Dr. Victoria Pettis

Summer Cohort 2006

EOCS 7450

Practicum in Leadership

Shadowing Field Notes, Part 1

 

Pamela Teep, CHS Associate Principal

 

Date: November 28, 2006    Time: 10:40    To    10:55        Duration: 4 Hrs. 15 Min.

                                                        11:40    To     3:40

                                    

Notes

(Descriptive, non-evaluative)

 

10:40-10:55 – Meeting of High School Instructional Committee: During the meeting, T asks questions and asks for clarifications dealing with high school program of study.

 

11:40 – Sitting at her desk reading through a high school course of study. Her office is next door to ILT B. They share a door, which is open so they can talk to each other.

 

She talked to me about the renovations in the building and how many times her office space has changed.

 

11:44-11:46 – Answered a phone call from GB. Said she didn’t have percentages yet. Said she couldn’t stand she was losing her because she was so good.

 

11:47 – Said to me: Sorry you couldn’t come for the whole meeting. We had some good stuff.

 

11:48 – Begins answering emails. Said she has 40 emails to go through.

 

11:49 (30 seconds) – Answers phone call. Tells person next Tuesday.

 

11:56 – Says to me: She doesn’t understand when people send her emails and then recalls them when the email says exactly the same thing.

 

She is printing out something.

 

11:56 – Phone call (45 second) Doesn’t say much. Can’t tell what she’s talking about.

 

Listening to walkie-talkie and quietly laughing about conversation going on as she is responding to emails.

 

12:01 – Phone conversation with Linda. P interjects that principal will be out tomorrow.

 

12:03 – SB came in asked that she talk with P privately. (I had to step out of the office.)

 

12:06-12:09 – Their conversation lasted about 3 minutes.

 

12:09 – P is on the phone talking to E about a student/bus situation. 

 

12:10 -12:11 P is on the phone with bus garage asking that they send a bus for special needs student who is sick and is wheel-chair bound. Special ed. teacher is there with her. He leaves.

 

12:12 – Asked me were there any questions I had of her. I told her I would like to mostly observe and leave the questions for later.

 

12:16 Explained to me about her practicum was one where she earn whatever number of hours she wanted. She said she knows what is expected of UGA students and it’s *****. She said the most valuable part is where you work with administrators in the field.

 

12:18-12:19 – Answers phone call from bus garage. Asks is there a certain place special ed student should be.

 

12:19 Excuses herself to run right across the hall.

 

 

12:21 – I tell T that internet connection isn’t working. She says it should work.

 

T calls teacher to tell him when bus will be at school to pick him up. She leaves to go across hallway.

 

12:23 – T explains how special education student who need a bus with a lift to transport him with the wheelchair. T says its difficult dealing with special needs. She goes back to typing.

 

12:26 – ILT B comes in and talks quietly to T about how to word something she’s writing concerning a new board member, who has not been sworn in.

 

T asks for clarification for why she needs to know.

 

They both turn and ask me: What do you call a board member who has not been sworn in?

 

I tell them I am not sure.

 

ILT B problem solves: Don’t we call a new president who hasn’t been sworn in “president-elect”? We both nod. She decides to use that and walks back to her office.

 

12:29 T resumes typing.

 

12:33 ILT B comes in and makes a comment about a parent.

 

She is sharing information about this morning’s high school instructional committee.

 

T is reading out loud her draft of paragraph for course of study. ILT B is helping her with it by giving comments and words.

 

12:39 – ILT B asks if she is sending the draft to the committee. T says she will send to Bill and then considered sending it the HSIC listserv.

 

They talk back and forth about paragraph. She reads out loud passage.

 

12:42 ILT B comes back in and asks her to reread the passage.

 

12:44 – ILT B advises T to go ahead and send email to high school instructional committee (HSIC) because they’ll find something to pick on anyway. ILT B leaves, saying she has got to finish name tags and make a list.

 

12:47 T continues to work on paragraph.

Classes are dismissed. It’s noisy outside.

 

12:55 – T is on lunch duty. She talks about the change she went through to get her office. Her advice: You have to be explicit about instructions. People can misunderstand what you want.

 

In lunch line, T gets a hotdog with chili.  She sits at a table with Principal E, Resource Officer B, Resource Officer R, and unknown person (to me). The talk turns to illegal candy sales and then to aspertain in diet drinks.

 

Principal E is reading through the school’s magazine and is making comments.

 

1:01 – T directs my attention to lesbian students and tells me it a major problem because the students display their affections openly and have no respect for adults who call them on it.

 

Someone comments that the school’s magazines are becoming more bothersome.

 

1:05 – Principal E leaves the table. Comments to me: Enjoy yourself. T comments to me that lunch duty involves ever so often a fight breaking out in the cafeteria but most students take it out back.

 

1:06 – Student throws milk to another and it splatters on the floor. T reprimands student for this and he tries to deny it. He comes over to the table and tries to excuse what he did. T tells the student that he threw it, so his actions constitute one day of ISS.

 

1:09 – Asks a student: Is that all you’re eating? (Student shrugs.)

 

1:10 – Another student sits down at table and tells T that he is thankful for access.

 

T tells me the high school has about 1440 students.

 

1:16 – Special education student O gives T a hug and whispers something to her. She tells me a story of how he used to be his first few weeks there when he wasn’t in special education (his right placement).

 

1:20 Bell rings. Students are dismissed to class.

 

Resource Officer B is talking to special education girl about her having a boyfriend as we leave the cafeteria.

 

T gives me a tour of the 9th grade academies hallways.

 

1:30 – During our tour, T greets and introduces to me one of the assistant principals, who complains that she has been at a hearing all day.

 

1:33 – We are back at T’s office. We overhear someone on the radio (walkie-talkie) say a student’s mother has come to get her.

 

T gives me some good wisdom about being an good administrator. (See Brief Report on Interviews.)

 

1:50 Assistant principal J comes in and speaks to us both. Talks to T about a student.

 

T continues her discussion with me.

 

2 p.m. Student stops by to ask question about testing.

 

 

2:09 Answers phone all about student who is failing. Advises caller to call instructional services.

 

2:12 – Student comes in to ask what she needs to do to drop AP calculus class. P tells her to talk to E. Student says she just did. Tell “Ashley” to have a seat.

 

2:13 – Calls E to confirm that student talked to have about dropping AP calculus. E says yes, the student has a GPA of a 30.

 

2:15 Looking at computer, P starts telling student what her options are.

 

2:17 Tells student schedule change is done. Student says thank you.

 

2:19 – Answers phone call from registrar. Tells person to come on down to her office to talk to her.

 

2:20 – Registrar C discusses her medical leave for her operation. Her biggest concern is withdrawals. T said Principal E has already said Secretary R will be doing them. C said something has already been said to her by R about her doing the job.

 

2:24 C has T read a document silently. T comments that it doesn’t make any sense.

 

2:25 – Counselor M comes in. T answers phone. M and C begin a conversation as T is on the phone. T asks phone caller is the student on a special ed diploma. Talking through options and non-options for student.

 

T listens to walkie-talkie as she talks on the phone.

 

T tells caller student got herself in this situation. So many people talked to her, including T. Advises them to add school probation to form.

 

T Says to me: Stipend for associate does not pay for this!

(End of conversation 2:38.)

 

T begins discussing situation with M and C about placing a *** student in NovaNet situation for 45 days. Principal E and assistant principal called her for her advice.

 

She quips to me: You become the expert!

 

2:40 M and T begin talking about testing.

 

2:41 T answers call from Principal E. M leaves. T asks Principal E has she had the conversation with him.

 

2:42 – ILT B walks in, as she is cutting name tags, and ask if T is still on the phone. C tells her its E and this is the second phone call.

 

T tells E that C is there and that they have been talking about scheduling. Tells her she has already closed one section so she could keep to teachers together to collaborate. Says don’t say anything to her yet.

 

2:48 – Student comes in to ask a question about whether a teacher is required to have all grades in Campus before exams.

 

C and T discuss memo that C has written. C provides clarification for T’s questions.

 

2:53 – We all start discussing what we think the girl wanted.

 

T says: It looks good!

 

2:55-3: 05 – T tells C that Shannon needs to look over things. C said she will be responsible for postage. Talks about duties she can see to when she gets back. C tells her not to worry about filing. C fills T in on upcoming deadlines and duties and responsibilities. C asks her if there’s anything else.

 

3:01 – J tells P over walkie-talkie that he is going to a safety meeting at BOE.

 

3:06 – Student enters with mail to T. T says it’s not hers.

 

3:15 – T answers phone. Teacher enters. T tells caller the date of the next testing time and asks which test does caller need. Tells him/her to contact Ms. L.

 

E is concerned that there are students who are seniors in weight lifting who aren’t doing anything. Is there any other place to put them? T says to send her a list and then asks him to tell her the names. He gives names and says he wants to give some of the students the benefit of the doubt.

 

3:18 – T is looking up student schedules to see what she can do.

 

E starts asking T about other coaches who may have more influence with students. Says he can tolerate some of the students but some are influencing the other students.

 

3:21 E says: Don’t let me take up your time. Just let me know what you can do.

 

3:22 T talks to me about scheduling and how pieces come together or fall a part, depending on whether students pass or fail prerequisite courses.

 

3:23 – T says to me: Now I have my 8 rosters!

 

I ask: How late you think you’ll stay today.

 

T says she will have dinner dialogue from 4:30-7:30 tonight and then she’ll go home. DD is open to community and BOE members.  E guides discussions with different protocols where members go to small groups for discussions.

 

T continues printing stuff.

 

Walkie-talkie: Talk about bus changes.

 

3:36 Students asks if T has filled out document. P tells her to run paper up to E and bring it back to her.

 

3:38 – Calls E on walkie-talkie about estimate on glass window. E said ***.

 

ILT B asks: What did they do with MAP student reports.

 

Instructional Coach adds clarification to question. (He is standing in doorway)

 

T said she did get them.

 

Asks L to read something (email) because she doesn’t understand it.

 

3:41 – MS enters and says hi to me.

 

****End of shadow experience*****

Reflections

(Insights, questions)

 

You have to learn your area of expertise.

 

 

 

 

 

You have to learn how to go with the flow! Get used to change and go with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Communication, communication, communication!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One advantage of being an administrator is they have their printers.

 

 

 

As classes change, there is so much noise outside of the office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to be ready to do jobs that may no fall under your job description. You have to keep your cool and know what to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My writing background will be one of my strengths in administration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meetings will become a bigger part of my life as an administrator.

 

 

I need others to listen to work I am sending out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You cannot escape lunch duty when you become an administrator.

 

 

 

 

 

I need to exercise and eat healthier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ve got to establish relationships with students in order for them to respect you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to actively supervise – walk around -- so that students are deterred from making bad decisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hearings will be part of job.

 

 

I have to get used to the constant messages on the radio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to be ready to listen to complaints from faculty and staff about each other and remain objective.

 

If you’re respected, people – adults and students -- will come to you for your advice and expertise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will be glad when I become this confident in administration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need to learn how to put together a master schedule.

 

 

You must learn to actively listen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Administrators must commit to long hours.