Question to Ask an Admin Intern or New Administrator

Post at least one question that you would ask a new administrator?

TWC data analysis for Jones Elementary

After having read Ira B. Jones Elementary School's Teacher Working Conditions report from 2008:

• Identify what you believe are the most critical areas for improvement
• Post a summary of two to three recommendations that you would make to the Jones principal about steps to take to address the critical areas for improvement (these recommendations could be practice- or process-oriented)
• Pick at least one other students' post and pose to him/her a critical question that you have after reading the recommendations

Assessing, then doing what needs to be done...

As a new building administrator, how do you anticipate assessing and prioritzing the reform/change efforts needed to move student achievement forward? What will affect your timeline regarding gathering of information period versus action/implementation?

PLCs (for November 8 class)

What have been your experiences with the PLC model? Have you worked in a school focused on the PLC concept, have you been to PLC workshops or trainings, have you helped to spearhead a PLC effort?

Based on your experiences (or lack of experience with the PLC model), what are the questions you have about the PLC concept? What do you see as its strengths? What do you see as the challenges to creating a PLC?

Technology Dilemma

After reading The Technology Dilemma (available in the Off Week Assignments folder on Blackboard), post a 150-250 word post about your choice, answering the questions included in the assignment.

After posting your own choice, find at least two posts from other class members who chose a different option. In an incredibly kind, gentle, and collegial manner, post comments for these two classmates explaining to them why you believe their choices may be problematic. If you wish, you may respond to anyone posting a critique of your choice, but you are not required to.

NCLB Reauthorization

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965), as amended by No Child Left Behind Act (2001), will not be reauthorized until after the November election. As a leader in public education, what insight would you give the new president/legislators/policy makers in this task?

School Choice?

In the past 2 decades, public demand and interest in "school choice" in the form of charter schools, magnet schools, schools within a school, academies, and vouchers for private schools has increased. Many believe that our educational system should mirror the business model of free enterprise, therefore with "competition" public schools would not take tax support for granted and provide better services to students. Please share your professional experiences as an "insider" of a non-traditional school model and its effectiveness, or share your opinions about how you anticipate these models will affect your reform efforts as a public school principal. Would you view school choice options differently as a parent than as a school administrator?