the most
important people in the building in the process. These unique opportunities will allow them to
grow professionally in their grade level or content areas, communication skills with stakeholders,
and as a valuable and important part of a school family.
Detailed summary of what was done and what was implemented
T
v
A
S
N
.P
x
/E
g
a
G
m
e
o
h
c
s
n
ild
u
-B
w
ry
tp
L
W
m
a
ic
w
e
o
rl
k
(M
s
h
fC
)z
th ro
h
g
u
2o
T
P
a
c
d
e
e
th
u
-2
4
1
0
rM s
w
lm
a
in
o
h
c
w
e
N
5
1
id
rv
p
g le
tn
u
t
we
e
N
tic
a
g
ro
p
rm
h
c
a
gs
tn
ip
u
d
e y
th
g
in
r to
a
e
w
e
n
I te
h
c
a
: rs T
op
id
v
ro
l: e
a
G
w
n
- fo
4
1
0
2
rw
a
y
o
c
e
th
in
c
ire
lw
5n
1
0
2
s
u
v
e
g
l
h
rtc
o
p
u
te a
in
u
-s
4
1
0
2
rs
e
h
c
uw
iv
td
o
p
5
1
0
2
ith
e
z
a
g
rn
u
ld
o
c
l a
ia
c
o
-s
: Th
s
re
gw
u
ro
l y
k
e
e tio
y
ima
n
tra
u
s
ff
a
h
e
k
g
n
r o
fp
s
c
rty
ic
s
a
e
l
u
me
q
e
s
a
r/m
o
g
tin
e
ld y
a
u
s
t&
o
,m
s
d
e
n
rig
ff
a
ws
ly
th
d Du
n
,a
tle
g
rin
I h
m
u
s
e
rtio m
d
a
ro
e
lF f2
n
ta
ip
,w
4
1
0
il:c
rs th
to
e
ua
T
N
g
ro
P
ila
k
ts
w
e
n
rn
e
h
c
,t s
ils
w
m
b
d
v
ro
p
m
e
th
in
- fe
4
1
0
2
lM
5
1
0
g
rin
fo lo
ga
in
w
s :
re

Asked members of the leadership team to serve as teacher mentors for the new teacher
mentoring program in the summer of 2014
Created a new teacher survey to gain information on what needs the mentees had
Meet with the mentees in August, described the program, and had them complete the
survey
Used to data from the survey to create titles and themes for each monthly session
Asked the leadership team and other teacher leaders in the school to select a topic
suggested by the mentees and create a PD session for it
Created a calendar of events and distributed it to administration, mentors, an mentees
Facilitated monthly sessions

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 25 of 31

Planned sessions with other teachers

Conducted classroom observations and debriefing sessions with my 2 mentees
Communicated with specific mentees on specific problems or questions
Planned an end of the year celebration for the new teachers

Results
I believe the mentoring program provided teachers with the support they needed in order
to make their first or transitional years more enjoyable. Six of the seven new teachers were
rehired for the upcoming school year and I received nothing but positive feedback from
administration, mentors, and mentees. Our last meeting is in May and that is when I will give out
the final evaluation of the program. I am looking forward to getting feedback on what worked
best and what can be improved and I look forward to working over the summer to make the
program even better for next year.
Accomplishment of other goals
Became familiar with other grade levels standards
Collaborated with teachers from various grade levels and departments
Increased my literacy content knowledge
Reflection
Overall, I am very pleased with the success of the new teacher mentoring program. The
monthly meetings were always a huge success. On several occasions I received emails or texts
from mentees and mentors expressing their satisfaction with the meetings. I always tried to begin
with a relationship building activity/game and then moved into an interactive session based on a
topic that was suggested by a mentee. I was able to see the mentees conversations shift from
broad, generic topics such as classroom discipline and assessments to very specific and personal
needs such as how do you create and implement a behavior contract for a student who is

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 26 of 31

constantly misbehaving and there is no parental support. The mentees and mentors really valued
and looked forward to our time together and that let me know that they were implementing the
strategies and ideas into their daily routines. Another thing that went really well was the
collaboration I got to have with other teachers in the building who were assisting with the
professional development part of the program. I was able to work closely with our instructional
coach, exceptional education teachers, and teacher mentors in order to discuss different ways to
meet the specific needs of each mentee. It was always great to plan with teachers from different
grade levels than me on curriculum, behavior, parental involvement and many other things. This
allowed me to see what was going on academically with the school as a whole instead of just my
grade level. Even though our planning meetings were focused on how to meet the needs of the
mentees, I found myself learning a lot and getting new ideas that I could implement into my
classroom. As a classroom teacher, most of your collaboration is with your grade level. Through
this mentoring program, I was able to collaborate with a variety of teachers and support staff and
gain insight about things that were going on across the school.
One thing that did not go well was keeping minutes from each session. I was so focused
on facilitating the activities and talking with the teachers, that I never kept a record of what went
on. One of my goals was to take minutes and send them out to everyone after the meeting as a
form of documentation and for everyone to have a go to guide for all of the things that were
learned. I believe that this was a valuable tool for all parties especially me. I couldve used those
minutes as a reflection tool while I planned for upcoming meetings or even as I made changes to
the program for next year. Another thing that did not go well was having opportunities to visit all
of the mentees classrooms. Because I am still a teacher myself, it was very hard to get approval

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 27 of 31

to miss instruction time to visit other classrooms. Another barrier that made that goal
unreachable was being in two separate buildings. Because our school has grown so much, grades
K-3 are in the main school and grades 4-5 are located in a smaller building about a mile away.
After talking with my administrator about visiting classrooms, he suggested that I focused on the
new teachers in my building. I was allowed to go visit both new 4th grade teachers on several
occasions because of our varying schedules. In August, our new school will open and we will all
be together again. I hope that this will allow for more opportunities for me to spend some time in
all of the new teachers classrooms.
I have already gotten approval to continue the program next year. We have already hired
5 new teachers and are expecting to hire more once the rezoning is complete. One of the first
things that I will do differently next year is request a small budget for the program. Some of our
meetings were at restaurants and during my reflection time I thought about how nice it wouldve
been to pay for everyones breakfast on those occasions. I would also like to create welcome gift
bags with teacher items in them to give to the new teachers at the beginning of the year. Another
huge change that I am going to make is to get a co-lead. I really enjoyed planning all of the
activities, preparing for the meetings, and organizing the information and handouts, but it was
hard work. Delegating tasks has always been a weakness of mine because I like things done
correctly. But it is unrealistic to work in isolation as a teacher leader or an administrator. I have
already begun talking with a fellow teacher about the idea of becoming my co-lead next year. I
was very careful and considerate in my selection. This teacher is actually currently in the
mentoring program and is finishing up her 3rd year of teaching. She is very motivated, always
willing to help other teachers, and has utilized every aspect of the program. I believe that she

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 28 of 31

would be a great resource and has a lot of expertise and she would be able to relate to the new
teachers because she is still fairly new to the profession. The last change I will make for the
upcoming school year is to be more involved with administration. During my reflection time I
realized that the only time I involved administration was when I needed approval for something.
One of my goals for the program was to present opportunities for new teachers to interact and
building relationships with administration in a non-threatening environment. A lot of new
teachers are not comfortable around administrators and I wanted to help ease those feelings of
fear and discomfort through the program. Next year I will ask an administrator to conduct one of
the professional development meetings or just attend a meeting for a question and answer
session. I want to make sure that administrators play a role in the program and that they have
opportunities to interact with new teachers outside of classroom observations, faculty meetings,
and evaluations.
Overall, I have learned that most new teachers welcome assistance and are still eager and
willing to learn. The new teachers that participated in the new mentoring program were excited
about participating from day one. For the past four years I have been a teacher mentor. Its
always heartwarming to reflect in May on where my mentees were in August and think about the
improvements they have made. Being able to watch 7 new teachers transform through the
mentoring program was an even greater reward. I really have a passion for new teachers; I am
intrinsically motivated by watching others bloom and being able to be a part of that process. As I
continue to improve the mentoring program and prepare for a future leadership position, I will
continue to make sure that all teachers, especially new ones, are provided will well planned and
individualized opportunities to improve their craft.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 29 of 31

References
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2008). Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium
(ISLLC) standards for school leaders. Washington, DC: Author.
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2006). Learning by doing: A handbook for
professional learning communities at work. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 30 of 31

English, F.W. (2000). Deciding what to teach and test. Corwin Press: California.
Essex, N.L. (2008). School laws and public schools: A practical guide for educational leaders.
Pearson: Boston.
Gorton, R.A. & Snowden, P.E. (2002). School leadership and administration: Important
concepts, case studies, & simulations (6th ed). Boston: McGraw Hill.
Hamilton County Department of Education Board Policy. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2015, from
http://www.hcde.org/Download.asp?L=2&LMID=649112&PN=DocumentUploads&Divi
sionID=14291&DepartmentID=15620&SubDepartmentID=&SubP=&Act=Download&T
=2&I=68241
Hoy, A.W. & Hoy, W.K. (2003). Instructional leadership: A learning-centered guide.
Boston: Pearson
Kennedy, R. (2015, February 17). How to Achieve Cultural Diversi in Your School. Retrieved
March 4, 2015, from http://privateschool.about.com/cs/administrators/a/diversity.htm
Kocabas, I., & Karakose, T. (2009). Ethics in School Administration. African Journal of
Business Managment, 3(4), 126-130. Retrieved April 14, 2015, from
http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380532587_Kocabas and Karakse.pdf
Marzano, R.J., McNulty, B.A., & Waters T. (2005). School leadership that works: From
research to results. ASCD: Virginia
Moxley, D.E. & Taylor, R.T. (2006). Literacy coaching. Corwin Press: California

J. Farrow
EDS 6900
Capstone Paper
Page 31 of 31

National Association of Secondary School Principals (2014). 10 skills for successful school
leaders (2nd Ed.). Reston,VA: Author.
Rebore RW (2001). The ethics of educational leadership, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Robbins, P. & Alvy, H.B. (2004). The new principals fieldbook: Strategies for success.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tennessee State Board of Education. (2010). Tennessee learning centered leadership policy.
Retrieved from http://www.state.tn.us/sbe/edleadershipredesign.htm
Zepeda, S.J. (2007) Instructional supervision: applying tools and concepts. Larchmont, NY: Eye
on Education.