My Final Post

My final reflection is filled with interesting memories and no regrets. I was very pleased with my internship choice and all that I learned at Navajo Elementary School. Principal Holmes was a great mentor and always tried to involve me in his daily duties. I did research on a variety of topics and helped out at the Navajo Carnival. Some of the things I learned at my internship included that an administration position  in an elementary school is very busy and hectic job. I loved the teacher observations I attended with Principal Holmes and I enjoyed trouble shooting with him when unexpected emergencies occurred.  I learned my passion remains educating kids and I enjoyed my time with students on office detention.  I feel I did grow as a person in several ways. I grew in my ability to incorporate others views and not always rely on my experiences and interject my beliefs. Educating children is a team effort and all the parties' involved need to work together and toward a common and shared goal.  The skills I gained while at my internship included being able to do a teacher evaluation which included to observe, recognize and differentiate teaching techniques. I learned to multitask better and stay organized with a plan in place each morning. I learned the ability to prioritize and to not duplicate your efforts was key component in a administrator's position. I feel my time was well spent and it was a great experience. I look forward to substitute teach at Navajo Elementary School and hopefully work as a teacher there in the future after I complete my Teaching Certificate.

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. 

Resume

480 276-1505
Scottsdale, AZ Mccloseplus3@cox.net


Mark D. Close

Objective I am searching to secure a teaching position in a K-8 Catholic School.

Summary of

Qualifications I have held and currently hold a paid coaching position in Scottsdale

Unified School District; specifically Chaparral High School as freshman

girl’s basketball coach.

I have been an employee and coach through the City of Scottsdale

Program and coached the Boy’s 5th & 6th grade basketball teams from

OLPH.

I have coached through Boys & Girls Club, Little League, YMCA and Pony

Baseball. I am also currently Cubmaster for Pack 446 - OLPH.

Education 2004 Indiana University Northwest Campus Gary, IN
Associate of Arts in General Studies

( Completion Dec.) 2008 Arizona State - University College Tempe, AZ
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
( Education & Business )

Professional 1996 -2006 I have held claims adjuster positions at different insurance Experience companies that include Scottsdale Insurance Company, Republic

Western Insurance and Crawford & Company.

Professional Licensed Claims Adjuster in the State of Arizona
Memberships

References Father Tom Hever 480-874-3720 Dr. Bobbie Sferra 480 423-6217
Principal Shaun Holmes 480 484-2610

Extracurricular Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts, Child Liturgy at OLPH, Men of OLPH
Activities

Applied Study Experience and My Career

The applied study experience I chose fits very well into the career path that I want to pursue after graduation. My younger two sons attend a Scottsdale public school and I am doing my internship at a Navajo Elementary School a Scottsdale public school. I plan on obtaining my teaching certificate as quickly as possible so that I may teach in the Scottsdale School District and then go into administration. The internship I have is with the Principal at Navajo Elementary School and it has opened my eyes on how much a Principal does in a single day. I returned to college to become a teacher and along the way I started to think about becoming a Principal and the Applied Study Experience has proven to be a wealth of knowledge regarding this particular position in the education field. Both my parents, my in-laws and wife have all been teachers and I have a real understanding of what it takes to be a classroom teacher but I did not know all the workings of a school Principal and hence the decision to do my internship with a Principal. This internship helps me meet working teachers and let's me network to help insure a future job. The elementary school I am at has only one male teacher and he oversees the gym periods of certain grades. My supervisor Principal Holmes has requested I apply at SUSD to be a substitute teacher in the school system and when I do my student teaching to also request his school. He advised if everything works out and a position is available he would like to see me teaching at Navajo Elementary School in the near future. I actually would like to work there as well. I have no real dislikes at my current learning site but I would like to teach a little in the classroom but a Principal and his intern are to busy to do that. The skills I am learning involve responding immediately to important issues. In the Principal's position the buck stops at his office door and you better deal with things ASAP or they just pile up. Principal Holmes tries to express to me working smart and doing things one time and moving on. Mr. Holmes stresses as a Principal you need a good office staff because without a hard working staff his life would be a whole lot more complicated and busy. The last question asked in the week seven questions was if I would work with children in a educational setting. The answer to that question is a loud and heartfelt, “ yes” and twice on Tuesday. I really feel I was born to be a teacher and I have ignored that feeling long enough. I can't wait to teach in the classroom and start making a difference on a larger scale.

Concepts on Display

The concepts I have learned in my specific disciplines are present and in practice at my internship at Navajo Elementary School. The first concentration that makes up my BIS degree is Business. Within the classes that make up my Business concentration my management class discussed globalization and the need for businesses to focus now more then ever on a global vision instead of a local or national one. In the school there are posters and collages that present and describe the world outside the United States. Students are reading and doing assignments about the world and even communicating with other students from around the world. One great example is a math website that pits students from around the world against one another in fun mathematical games. I have watched my son compete against kids from Japan, China and Canada. The concept of “Globalization” is alive in our local schools and growing. The other concept I pulled from my classes in my Business concentration is the concept Empowerment. This idea stresses empowering employees to do their own work without needing and seeking approval from supervisors. I have witnessed Principal Holmes stressing to employees to trust themselves and to act as if he was there. We have discussed this approach and it is all about empowerment. He wants the lunch staff to handle daily problems and not stop activities to check with him and the maintenance department to get creative and fix things as they arise and not make a list for him to review. Empowerment is not always easy for habits and behaviors can be hard to break. My second concentration is Education and I see many different theories and concepts in practice at the school. The first concept that I have witnessed come up daily at the school is the concept of Feedback. Principal Holmes communicates through e-mailing his teachers and looks for Feedback from his teachers on whether his messages and/or meeting requests have been received. The idea is that all involved are very busy and he would like his staff to check their messages and respond accordingly to save calls and notes sent to and from the office. It seems the younger the teacher the better this format works but in the long run this will save time and energy for all involved. The other concept I see being employed is the concept of Mass Media and it is done in a creative way. The students select a student government and news, lunch menus and a variety of other items are presented on closed circuit TV for all the students to see in their classrooms before school starts. Messages for the school during the day are also broadcast this way by the office staff and also by intercom. The other way in which mass media is being used is by the school’s website and each teacher has a webpage that outlines daily homework and reading lists plus a variety of other things. Technology is a beautiful thing and used correctly by all involved is a time saver and keeps teachers free from answering questions about information that is on the web pages. These basic concepts and more are on display at my internship daily.