NELP - 4

The Diversity as an Asset assignment is a proposal of three activities that will lead to more awareness of cultural diversity amongst our students and staff. The first activity involves students recognizing and representing their cultural backgrounds on a bracelet. All students will create one. From afar, all students will be united in having a bracelet. Up close, their unique backgrounds will be represented. The second activity involves celebrating holidays of all the cultures represented by the student population. The third activity focuses on heightening the cultural diversity awareness of all staff members. As staff acknowledge biases and begin to implement tolerance and diversity celebration into their classroom, we will see a stronger appreciation for the many gifts our students and families possess as unique individuals. ​ 

These activities support NELP 4.3, which understands and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement formal and informal culturally responsive and accessible assessments that support data-informed instructional improvement and student learning and well-being. All three activities are culturally responsive as they heighten awareness of cultural diversity in a population that is identified as not very diverse. As the students heighten their awareness through the activities, they will begin to acknowledge and celebrate unique differences. The staff will identify any biases and more toward a pre-competence stage of responsiveness. This will alter the lenses staff members view curriculum and assessments, leading to stronger student learning and well-being. 

This artifact aligns with my competence as an emerging leader. Having taught in a district with little diversity, the development of this artifact required a reflection on where we can begin as a school to develop more cultural awareness. It can be easy for staff to simply say we don't have diversity. The activities developed will heighten awareness, educate staff, and lead to reflective conversations. As a leader, it is my goal to advocate for all groups and lead staff through awareness and change. By creating this artifact, I was able to learn the importance of developing activities that support student and staff awareness and learning. Both are important when developing a culturally responsive learning environment. Students and staff should take pride in their backgrounds and feel comfortable celebrating that. A leader must create an environment that fosters this. 

This artifact required a deep dive into an assessment. As a PLC group, we explored the many aspects of NWEA MAP, looking closely at the data that can be collected from this assessment. Our team researched the types of assessments available in MAP, the data that can be gathered from the results, report formats, and norms. We compared what data can be used at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. Different aspects of the assessment were important at different levels. We also identified what data could be used to drive instructional decision-making. The team demonstrated the use of data do improve instruction and learner outcomes for groups of students as well as individual learners. 

This assessment analysis supported component 4.3, program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement formal and informal culturally responsive and accessible assessments that support data-informed instructional improvement and student learning and well-being. Our team evaluated the MAP assessment and investigated the many ways data can be collected and used to guide instructional decisions. Students can be closely monitored, and staff can be responsive to individual needs. 

The development of this artifact brought into focus what good leaders should do. Leaders and staff should use data to differentiate instruction and group students. In addition, staff should use this data to help identify instructional interventions. Interventions should be specific and individualized to skills but also in format (small group, one-on-one, software). Leaders should promote collaboration with colleagues about individual students. Finally, leaders should guide staff through regular reflective exercises on instructional practices. Staff should evaluate interventions and instructional decisions made based on the data collected. It's important that leaders guide PLCs to reflect on data and make necessary adjustments. 

This artifact includes a school improvement plan audit of a middle school. The audit was conducted by a team in a PLC format. Data was gathered in seven different areas, and the PLC team reviewed each and assigned a rating of weak, moderate, or effective. The rating was determined through a collaborative discussion and data review. The PLC created a presentation reviewing the school's mission, vision, and demographics. Areas identified as weak were summarized and recommendations were made based on the continuous school improvement framework. 

This artifact addresses component 4.1, program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement high-quality, technology-rich curricula programs and other supports for academic and non-academic student programs. The SIP assessment and plan required a thorough evaluation of seven different areas. Data was collected and rated based on the effectiveness of each area. Once weak areas were identified, thorough action plans were developed to address the weakness. 

Component 4.4 was also demonstrated during the development of this artifact. 4.4 states that program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to collaboratively evaluate, develop, and implement the school’s curriculum, instruction, technology, data systems, and assessment practices in a coherent, equitable, and systematic manner. The SIP audit and planning were conducted through the PLC process. Data was collected and analyzed with all stakeholders giving input. Each stakeholder had a different background, thus viewing the audit from a different lens. Curriculum, instruction, and assessment were addressed by thoroughly examining the interventionists in the school chosen for the audit. Data was also utilized to identify weaknesses in the PLC and SIP plan structures. 

As an emerging leader, I gained a great deal of insight into continuous school improvement by auditing a middle school with my team. The leader must guide the process by including all stakeholders. It is essential for teachers and staff to be leaders in the development of the school SIP plan and goals as well. Collaboration ensures various perspectives are considered.  Communication between the SIP team and the staff is very important, and school leaders must ensure the process of visiting the plan is continuous. PLCs within the building need to be carefully formed with their work guided by the SIP plan. Leaders need to make sure the school improvement plan is part of a continuous process where data is collected and analyzed regularly.

This field experience focused on gaining a stronger understanding of my district's bilingual and English learner students and programs. I participated in four different experiences to gain this knowledge. First, I interviewed an experienced bilingual teacher from an elementary school in my district. Next, I interviewed the English language learner teacher in our building. Although I had worked with her for many years, I did not have a clear understanding of her program. In addition, I collaborated with several colleagues to prepare for the arrival of two Ukrainian students. I also worked closely with the team after their arrival to ensure the students had a successful transition. Finally, I was a tutor for a program offered to refugees to learn and improve their English. Through these four experiences, I gained a great deal of insight into the importance of cultural responsiveness and collaboration to ensure the success of bilingual and English language learners. 

This artifact addresses components 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4.
4.2 states that program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement high-quality and equitable academic and non-academic instructional practices, resources, technologies, and services that support equity, digital literacy, and the school’s academic and non-academic systems. Through the two interviews I conducted, I gained a better understanding of the differences in the programs our district offers. I learned about the curriculum, assessments, and programs that are offered to ensure equitable academic and social experiences. 4.3 states that program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement formal and informal culturally responsive and accessible assessments that support data-informed instructional improvement and student learning and well-being. I experienced this through the interviews and 1:1 tutoring I did with bilingual students. Cultural responsiveness is at the forefront of all family, parent, and student experiences. The teachers I interviewed stressed the importance of ensuring assessments collect the data necessary to determine appropriate program placement as well as when determining growth. This is particularly important when determining if a student is struggling due to a lack of language or if there may be a specific learning disability.  Component 4.4 states that program completers understand and demonstrate the capacity to collaboratively evaluate, develop, and implement the school’s curriculum, instruction, technology, data systems, and assessment practices in a coherent, equitable, and systematic manner. This was apparent during the 1:1 tutoring I participated in over the summer. Refugees from all over the world attended, and it was very important to work collaboratively with several colleagues and outside agencies to determine appropriate curriculum, instruction, and assessments. The development of language followed an organized process and was differentiated for each learner. 

This artifact illustrates important learning as an emerging leader. First, prior to this experience, I was not familiar with the different programs offered throughout the district to support our bilingual population. All leaders should have this understanding. Also, I gained important knowledge about assessments, curriculum, and instruction that support student growth. Bilingual students need a very specialized differentiated approach. Next, I learned that bilingual and EL teachers can feel very isolated. This is something that all leaders need to address and ensure that the staff, parents, and students feel a part of the school community. Finally, all staff needs to participate in PD opportunities focused on bilingual learners. Many teachers don't understand how to help students when they are in the general education setting. They need more training in language development, differentiated instruction, cultural responsiveness, and parent communication. This experience has allowed me to gain a great deal of insight into these programs and learners. This insight has helped me develop my leadership skills. 

This artifact included three parts. Part one involved observing a teacher, accurately reflecting the events of the lesson in an observation report. The report included feedback on strengths and areas for development. Part two included a video of a conference role play. The role play was conducted with two other members of the class, where each of us had the opportunity to be the evaluator, the teacher, and observer. Collaborative feedback was shared after each role plan. Part three involved the flip video, reflecting on leadership development as a result of this project. 

This artifact directly demonstrates NELP 4.2, program completers understand and can demonstrate the capacity to evaluate, develop, and implement high-quality and equitable academic and non-academic instructional practices, resources, technologies, and services that support equity, digital literacy, and the school’s academic and non-academic systems. During the teacher observation process, I collected objective data relating to two of the four Danielson domains, classroom environment and instruction. This allowed for authentic conversations on current practices and areas for growth. The teacher and I focused our discussions on instructional strategies to meet the needs of her diverse learners. Likewise, we discussed class culture and character development. Through questioning and feedback, the teacher was able to establish more advanced goals to ensure her students had support as social-emotional learners. The pre and post conversations were critical to the process, as I guided the teacher to more advanced practices. 

This artifact allowed me to develop my skills as a future leader. First, I learned the importance of having a strong background in curriculum and instruction. If a leader is not familiar with current best practices, he or she can't contribute to the growth of the teacher being evaluated. Second, I learned the importance of identifying where the teacher is at as an adult learner. This is a critical consideration during discussions about practices and future goals. Third, leaders need to ensure teachers are aware of and comfortable using all the resources available to them. This is particularly true with advanced technology. Teachers may need support as they learn to integrate these tools and strategies into their learning environment. Finally, supporting the teacher in educating the whole child is critical. Social-emotional, executive functioning, and character development are essential. Teachers need access to curriculum, literature, and best practice resources to support this aspect of the classroom environment. Teachers should be encouraged to explore their implicit biases to ensure equity and inclusion for all students.