Program of Study
9424 Superintendent as Instructional Leader
Course Description
Effective superintendents understand educational core knowledge of curriculum, instructional and assessment. They establish an exception for the use of best instructional practices for all students among both the educational and public communities.
Reflection
Even though I thought my aspirations were administration, I knew I had absolutely no desire to ever be a school superintendent. This course was a required course in the degree program and the only one at the time that worked with my sequence and my schedule.
It was at the very beginning of this course that I really began to question whether this was the direction I was meant to take. Here I was: a classroom teacher. And the topic of most all discussions seemed to center less around instructional leadership, like ELPA 8423, but more on the negative aspects that administrators have to deal with every day. The class sessions seemed to me to turn into a "bitch session". I definitely was not encouraged and as that classroom teacher, was very intimidated.
But I muddled through and ended up learning quite a bit. The main thing I learned was that I had no desire to be an administrator after all. My final project, though, focused on what administrators need to know about technology. We were allowed to choose our own topic and already being a digital media teacher with an interest in technology this was an area with which I was very comfortable, yet knew there was much to learn. I think this project was the turning point.
Several of my colleagues who had already been through the Technology in Schools program suggested I pursue my Education Specialist through SISLT. After some investigation, I knew this degree would provide me with many more opportunities, even outside secondary education, than an administration degree.
I have never once regretted my decision to apply to SISLT and the program has provided me with so much knowledge that I'll now be able to use in my new position working with new and novice classroom teachers at the Columbia Area Career Center. The area of technology will be a big component of that position but I cannot deny that the knowledge gained in my two ELPA courses will be valuable in this new position as well.