Erin Bigler Administrative Internship
Do what you feel in your heart to be right–for you’ll be criticized anyway. —Eleanor Roosevelt
Instructional Leadership Artifacts
Reflection & Learning
After going through my internship experience, I realize the importance of builder leaders modeling the attributes of a lifelong learner. I think students and staff are more inclined to put forward their best effort when they see building leaders making an effort to learn and grow alongside them. An important piece of modeling a learning mindset is the willingness to admit when you have made a mistake, or do not have an answer. Having the humility to accept your own shortcomings makes you more relatable and approachable, which are critical qualities for someone wishing to have an impact on instruction.
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One of the largest and most beneficial projects I took on during my administrative internship was the creation of our district’s math scope and sequence documents. On my team, I was tasked with the challenge of creating the guiding document for 2nd grade that would help plan and pace math content across all learning models (hybrid, virtual learning and in person learning). The goal of the document was to align instruction across the district and provide guidance specifically related to the challenges with covid, and resources to help identify, effectively teach, and assess our math standards. Throughout this process, I regularly met with a group of 2nd grade teachers in order to gather user feedback. At times, it was difficult to hear when things were not working well, but I reminded myself that it was important to listen without judgement and remain flexible if I wanted to be an effective instructional leader.
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Working so closely with a grade level’s curriculum was a truly beneficial experience. It reminded me of how many instructional aspects a teacher is tasked with balancing, from intervention to enrichment, prioritizing instructional needs, knowing the standards, and effectively assessing student learning, there are many factors that go into a teacher’s planning. Having a deeper understanding of these aspects will help instructional leaders support teachers, using a balanced and purposeful approach.
Artifacts
PLCs
An important part of instructional leadership is establishing and supporting an effective framework for PLCs. I found some of the learning in the Principal As A Building Leader course to be valuable, as I had opportunities to discuss how PLC structures looked with my peers from other districts. Some of the key ideas I took from this time include:
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Create a system of accountability for your teams (shared notes, schedules, etc.)
Establish your expectations for PLCs and follow through
Use PLCs as an avenue to connect with & support teams!
I now include a hyperlink for "coaching requests" embedded in the PLC agenda​
We also use comments to interact with teams' notes and follow up on concerns/comments each team documents
Below, I have included a sample of the template my principal asked me to create for the school year, at CGES.
Instructional Coaching
I wanted to include a few more examples from my learning and experiences around instructional coaching.
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In my efforts to learn more about coaching, I have found great value in reading the following texts:
The Art of Coaching, Elena Aguilar
Onward, Elena Aguilar
Better Conversations, Jim Knight
The Impact Cycle, Jim Knight
These books have provided a balanced a framework for coaching. Aguilar has great resources for supporting emotional resilience in teachers. Jim Knight's readings are more technical in nature, using a systematic approach to coaching (grounded in best practice), and simply becoming a better listener through intentional self-reflection, planning and asking purposeful questions, and actively listening. I have greatly benefitted as an instructional coach/leader by participating in book studies with these titles.
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I have included some links to artifacts from my coaching experiences below. The first is an initial planning sheet, where I created the agenda for an initial coaching session with a colleague. The second link is a kind email (feedback) received from another colleague after completing a coaching cycle together.
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Lastly, this form is yet another example of ways I seek feedback on my own instructional leadership practices. (Click here to view the form)
Lifelong Learning
One of my strengths and passions is instructional technology. I felt it was necessary to include an artifact that exemplified this in some way. As I mentioned in my reflection, it is important to model lifelong learning as an instructional leader. One accomplishment from this year is becoming certified as a Seesaw Ambassador.
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Through the Seesaw Ambassador Community, I have learned many things including:
The importance of using instructional technology for creation (vs. mindless consumption of information)
Technology provides students with a voice and a global audience, which can greatly increase engagement in learning!
Technology allows us to capture learning in visible & authentic ways, and creates a useful system for measuring progress
Technology can help families feel more connected and engaged with the school community
Navigating technology in a safe and productive way is a critical skill for our young learners. Most of the jobs they will have one day will require students to have a strong set of technology skills
