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Establishing a Culture
In my ELP 595C: Culture and Collaboration course, I learned about the nine elements of school culture. Through my "Establishing a Culture" assignment, I considered how I would implement the nine elements in order to proactively establish a healthy, positive school culture as the school leader. Not only did this task require me to consider the importance of understanding the existing culture before trying to change or improve it, but it also helped me create a plethora of action steps that I can use to strengthen the culture in my future school.
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Morning Meetings
A school's culture and identity is defined by what it values. Benson Elementary School values educating the whole child, which involves social-emotional learning and character education. Through the implementation of daily Morning Meetings across all grade levels, teachers help students start their day on a positive note. The conversations that take place help students identify and manage their emotions. In addition, teachers use songs, videos, books, and/or discussions to teach students character traits, such as kindness, responsibility, and courage, that will help them be successful in school and life. Administration established the expectation for this daily routine at the beginning of the year, and made an effort to visit several Morning Meetings on a weekly basis.
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Using Data to Celebrate Successes and Identify Areas for Improvement
During our bi-monthly School Improvement Team meetings and in at least one PLC per month, we conducted a data review to celebrate successes and acknowledge our areas for growth. We used the information gleaned from the data to determine strategies for both replicating successes and addressing weaknesses. Making data analysis a routine part of the school's culture ensures achievements and failures are identified and acted upon often.
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Teacher Empowerment
In our ELP 550: Principles of Educational Leadership and Empowerment course, I examined how my school was currently building capacity and creating teacher-leaders. I used information learned in our class to explain other strategies I will implement to develop a sense of efficacy and empowerment among staff in my own school in the future. From this assignment, I recognized the importance of intentionally implementing processes and procedures to ensure staff have opportunities to showcase their own talents and help one another grow as professionals.
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Sharing Best Practices during a Mentor-Mentee Meeting
During my principal residency, I served as the Mentor Coordinator. I asked my mentors and beginning teachers to complete a mid-year survey to determine the effectiveness of our meetings and gain insight into the topics the group would still like to cover before the end of the year. Based on their feedback, the group most wanted to share best practices. I asked both mentors and beginning teachers to participate in sharing one best practice from their year. Veterans and novice teachers alike had the opportunity to highlight something great happening in their classroom and learn from one another in the process.
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