Administrative Reflection

Over the past 8 weeks, I felt like I was an administrator making decisions for the next school year. I learned to make decisions based on data and while aligning the decisions to the vision of the school. I think that more difficult part of being an administrator and a possible pitfall I may run into is the political side of leadership. After completing the Administrative Action Plan, I now understanding that everything must come from my vision and be based on data. Being an advocate for my beliefs and stewarding that to faculty members that already have their own beliefs and best practices will be difficult. To help overcome this pitfall I plan to build relationships with staff and earn their trust. The faculty will have to trust me to the lead them to improve student learning and achievement. I would try to meet with staff formally and informally so they are able to know me. I believe that if I am solid in my beliefs and they are evident in my words and actions then they will transcend to the people I work with.

            Another pitfall that I may face my first year as an administrator is working with supply and demand of resources and budget allocation. I think it is struggle that every administrator will face because a school needs so many things but the money is not always available. I think by being resourceful I will be able to overcome this pitfall. There are different ways to acquire necessary resources for a school. One way is to utilize the community. I believe the community has a lot to offer but they just need to be asked. I plan to develop a school-community partnership by inviting the community into the school to participate in school events. Communication with all stakeholders is important and can really overcome most pitfalls as long as it is consistent.

Through the course not only was I responsible for my Administrative Action Plan, but I also had weekly assignments with my team. The assignments enabled us to work together to come up with an ideal school setting for vision, best learning, school management, and sound principles. We developed strategies for our schools to become the ideal school. Having the team effort really provide various opinions and ideas. These communication and collaboration skills were essential in making decisions to help write our Action Plans. When I am a principal I plan to utilize these 21^st century skills when developing the vision and school plan.
Another 21^st century skill that I developed through writing this paper, is critical thinking. Really identifying the needs of the school and then researching ways to address the needs was time consuming but worth it. I feel confident in my Administrative Action Plan because it is researched based.
The most important thing I learned from developing the Action Plan is that vision is essential to an effective school. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction explains it best, “clear vision is like a good road map. Without a good map it is difficult to determine where you are going and, impossible to know when you arrive. A dynamic vision engages and represents the whole community and outlines a path to follow. The vision allows school leaders to create a compelling view that excites and engages other constituents to join in the educational journey” (2011).