Dr. Victoria Pettis

Summer Cohort 2006

EOCS 7450

 

Practicum in Leadership 

Shadowing Field Notes, Part 2

 

Dr. Ben Kerwin, CMS Principal

 

Date: November 30, 2006      Time: 12:00 To 2:20             Duration: 2 Hrs. 20 Min.

 

Notes

        (Descriptive, non-evaluative)

 

12:00 K is at his desk eating food from a local restaurant. Different office staff come in and out (including assistant principal R) to get their food.

 

K leaves out of the office. (I have to leave to get my lunch from the cafeteria.)

 

12:08 K announces to me that he had to force new teacher to resign or be fired because she was emotionally imbalanced.

 

12:11-12:13 – Coach C comes in and starts apologizing for attendance. Says parents complain that attendance is incorrect when student is present in another class. K provides clarification and expresses his concern about people not taking attendance. He jokes and compliments Coach C about staying around school.

 

K starts attending to emails.

 

12:15— K starts talking to me about personnel.

 

12:16 – Radio: About a student who may be cutting class.

 

K tells me about Fast Forward which helps to speed up language processing. 

 

K to me: Working on student of the week and do personal leave for Phoenix in January 8-10. His wife has a conference in Phoenix and he’s going.

 

12:21 Radio: Student is missing from a class. She’s coming down the hallway now.

 

K to me: We’re going to Phoenix.

 

12:22 – K began listening to voicemail and then turned it off.

 

K says to me: He is doing announcements for tomorrow now.

 

12:29 – K gives compliment about Teacher G. He says he is a nice addition to the staff. I tell him he doesn’t like to do lunch duty.

 

K mentions that he will be going at 1:20 to observe Teacher G’s classroom. Teacher G is a special education teacher.

 

Radio – SO tells MB that student is coming up to eat in the conference room.

 

K tells me: If I know ***, a kid in the transition program.

 

K comments: Calendar seems to be getting shorter with so many events biting into time.

 

K says he now has STOW & COW – Student of the Week and Character of the Week.

 

I ask: Who are you putting in Teacher A’s place. He says: He doesn’t have the answer to that. But sometimes you have to cut your losses.

 

12:37 – ILT D walks in. He asks her where CH is and that he needs her STOW now. Sends SD to get them from her. Tells Counselor T on walkie-talkie that he is doing STOW and COW certificates now and he can call students

 

12:39 – Registrar G comes in and talks about SB whose attendance was wrong due to a substitute.

 

K asks SD about CH’s students. She responds didn’t he get the two emails.

He tells her he has 7 students and give them pens, bookmarks,

 

12:42 – Assistant Principal R asks him about a discipline letter be is about to send. K gives him the okay.

 

12:44 – Talks about certificates he is giving to STOW. ILT D asks him clarifying question about other gift items as he is typing certificates.

 

12:46 K explains to me that he got subpoenaed phone records of students calling his home. He has some strong suspects. It’s going to get ugly.

 

12:49 Certificates are being printed.

 

Emails that come to his phone and are bounce backs.

 

I ask: What is that sound?

 

12:50 – I tell ILT D that ELTs have been scheduled.

 

12:50 K begins talking to ILT D about a lady that readily gave him her email but his emails keep bouncing back.

 

12:53 –K is signing certificates. I ask if he has a stamp. He says he has one he uses for lots of certificates like for Honors’ Day, but he’ll sign these six.

 

ILT D shakes her head and smiles.

 

12:54 She walks out. K compliments Teacher W about her efforts with the Canathon.

 

12:55 – K comments that weather is cold and that he needs to take a look at the float.

 

12:57 K comments about Teacher C about her excessive write-ups. Thirteen write-ups in two days.

 

K calls ISS and asks for numbers in ISS.

 

12:58 – ILT D comes and reminds K about ***.

 

12:59 On the intercom, K announces Canathon winners and congratulates them and all participants.

 

ILT D reminds him that some students are testing.

 

K admits his goof but says he will not get back on the air to say he’s sorry. (Laughs.)

 

1:00 Phone rings. Tells caller to email message out -- that he made a mistake doing the all-call.

 

1:01 He is working on discipline – trying to decide what will be done. Silently reads discipline form.

 

1:03 – ILT D tells him that all certificates have been picked up.

 

Calls for students R, B, & B to come up – if not in testing – and go to ISS.

 

1:05 – K talks to ISS teacher on intercom: Gives names of three students who should be on their way to ISS. Says he is sending an email to her with a list of the correct spelling.

 

1:06 – Remarks about NC writing a kid up for hitting another kid with a bookmark. Remarks that he needs to put them all in Campus.

 

I ask about a student who has been in ISS but has not been marked so in Campus. He advises me to tell Registrar G.

 

ILT D updates K about two students going to ISS and one she is going to retrieve from a teacher’s room.

 

1:14 (He is so intense with typing email that he doesn’t respond.)

 

1:18 I am walking with K through the building. He goes outside the office and runs into Teacher C, who is working on the school float for the Christmas parade. Teacher C says the other float is in the media center.

 

He stops by ISS where he talks to several students about disrupting testing. Asks the whereabouts of one student. The response is he’s at lunch and will be sent to K later.

 

K stops by the media center where media specialist P is working on the other float. They talk about the possibility of the weather holding for tonight’s parade.

 

K tells her he will get CMS lights, which will be a treat.

 

K tells DG that he has the certificates. DG reacts happily, surprised.

 

1:25 K goes back to responding to emails.

 

Teacher S pokes her head in the office and asks for a time to meet with K.

 

K tells her to get with him on Monday. He’s out at 2 p.m. today and will be the assistant superintendent tomorrow.

 

1:29 – Resource Officer G suggests that art class design float for Christmas parade. K comments that the idea is a great one.

 

K asks if *** will be here at 2 or 3 p.m. and if he will be at Christmas party.

 

Resource Officer G – No, he will be with a friend who is getting married. Then he talks about what he does in his spare.

 

1:31 – K announces to me and Resource Officer G that he has a teacher observation and then he must go to a chiropractic appointment. (This is a surprise to me because I was supposed to observe him for at least three hours.) Says he will be back to pick up his daughter, who will be in the Christmas parade with the volleyball girls. He’ll be in tights. (Joke.)

 

Resource Officer G suggests other ideas for Christmas. Talks about relationship with new wife.

 

1:36 – K begins shredding papers. He tells ILT D that he will be observing Teacher G. We leave office to go to Teacher G’s classroom.

 

1:40 We enter Teacher G’s classroom. The special education students are clapping. There are only four students. The teacher has the SmartBoard with sentences with blanks in them. Teacher G tells the students that this is a social studies review for a test. She gives students claps when they get answers right. One student is writing points for each student. She tells this student to choose to have gloves on or off. He tells her is taking them off. She compliments that this is a good choice. She mini-lectures – giving students context – and then leads into her sentences on the board. She gives them hints and encourages them to answer questions. She is very affectionate with her students. A sentence about New York prompts K to become involved. K asks if anyone knows about the underground railroad and who lady was related to.

 

At the end of the observation, K tells students that he is giving the entire class Stevie B’s (local pizza restaurant) gift certificates). They all recite, “Thank you, Dr. Kerwin!”

 

1:55 As we rise to leave, class resumes their review.

 

1:58 – K gives a clue to one of the questions.

 

1:59 – We walk out.

 

2:00 We are back in K’s office. K is back at his desk.

 

2:01 – Registrar G tells K that a man from the housing authority came to see her about verifying attendance and she said no. She shows him a document that was signed by the parents but she was wary of letting this man know student information without clearing it with him first.  K advises her to call parent and get permission from them to verify attendance.

 

Back to emailing.

 

2:06 – Resource Officer G tells S that he will be out of the building for a few minutes dealing with a rape that occurred with a student.

 

2:07 A student from Teacher G’s class hands him something and says it is from that teacher. K thanks him.

 

Teacher W knocks and asks if he is on at his house for bike. K tells her that if she’s late to meet him at Dougherty.

 

2:10 Asks ILT D about fliers. Tells her to make another 300.

 

K goes back to emailing.

 

2:11 – ILT D comes in with a stack of 200 fliers. Said to Resource Officer G that some people want bike ride changed. K says it’s not possible because hotels have been booked, testing is around that time, etc.

 

2:13 Thanks ILT D for her help. ILT D leaves.

 

K tells me he would like for me to be the contact person for the “I Have a Dream” Writing Contest. He is writing an email with instructions. Just sent it out.

 

2:16 – K says he doing preventative measures for his health. He is about to go to his chiropractor.

 

K says he needs to work on certificates. Compliments Stevie B’s on how they are ***.

 

2:20 – K gets ready to leave. Tells me my hanging out with him has been a pleasure. Says he will be back later for bike ride.

 

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

Reflection

(Insights, questions)

 

WOW. I NEVER get to have something brought in to eat. My life is eating a sandwich.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just hearing about this from the teacher made my stomach change in knots.

 

 

 

He was very patience, cordial, and understanding in his handling of this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Administrative have to be masters at multi-tasking!

 

 

 

 

 

At least I won’t have to deal with getting a substitute when taking a day off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to learn to use all kinds of technology to communicate.

 

Be proactive. Don’t start assignments at the last minute.

 

 

Principals don’t know everything.

 

 

Conducting teacher observations are a big part of an administrator’s life. Don’t wait until the last minute to get them done. Be organized and proactive. Get them done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The closer to Christmas, the busier the year becomes. Spring gets worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It would seem like the principal’s secretary should be doing this rather than the principal and instructional lead teacher.

 

 

 

 

It is important to keep accurate records.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part of a principal’s job is to oversee the assistant principal and his or her duties. My question is: How does an assistant principal know when to make decisions on her own vs. ask the principal’s advice/permission?

 

 

 

 

My number is private, because students called me all the time and at inconvenient hours. I wonder if being an assistant principal will mean giving my telephone number out. I don’t want parents and students calling me at home. Do I give up this right once I am an administrator?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good call.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teachers need to feel valued for their contributions. I don’t need to forget that. From custodians to students, everybody needs to feel valued.

 

 

 

Thirteen write-ups in two days. Talk about a bad two days! I would have to talk to her about what’s going on in her classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Administrators must feel comfortable talking to the entire school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

People will be quick to call you on your mistakes. You must develop thick skin.

 

I must acquaint myself with the discipline grid and use common sense to dish out consequences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Administrators have to make sure that they stroke teachers as well as students for their accomplishments.

 

I comment that proximity is important. I need to be close to my principal.

 

 

How do you empower teachers to use other methods of discipline or classroom management other than the discipline referral? So many of my colleagues feel unsupported when it comes to discipline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You must have a sense of humor!

 

 

 

An administrator is pulled in so many directions.

 

 

 

An administrator must be willing to listen to others.

 

 

 

 

 

Get to know your faculty on a personal level.

 

 

Teacher observations are a big part of the job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What kinds of things do you need to shred?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not so sure that an administrator should become involved in an evaluation. He/she should be an observer only. It disrupts the lesson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ve got to know school law!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to stay on top of paperwork!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You’ve got to delegate responsibilities!

 

 

 

You have to stay healthy or what good are you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish he had told me earlier that I wouldn’t be able to observe him for three hours!