Standard 2: Instructional Leadership
School executives set high standards for the professional practice of 21st century instruction and assessment that result in a no nonsense accountable environment. The school executive must be knowledgeable of best instructional and school practices and must use this knowledge to cause the creation of collaborative structures within the school for the design of highly engaging schoolwork for students, the on-going peer review of this work, and the sharing of this work throughout the professional community
A. FOCUS ON LEARNING AND TEACHING, CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT:
THE SCHOOL EXECUTIVE LEADS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT BASED ON RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AND ACHIEVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS.
THE SCHOOL EXECUTIVE LEADS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT BASED ON RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH AND ACHIEVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS.
Instructional Practices
As a principal it is important to be an instructional leader. I made sure that I taught one lesson in each grade level to demonstrate instructional best practices. I shared many instructional practices with teachers and helped them focus on instructing their students. The instructional practices I shared included using turn and talk with the students to have them discuss higher order questions, and using talk moves as a way to asses for student understanding. The artifacts below shows pictures and a video of my instructional practices in the classroom.
As a principal it is important to be an instructional leader. I made sure that I taught one lesson in each grade level to demonstrate instructional best practices. I shared many instructional practices with teachers and helped them focus on instructing their students. The instructional practices I shared included using turn and talk with the students to have them discuss higher order questions, and using talk moves as a way to asses for student understanding. The artifacts below shows pictures and a video of my instructional practices in the classroom.
Higher Order Thinking Questions
As an instructional leader, I believe that higher order thinking questions are a best practice that fosters critical thinking. As part of my instructional leadership, I met with the 4th grade PLC and shared with the teachers specific ways to implement higher order thinking questions during math instruction. In addition, I have helped all grade level teachers create and then embed higher order thinking questions within their lesson plans and visited classrooms to help facilitate these questions during classes. Below is the document I shared with the 4th grade to create higher order thinking questions. This document encouraged teachers to use verbs to create scripted questions to use during their lessons.
As an instructional leader, I believe that higher order thinking questions are a best practice that fosters critical thinking. As part of my instructional leadership, I met with the 4th grade PLC and shared with the teachers specific ways to implement higher order thinking questions during math instruction. In addition, I have helped all grade level teachers create and then embed higher order thinking questions within their lesson plans and visited classrooms to help facilitate these questions during classes. Below is the document I shared with the 4th grade to create higher order thinking questions. This document encouraged teachers to use verbs to create scripted questions to use during their lessons.
B. FOCUS ON INSTRUCTIONAL TIME:
THE SCHOOL EXECUTIVE CREATES PROCESSES AND SCHEDULES WHICH PROTECT TEACHERS FROM DISRUPTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL OR PREPARATION TIME.
THE SCHOOL EXECUTIVE CREATES PROCESSES AND SCHEDULES WHICH PROTECT TEACHERS FROM DISRUPTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL OR PREPARATION TIME.
Intervention Team Schedule
As part of the leadership team, I helped create an intervention team schedule to support teachers as they offer remediation to grow students who are currently low performing and under proficient. I examined all three components of the intervention schedule: the school schedule, teachers needs, and student needs in order to create an intervention schedule that supports the overall growth of each grade level in our school. The artifact below is an example of the schedules that I helped create for instructional support.
As part of the leadership team, I helped create an intervention team schedule to support teachers as they offer remediation to grow students who are currently low performing and under proficient. I examined all three components of the intervention schedule: the school schedule, teachers needs, and student needs in order to create an intervention schedule that supports the overall growth of each grade level in our school. The artifact below is an example of the schedules that I helped create for instructional support.
Instructional Assistant Schedule
The Leadership team, created an instructional assistant schedule to support teachers in K-3rd grade. The focus of this schedule was to support instruction.This schedule allows for all kindergarten teachers to have support while also transitioning assistants to upper grade levels, covering lunch, and still allowing flexibility to move assistants around when needed. The artifact below is an example of the schedule that I helped create and presented to the leadership team as a way that instructional assistants could support classrooms more efficiently.
The Leadership team, created an instructional assistant schedule to support teachers in K-3rd grade. The focus of this schedule was to support instruction.This schedule allows for all kindergarten teachers to have support while also transitioning assistants to upper grade levels, covering lunch, and still allowing flexibility to move assistants around when needed. The artifact below is an example of the schedule that I helped create and presented to the leadership team as a way that instructional assistants could support classrooms more efficiently.
Specials Schedules
As part of the testing team, I helped create a testing schedule for classes and lunches during Case 21 testing. As part of the team, we discussed the need for all teachers to send students to specials, allow teachers time to plan, and also allow specials teachers their own time to plan. The artifact below is the schedule that I helped create as part of the testing team.
As part of the testing team, I helped create a testing schedule for classes and lunches during Case 21 testing. As part of the team, we discussed the need for all teachers to send students to specials, allow teachers time to plan, and also allow specials teachers their own time to plan. The artifact below is the schedule that I helped create as part of the testing team.
Team Intervention Schedule
As part of the administration team, I helped create an intervention schedule for grades 3-5 for the second half of the school year. This schedule supports and maximizes the learning of all students. It creates focus groups for students who can achieve proficiency. This is accomplished through support by interventionists who pull specific groups of students, while allowing classroom teachers to continue to facilitate the growth of the remaining students. This schedule also creates smaller class sizes during a specific block of time giving core teachers a window to facilitate targeted interventions for students. The artifact below is the intervention schedule I helped create.
As part of the administration team, I helped create an intervention schedule for grades 3-5 for the second half of the school year. This schedule supports and maximizes the learning of all students. It creates focus groups for students who can achieve proficiency. This is accomplished through support by interventionists who pull specific groups of students, while allowing classroom teachers to continue to facilitate the growth of the remaining students. This schedule also creates smaller class sizes during a specific block of time giving core teachers a window to facilitate targeted interventions for students. The artifact below is the intervention schedule I helped create.