Week 12 - Improvements & Suggestions

A reminder to readers I am doing my internship at a Scottsdale public school and I work with the Principal and observe the behind the scenes activities of a school Principal.  The first suggestion I would make is to make sure all the teachers and staff know how to work e-mail and make sure they understand that this is how the administration will be communicating with them. Communication is key in any school environment and especially because the school day goes by so fast as it is you do not have time to duplicate efforts.  I would want to make the lunch period a little longer or speed the process up on how kid's get their food.  I would love to do research on how other schools feed their students and do a paper on it. I think music needs to be played while the students eat and this will make the experience a little more relaxing. The school I internship at lines the kids up outside on the basketball courts and then they proceed to their class when the bell rings with the teacher leading the way. I think kids should report to their class rooms and I think that would save some time at the beginning of the school day. I have 2 sons in another Scottsdale public school and I feel the school I am at does a great job educating their students and my suggestions are just that suggestions.  My last suggestion is that I feel interns should have a parking space - it's hard to find a good parking space. :) 

An Interview with the Assistant Principal

My interview was with the Navajo Assistant Principal Veda Sinsabaugh.  I used the series of questions outlined by our instructor in her weekly Check-in. I found the interview process very enlightening and learned interesting aspects of her job and the school environment.

Questions will be in bold with the Veda's answers in regular type.

What type of challenges do you face? Mrs. Sinsabaugh explained bench marking and standards can be  a challenge to meet and sustain. She explained support from parents and teachers toward district goals can be a challenge. She also mentioned parents, teachers and administrators working together for the student has it's challenges. 

How do you deal with deadline stress, difficult people and internal politics?

Veda joked she doesn't stress over deadlines but just waits to the last minute and gets her work in. She explained she knows how she operates and gets her work in without feeling pressure.

Veda explained in dealing with difficult people she tries to listen to their concerns. She says people just want to vent sometimes and you have to listen and be sympathetic. She also advised she always seek a win/win solution to problems.  The internal politics is in every job and she deals with it by never lying or talking bad of others. In that way she doesn't have to remember what she may of told this person or that person. What do you dislike about your position? Mrs. Sinsabaugh explained she doesn't dislike anything about her job. When I pressed her on the question and asked how do you like being second banana to the Principal and she said it depends on the Principal. What do you feel you can do to make work go smoother?

Veda advised to keep communication lines open and build a structure of organization for all to follow. She explained to create a guideline that all will follow. Be organized.

How do you feel about working with others? Veda advised she loves working with others and tries hard to get along with everyone. How do you separate the personal from the professional? Veda explained that is hard and hard for her. She was a teacher for a long time and a union rep in her district back east and she understands what teachers face and sympathises with their issues and problems. She also told me stories of kids she had in class and often would feel for their situations and felt the gauntlet of emotions that she took home with her and shared with her husband. She explained it comes with the job and that I should remember I make a difference just by being in class and caring the kid's are learning.

Do you enjoy working on group projects? She admitted she would rather work alone but then clarified that she enjoyed committees and the camaraderie that process holds. She advised she really enjoyed the so called "staff meetings" but times are changing and you don't see that as much. What is your ideal work environment?  Open communication and respect for all parties involved in the educating of children. Honesty and respect for all involved and a willingness of all parties to do what needs to be done even when it is hard. How does your personality help or hinder your communications with others or conflict resolution approaches? She advised me she sees the big picture and she treats others as she wants to be treated.  She told me she is nice to everyone even if she doesn't want to be and she said it's why she is there and in that position. her personality suits the job. How has your education and experience prepared you for your current job? Veda explained her education did not prepare her at all for her position. It was her life experience that prepared her plus the fact she was a mother of  four. She explained being a parent and a working adult is more preparation for some jobs then any schooling.  After whom do you model your work behavior? She models her behavior after her first principal she worked for as a teacher and she says he was a great example on how to treat others.  Who do you most respect? With no hesitation she said her husband.  Have you reached out to mentors and has mentorship system worked for you? Yes; she has been a mentor and her mentor was great help to her. She explained mentors are important if for nothing less then guidance and direction. It 's a person to bounce ideas off of and for someone to give you support when you have a bad day. Emotionally it is a big boost to have someone assist you and be there for you. A good mentor is key for a beginner teacher's success. 

Life and Times of an Assistant Principal

The person I chose at my applied study site to shadow was Veda Sinsabaugh the Assistant Principal. She is a mother of 5 grown kids and was a teacher for many years. She is a really cool lady and I feel she is a great compliment to the Principal Shaun Holmes.  The morning included her having play ground duty and I stood with her and she played tag with some over energetic first graders. She also had a heart felt discussion with a student who was in a remedial reading class and he felt embarrassed and knows he reads better then that. Veda was comforting and reassured him they would test together soon and move him promptly. We went back to her office and it was observations of teacher's day and so I attended classroom observations and it was a real treat watching teachers in action. The Assistant Principal also hands out Birthday pencils to students and she put me in charge of that and that was a hoot. I delivered pencils to 3 girls and wished them a Happy Birthday and gave them their pencils. Veda called the teachers so they knew I was coming and it went off wonderfully. The Assistant Principal keeps a log of phone calls and every student that comes into her office for disciplinary reasons. Veda and I discussed the log book and entries go in by date and resolution of items in the book are written in red and dated. Any notes from teachers or action plans are also attached into the log book and it accounts for all her actions on the phone and in her office. It looked to be an invaluable tool.  She explained to me that all calls and disciplinary interviews are in the log book and easy for her to back and overview. The Assistant Principal is where students who have misbehaved have to go see. She has a very motherly quality to her and usually starts all conversations with students; " Why don't you tell me why you are here." The student usually gets their side in and then she reads the note from the teacher and then the questions start.  One instance that entered her office was a fifth grade girl brought in a little Swiss army knife to school and was using the scissors part of the knife in class.  That would be a big problem because that is considered a weapon and the student could be suspended for that. Veda handled it wonderfully and gave the girl lunch detention for the rest of the week and confiscated the little knife and call the girl's parents. The amazing part was that the parents were unhappy the girl got any detention and I was shocked.  The things Veda looked at included the girl wasn't using the Swiss army knife as a weapon but as scissors and this girl was not a repeat offender and understood the mistake.  After 4 discipline type office visits I was put with a first grade boy that was disturbing his class and sent to the office. The young man and I worked for about an hour together on his work and by the end of the time he was doing all his work and in great spirits and so was I. Then it was off to the lunch room and helping the lunch staff and watching over the lunch room.  In review of the time spent with the Assistant Principal she deals with a lot of phone calls and disciplinary issues with students. She also does teacher observations and oversees playgrounds, lunch and arriving and departing busses. She is a busy lady and is a blast to hang out with. I can see myself as an Assistant Principal because it fits my personality better and I like the interaction with the students. This activity was time well spent and I have learned so much from my time at Navajo Elementary School and working with these great administrators.