Domain VII Reflection:
Being an advocate is a large part of being an educational leader. You need to advocate from the ground level to 30,000 feet in your school. From implementing new initiatives and teaching strategies to the overall vision and mission of the school- the community looks to the educational leaders to set the tone and culture for dealing with change and establishing norms. Educational leaders also liaison with schools in their regions and other heads of schools through networking and conferences and PLNs to advocate for the best in student learning in international schools.
Artifacts:
Advocate for Effective Technology IntegrationI have had the opportunity to get to know a new school community as a "trailing spouse" my first three months here in China. It has allowed me to observe and understand the culture and values in place at Concordia while positioning myself to present a case for my employment in the coming year. As a school with a longstanding history in Technology Use, I have sensed a need for a vision and long term plan to be established to preserve the technology positions that currently exist at the school. My recent leadership project focused on developing three primary goals within the school to strengthen the ability to effectively integrate technology through intentional coaching positions. Advocating rationale for the need for teacher support and coaching roles when there has been no defence for such roles in the past is a very important part of preserving and continuing to provide students with the unsurpassed educational experiences Concordia desires and promotes.
School of the FuturePart of being an advocate for education includes forward thinking and visionary goal setting. As part of our requirements for this graduate program, Jeremy Horell, Brian Ferrell and I envisioned, designed and proposed a School of the Future that took into consideration future trends in education and technology, physical learning environments and holistic personalised education.
Panther for Life!It's no secret I'm a Panther Fan :) I actively advocate not only for international teaching and student teaching abroad but the University of Northern Iowa itself! I have helped students transition through study abroad programs, been a resource and contact for students coming to Egypt and India and offered advice and experiences on student teaching, working, and living abroad to prospective students and prospective international teachers on many occasions. I have always said I could never work in admissions for any other university because I feel so strongly and passionately about UNI, and I believe great educational leaders need a part of that passion involved in what they do as well. We need to walk the talk and believe what we can conceive to deliver the best educational experiences for students.
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Promoting International TeachingAnytime I have the chance to share the amazing experiences I've had overseas I give community presentations (generally back in Iowa). I've presented at UNI, in local libraries, churches and community meetings on my experiences studying, traveling and teaching in Central and South America, Egypt, India and even China! I am also always eager to find opportunities to promote international teaching, helping peers and colleagues during recruiting season and offering advice on the benefits of living and teaching overseas. Attached is a presentation my husband and I gave to the community library during their cultural series in the summer of 2013 about living in India and what it is like to teach at the American School of Bombay. I've acted as an informal mentor for students considering going overseas, student teaching overseas and beginning careers overseas ever since I was an ambassador in undergrad and eagerly share my passion for international education with anyone who will listen :)
Day 9 Team: Facilitating Multi Age Learning OpportunitiesI was a member of the Day 9 task force, a committee operating out of the Research and Development Core Team at ASB. Our focus was to compile research and data promoting the effectiveness of multi-age learning environments and create opportunities for these learning experiences for students at school. We planned and organized two Day 9 events each year which enabled students to interact with peers and students from other classes and grades while pursuing their passions. This provided a break in the normal routine and a chance for a different learning environment to promote deep learning and passion driven engagement. We had great feedback from these days and the school plans to continue them with greater frequency in the future, even investigating more changes within the school set up to support this type of learning on a regular (daily or weekly) basis.
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