Running head: COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS

Competency Reflections
Georgina A. Benavides
University of St. Thomas

Dr. Eduardo Torres

Spring 2015

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
Competency 1

The principal knows how to shape campus culture by facilitating the development, articulation,
implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the
school community.
I feel this competency is an area of strength for me. During my internship and career in
education, I have had many opportunities to share a vision for learning with the faculty on my
campus. Several years ago, I was asked to be part of my districts Common Learning
Framework (CLF) training. This training involved district initiatives for instruction and the
learning of students. After completing the training, I had to present my learning with the
campus. The campus then created a plan for how the initiatives might look on our campus. I
was also on hand throughout the school year to answer any questions about the new initiatives.
These initiatives positively affected the campus culture and created a commonality of learning
among classrooms. As the team leader on my third grade team, I have assisted in developing a
vision for learning. If there are any issues, I am accessible to my team.
Competency 2
The principal knows how to communicate and collaborate with all members of the school
community, respond to diverse interests and needs, and mobilize resources to promote student
success.
This competency is an area in which I have had many opportunities to grow in the past
two school years. As a principal, it is imperative to communicate and collaborate with all
stakeholders. For two school years I served as the science vertical alignment team leader.
During this time I led collaboration among teachers from all grade levels to increase learning in
science. Additionally, during my internship, I have held two family nights to provide Internet

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
access to the online program I am facilitating, Think Through Math. Several families who were
in attendance do not currently have access to the Internet at home. Through this evening they

were able to learn about the program, and their children were able to complete math exercises on
the program. As a teacher at a Title I campus, I see how necessary it is to respond to the diverse
needs of students on a daily basis and to provide students and their families with what they need
to be successful
Competency 3
The principal knows how to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical and legal manner.
This competency is reflected in my daily life. At all times it is imperative to uphold
integrity, fairness, ethics, and keep the law at the forefront. Furthermore, during my course work
I took a class in school law. It was through this class I was able to learn the responsibilities of a
principal, and what steps need to be taken in different situations. One of the most important
pieces of learning I took away from this class is the importance of understanding the law and
school policies. If I am ever unsure of anything, it is imperative to consult with human resources
or other district officials before making a rash decision. As a principal, I will ultimately be
responsible for making sure policies and laws are followed in my school. I will also set the
example by acting with integrity and being fair; I will always be both.
Competency 4
The principal knows how to facilitate the design and implementation of curricula and strategic
plans that enhance teaching and learning; ensure alignment of curriculum, instruction,
resources, and assessment; and promote the use of varied assessments to measure student
performance.

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
Throughout my career in education, I have had many opportunities to learn and grow in
the area of curriculum and instruction. I have worked with the science curriculum director to

ensure the second and third grade curriculum is aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS). If the items were not aligned I assisted in making revisions. Furthermore, I
developed science learning goal checks for the school district, which matched the curriculum and
assessed the learning of students. Last school year, I attended a workshop on integrating
formative assessment into math instruction daily. I took my learning from this workshop back to
my campus to share with other teachers. Additionally, this summer I will be working with the
district math curriculum director to develop a project based learning assessment for third grade
teachers and students. I believe curriculum and assessment are areas of strength for myself. I
am constantly assessing the needs of my students and thinking about what more can be done to
increase their learning. As I move into a school leadership position, I will continue to grow in
this competency.
Competency 5
The principal knows how to advocate, nurture, and sustain an instructional program and a
campus culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
The instructional program is key to every school. The campus culture must be reflective
of student growth and learning. Throughout my internship and my career in education I have
had several opportunities to lead in this area. I have served as the science vertical alignment
team leader for my campus for two years, as well as serving as the third grade team leader this
school year. In past years, I have presented workshops at the district level in literacy and
science. These presentations have allowed for staff professional growth. This school year I am
the facilitator for Think Through Math. As the facilitator, I have provided an on campus training

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
for teachers about the program. I also am there to assist teachers with any issues they may have

with the program. Nurturing and sustaining programs for teachers is imperative; the growth and
learning of teachers is then passed on to their students.
Competency 6
The principal knows how to implement a staff evaluation and development system to improve the
performance of all staff members, select and implement appropriate models for supervision and
staff development, and apply the legal requirements for personnel management.
This competency is an area where I have not had as many experiences throughout my
internship. However, during this last semester I did complete the Professional Development
Appraisal System (PDAS) certification course. I am now certified to appraise other teachers in
the State of Texas. During this course, I had experience watching other classroom teachers, from
various grade levels, teach and appraising them in the eight different domains of the PDAS. I
learned of the Texas Education Commissioners rules regarding appraisal systems and what steps
are necessary if a teacher needs to be put on a growth plan. In this course, I learned the
importance of being organized and making sure feedback is given to all teachers. Additionally, I
saw how important the appraisal tool can be with struggling teachers.
Competency 7
The principal knows how to apply organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to
ensure an effective learning environment.
This competency is integral to the role of the principal. As the leader of the school, the
principal must be organized and have impeccable problem-solving skills in order to provide an
effective learning environment. Throughout my internships I have had opportunities to grow in
this area, especially through my internship projects. After deciding to expand the math club to

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
include first graders I had to communicate with parents, as well as recruit additional faculty
members to assist with the meetings. I also had to rethink how the meetings were conducted to

meet the varying needs of the students attending (first, second, and third graders) and provide an
effective learning environment for all. As the Think Through Math facilitator, I had to determine
the most effective way to communicate with the teachers involved. Additionally, I have assisted
teachers who needed help with the program, and I have organized family nights in the computer
lab. Finally, while developing the Greene Parent Handbook I had to determine the most
important information needed for parents and apply organizational skills in developing the
format.
Competency 8
The principal knows how to apply principles of effective leadership and management in relation
to campus budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial management, and technology use.
This competency can seem very overwhelming for many current principals and future
school leaders. The budget is an integral part of every school. It is necessary to know the budget
and how to use it appropriately and effectively. During my coursework, I have conducted
several interviews with my principal about the school budget. My principal gave a thorough
explanation of the school budget and how it works. I feel I have a lot to still learn in this area. It
will be best learned through experience. During my first internship, I had the opportunity to
purchase some items for the school using Title I funds. Through this process I learned how to
complete purchase orders and how important it is to use approved vendors. Additionally, I
worked alongside the school secretary to learn about her role in the school budget process. The
principal and the school secretary work very closely with each other regarding the school budget.

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
Competency 9
The principal knows how to apply principles of leadership and management to the campus
physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning environment.
Ensuring the building is safe, secure, and clean is ultimately the responsible of the
principal. There must be systems in place to ensure everything runs and operates smoothly. I

feel this is the competency where I have the least amount of experience. During my coursework,
I did have the opportunity to interview the lead school custodian about school operations, as well
as interview my principal about the things she does to ensure everything operates smoothly. This
most important thing I learned in this area is the importance of communication. The principal
must communicate with the lead custodian and district operations daily and weekly about issues,
which may be happening at the school. If the basic needs of students and faculty are not being
met, then ultimately, learning will not take place.

COMPETENCY REFLECTIONS
Reference
TEA. (2010). Preparation manual. Retrieved March 20, 2015, from http://cms.texes-ets.org
/files/1413/2949/6303/068_principal.pdf