Kind Words from Others

This was one of the most comprehensive principal induction programs I have had the pleasure of participating in. One main reason is its uniqueness in that Drs. Vari and Jones prefaced it weekly with a FOCUSED session, designed to have us meet leading authors in the leadership & administration field. The questions posed to these authors illuminated their work, clarified some wonderings, extended our thinking, shed light on applicability, and were overall questions that we would have read and not had an opportunity to ask.

I recalled an author who wrote of ways in which teacher burnout could be avoided, being asked during the session, “What happens when teachers understand cognitively but are impacted by an emotional block?” This question was appreciated because that emotional aspect is what school leaders need to be able to support a gamut and variety of teachers; hence the value of the FOCUSED sessions in which authors can be questioned.

Aside from demonstrating how school leaders should operationalize and make each PSEL standard actionable, Drs, Vari, and Jones merged theory with practice. In their discussions of PSEL, they linked leadership to student achievement and ultimately overall school improvement. Having been school leaders, they could relate and share practical applications.

One of my favorite practical sessions was when they demonstrated how the use of extra curriculum activities was aligned with overall school improvement. This was affirming for me because this is a practice I had put in place and achieved phenomenal results. To hear them promoting this practice was just wonderful.

This has been a rewarding experience that has not only added to my ‘scholarly bucket’ but increased my library, as they gave away books at each FOCUSED session. I was able to share these books with colleagues both at the school and also referred them to the Dean at the college where I also work. I am thankful that although induction has ended, Drs. Vari and Jones are still available to us via the schoolhouse302. It has been a pleasure. Thanks for the opportunity to share my reflection.

Hello,

Thank you all for all your work on this induction program. No amount of schooling prepares one for the daily surprises your first year as an administrator, but knowing people to call for help/advice during this first year has made the year surprisingly manageable. The sharing of our stories helped me realize that we all have challenging students and adults in our lives. Focusing on what is best for students allows us to make decisions that may seem unpopular but can be defended at the very least and accepted or even championed at best.

Thank you again for making the topics come alive with your stories. That certainly made the commute worthwhile.