Running Head: REFLECTIVE SELF-ANALYSIS

Reflective Self-Analysis

Robert T. Kucharczuk

EDG 659: Principal Internship

REFLECTIVE SELF-ANALYSIS

During the course of the Principal Internship and through the fulfilment of hours

associated with leadership activities and responsibilities, multiple opportunities were presented

that allowed for inclusion of the various Pennsylvania Department of Education PK-12 Principal

Core and Corollary Standards for Leadership and Special Education Competencies for School

Leaders. The following provides an overview of the activities and leadership opportunities in

providing development in the area of educational leadership and the connections such activities

had to the attainment of the PDE leadership standards.

Standards and Leadership Activities

The activities and responsibilities associated with the Principal Internship, provided me

with the opportunity to focus in on the PDE Core and Corollary Standards and build appropriate

knowledge and leadership abilities which in turn, supported my growth as an educational leader.

When considering standard C1 and C3, I had the opportunity to assist in developing a vision for

strengthening various school wide programs through a collaborative and strategic process with

other district administrators and team members (C1). Specifically, having the opportunity to

collect and analyze data to assist in the reorganization of the school wide MTSS (Multi-Tiered

System of Support) program and support various other programs such as the PBIS (Positive

Behavior and Interventions Support) program and SRSS (Student Risk Screening Scale) through

an analytical process, supported my growth as a strategic leader (C3). Collecting, analyzing and

communicating appropriate data analysis outcomes also supported an informed approach to

directing program development in a transformational way. This overarching process was needed

in order to support student achievement and promote student academic and behavioral supports

through visionary means and in collaboration with other school and district leaders (C1). Other

activities, such as the informal and formal supervision and evaluation of programs and faculty,
REFLECTIVE SELF-ANALYSIS

have also assisted in growing my leadership abilities founded within these standards. Such

activities supported my attainment of standard C2 due to the need to gain the appropriate

knowledge of PK-12 standards in order to communicate and direct needed changes to the various

programs within the school setting in an effort to provide students with supportive and engaging

educational programs (C2). Having a foundational knowledge of curriculum and strong

instructional strategies and techniques also supported my growth as an evaluator and supervisor

of faculty, while additionally providing support for faculty in their growth as professional

educators and for the betterment of student learning as a whole (C2).

In considering the PDE corollary standards, a variety of leadership opportunities and

activities promoted my growth and attainment of the leadership characteristics and knowledge

embedded within these standards. Such activities included preparing and leading various

meetings such as faculty meetings, new teacher meetings, building safety meetings, principal

advisory meetings, ESAP meetings, IEP meetings, and PBIS meetings. As an administrative

member and leader of such meetings, I had the opportunity to direct and support faculty and staff

members in order to enhance the school environment and promote a strong educational setting

for all leaners (CL3). Such leadership responsibilities provided me the opportunity to

communicate gained knowledge and facilitate the development of teacher leaders (CL1) through

a distributive leadership approach. These leadership opportunities also provided me the

opportunity to communicate with faculty and administrative team members through various

means including through presentation format, written communications, and verbally through

individualized and team meeting settings (CL3). When considering my role as the administrative

team leader in regard to the school PBIS team, SRSS facilitator, and Instructional Technology

Integration Coach administrative team member, I gained the ability to utilize resources to support
REFLECTIVE SELF-ANALYSIS

various school needs (CL2). Such resources included staff time and abilities along with

budgetary components to best integrate programs and various supports to enhance the classroom

environments and instruction. Moreover, resources needed to be allocated in order to promote

and strengthen the school wide expectations and behavioral/social components in support of

various student needs (CL2). As an acting administrative team member, I also participated in

various interviews for an instructional aide position, which was needed to support student

learning. In combination, I worked with the building principal to review and select applicants

for interviews for upcoming teacher positions needed for the 2019/2020 school year. These

specific opportunities supported my growth as an evaluator and assessor of qualified applicants

and the overall selection process of chosen candidates (CL2). Other leadership activities and

responsibilities promoted the attainment of the other corollary standards CL4, CL5, and CL6.

Supervision of faculty and instruction through classroom walkthroughs and formal classroom

observations supported my growth as a professional and fair leader through my evaluation

practices and procedures (CL4). Such practices also allowed me to enter into reflective

conversations with staff members and support their growth and development through modeling

appropriate instructional techniques to be employed in various classroom settings (CL4; CL6).

Many of the activities associated with the Principal Internship also facilitated meeting with

various members of community organizations, law enforcement personnel, and families. Such

meetings provided multiple opportunities to advocate for students and promote programing to

benefit learners of all abilities and intelligences and support their overall development, safety,

and growth while attending the school and district (CL5). Functioning as the acting LEA

representative in various IEP, GIEP, and as an administrative member of the special education

referral process oversight committee provided leadership growth connected to the Special
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Education Competencies for School Leaders (SP1; SP2; SP3) and further provided development

as an administrator and overall educational leader. While focusing on the re-design of the MTSS

program, student data was analyzed in order to strengthen the tiered system and further support

student learning through differentiated approaches to instruction (SP1; SP2). In summary, many

opportunities during the Principal Internship provided the chance to gain knowledge, skills and

attributes embedded within the PDE Core and Corollary Standards for Leadership and Special

Education Competencies for School Leaders and provided growth and development in the area

of school leadership on many levels.

Reflection and Conclusion

Overall, the Principal Internship and associated activities provided me with a variety of

experiences connected to educational leadership. I had the opportunity to grow in many ways

and support my understanding of what it is to be a directive and supportive leader and grow in

the area of distributive leadership as I provided opportunities for teacher leaders to assert

themselves and assist in strengthening various programs while taking on leadership roles

(Corderio & Cunningham, 2013; Naicker & Mestry, 2011; Naicker & Mestry, 2013). Although I

have grown in many ways through the attainment of leadership abilities associated with the PDE

Core and Corollary Standards, there are many areas where growth is still needed. Such standards

that I must further focus on include C2, CL5, and SP3 with further application related to

standards based systems and alignment, creating connections between the school system and

community and supporting the development of effective instructional strategies for students with

disabilities. Further development in these areas will allow me to grow as an educational leader

and better serve staff, students and the community as a whole in order to provide the strongest

environment possible for learning and development for all who enter the school setting.
REFLECTIVE SELF-ANALYSIS

References

Cordeiro, P., & Cunningham, W. (2013). Educational leadership: A bridge to improved practice

(5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Naicker, S. R., & Mestry, R. (2011). Distributive leadership in public schools: Experiences and

perceptions of teachers in the Soweto region. Perspectives in Education, 29(4), 99-108.

Naicker, S. R., & Mestry, R. (2013). Teachers’ reflections on distributive leadership in public

primary schools in Soweto. South African Journal of Education, 33(2).