Name: Cindy Miller-Walker

NELA Internship Weekly Activity Log: February 3-7, 2014

Teacher Observation

Teacher Evaluation

Teacher Meetings

Building Meetings

District Meetings

Community Meetings/ Contacts

Extra- Curricular

Events

Management Tasks

Other

Monday

2/3

4th-Bendel

1st Tart

K grade level mtg

504 Meeting PM BusesMet with ESL teacher to coordinate ACCESS testing

Scheduled student observations for RtI

Lunch with 2nd grade team

Tuesday

2/4

5th-McCarty-demo lesson4th-Alford

2nd grade team-Math Benchmark mtg2nd grade

Meeting with AP

PM Buses K student RtI observationParent contact-bus referral

Wednesday

2/5

Met with 3 teachers regarding mid-year PDPs

4th grade -RtI mtg

Meeting AP and CRTMeeting with AP and ESL teacherStaff Meeting

K Registra-tion Packet Pick up 2-6pm

AM Hall dutyPM Buses

3rd grade student RtI observation

Thursday

2/6

NELA Site Visit to Warren County Early College High School

Friday

2/7

3rd grade team- check and record RTA passages

PM Announcements and Dismissal

Distribute/se-

Meeting with Dr. Arrington and Mentor Principal Smith

cure RTA passages

Parent conference with 3rd grade teacher

*Reflection on this weekly log (include feedback from coach and mentor)

I was an instructional leader this week in a 5th grade classroom. The teacher had several students out of class due to AIG and All County Chorus and the 8- 9 students left were finishing morning work, reading, and some were milling around. The teacher did not want to start a lesson until everyone returned around 9 am. So I offered to show them how to do ken ken puzzles- like Sudoku except you build equations. I first had the teacher pull it up on her computer so we could walk through it. Then I offered to show her students. I retaught ‘digits’ after discovering that they did not remember the definition of a digit v. a number. We did two puzzles together on the smartboard. Once they got the hang of it I allowed students to volunteer to solve the puzzles with input from classmates. The students got the hang of it, were excited and even asked the teacher if they could do it for homework. I suggested that she use it as a math activity on Tuesdays and Thursdays for that one-hour block when she only has 8-9 students. I stressed to her that it was only a suggestion because I did not want to appear to be telling her what to do in her classroom. I saw that time as being a loss of instructional time where some one-on-one instruction or guided reading could take place.

Teachers were frustrated Tuesday morning because when they took their classes to computer labs to do benchmark testing, the students could not log on to school net. I am learning that you should always have a plan B or even a plan C when working with technology or anything else for that matter.

Dr. Headen, our assistant principal, returned on Tuesday and Wednesday for a half-days. There was lots of excitement among students and staff. We met both days to update her on the calendar and happenings at school. She expressed her gratitude for me taking on some of her responsibilities while she was out. I was obliged.

All we hear from the majority of teachers is “all I do is assess, when am I suppose to teach”. Noticing that many teachers are feeling stress with assessments. I want to be able to ease the stress.

On the early release day we had a brief staff meeting- I distributed my administrative intern performance survey to the staff. I expressed the value of their feedback for my professional growth and thanked them in advance for their feedback.

Just before dismissal, as I was about to do announcements and call for buses, a first grade teacher brings a student into the office (for what appeared to be a discipline problem). I asked her to please write a discipline referral. She replied that a referral was not necessary she just wanted Mr. Smith to see that the student had allowed someone to drag him in the dirt/mud during recess- his clothes were all muddy. I thought, “so what do you want me or Mr. Smith to do if it is not a discipline referral?” My guess is that she feared that an angry parent would be calling to find out what happened. I wondered why did she not see it when it happened on the playground. My

answer: I observe teachers sitting all together, away from the playground daily, not actually paying attention to what is happening on the playground. That is why she did not see it until it was too late.

During the meeting with my mentor principal Mr. Smith and Dr. Arrington, Mr. Smith gave me lots of praise. He commended me for stepping in various capacities this year- from discipline to PLCs to IEP/504 meetings to RtI meetings to observations to whatever needed to be done, especially while our AP was out this year. He stated that several staff members have commented on my positive disposition and my strong presence this year.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED: 1a. School Vision, Mission, and Beliefs1b. Leading Change1c. School Improvement1d. Distributive Leadership

2a. Focus on Learning and Teaching, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment2b. Focus on Instructional Time

3a. Collaborative Work Environment3b. School Culture and Identity3c. Acknowledges School Failures; Celebrates Accomplishments and Rewards3d. Efficacy and Empowerment

4a. Professional Development/Learning Communities 4b. Recruiting, Hiring, Placing and Mentoring Staff

4c. Teacher and Staff Evaluation5a. School Resources and Budget5b. Conflict Management5c. Systematic Communication5d. School Expectation for Students and Staff6a. Parent and Community Involvement and Outreach

6b. Federal, State, and District Mandates7a. School Executive Micro-Political Leadership

COMPETENCIES ADDRESSED: Communication, Change Management, Customer Focus, Conflict Management, Creative Thinking, Delegation, Dialogue/Inquiry, Emotional Intelligence, Environmental Awareness, Global Perspective, Judgment, Organizational Ability, Personal Ethics and Values, Personal Responsibility for Performance, Responsiveness, Results Orientation, Sensitivity, Systems Thinking, Technology, Time Management, Visionary