Winter 2020 |
“Wisdom comes with winters.” ~ Oscar Wilde |
ECC 536 - School Finances and OperationsThe practicality of this course was greatly appreciated. I enjoyed manipulating the software and thinking about how one change impacts in other ways. This was a valuable course in seeing the insides of the systems at play. It was great to get a greater understanding of the money side of Education, for we often feel it differently at the classroom level.
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ECC 513 -Ethics and Law for School-based Practice |
Resonating Advice:
It comes down to one person at a time, we can't get overwhelmed with it all . . . Educators are in a powerful position - 'values' and 'visions' in our schools must be made and lived. |
Creating the Administrator's Handbook was a valuable opportunity to look at all the systems at play when you are in an administrative role.
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The most valuable part of this course for me was "The Process for Ethical Decision Making" - a great framework to apply both professionally and personally.
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Our Scenario
You are a principal at Made-up Middle School. You have returned to work on Monday morning and there is a parent waiting to meet with you. The parent, Mr. Smith is very angry because on Saturday, while attending a wrestling clinic at your school, his son broke his leg. Mr. John Doe, the school’s wrestling coach and beloved PE teacher had been putting on the clinic for the last 4 weeks, a clinic which parents have paid for their children to attend. Mr. Smith has brought in a flyer that had invited wrestlers from around the district to attend the 6 - week clinic with Mr. Doe. There was a fee attached to the clinic, with cheques to be made payable to Mr. Doe. In the flyer, it is stated that the fees are for supplies to run the clinic. Due to the fact that this happened at your school, Mr. Smith is threatening to sue. This is the first you have heard of Mr. John Doe’s wrestling clinic. Through your initial discussion with Mr. Smith, you realize that the parents who sent their students to the clinic were under the assumption that it was an extension of the school’s wrestling program. There were 30 students attending the clinic each weekend. You also learn that the only other adult in the gym with Mr. Doe during the clinics was his brother, Mr. James Doe, a private citizen who runs a private wrestling club. Upon reassuring Mr. Smith that you would look into the matter, your first phone call is to facilities to see if Mr. Doe had booked the school gym through the proper channels for the clinic. The call to facilities reveals that Mr. Doe did not properly book the gym through the school district. What do you do?
You are a principal at Made-up Middle School. You have returned to work on Monday morning and there is a parent waiting to meet with you. The parent, Mr. Smith is very angry because on Saturday, while attending a wrestling clinic at your school, his son broke his leg. Mr. John Doe, the school’s wrestling coach and beloved PE teacher had been putting on the clinic for the last 4 weeks, a clinic which parents have paid for their children to attend. Mr. Smith has brought in a flyer that had invited wrestlers from around the district to attend the 6 - week clinic with Mr. Doe. There was a fee attached to the clinic, with cheques to be made payable to Mr. Doe. In the flyer, it is stated that the fees are for supplies to run the clinic. Due to the fact that this happened at your school, Mr. Smith is threatening to sue. This is the first you have heard of Mr. John Doe’s wrestling clinic. Through your initial discussion with Mr. Smith, you realize that the parents who sent their students to the clinic were under the assumption that it was an extension of the school’s wrestling program. There were 30 students attending the clinic each weekend. You also learn that the only other adult in the gym with Mr. Doe during the clinics was his brother, Mr. James Doe, a private citizen who runs a private wrestling club. Upon reassuring Mr. Smith that you would look into the matter, your first phone call is to facilities to see if Mr. Doe had booked the school gym through the proper channels for the clinic. The call to facilities reveals that Mr. Doe did not properly book the gym through the school district. What do you do?
ECC 535 - Dimensions of Educational Leadership |
Everest Simulation Reflections:
Overall, the exercise has left me with a greater awareness of the dynamics of groups, particularly in high stress situations. It was a good reminder the most of us, including me, have an individualized agenda that may conflict with the others in the group. This then makes it difficult to make decisions that benefit the group, for you may not have all the information. It also means, that as a leader, you need to ensure that your agenda is not getting in the way of the greater good as well.
Overall, the exercise has left me with a greater awareness of the dynamics of groups, particularly in high stress situations. It was a good reminder the most of us, including me, have an individualized agenda that may conflict with the others in the group. This then makes it difficult to make decisions that benefit the group, for you may not have all the information. It also means, that as a leader, you need to ensure that your agenda is not getting in the way of the greater good as well.