Running head: COMPETENCY REFLECTION

Competency Reflection
Maritza Quiones
University of St. Thomas

Dr. Eduardo Torres

EDUC 6331 Administrative Internship II
Spring 2016

COMPETENCY REFLECTION

2
Competency Reflection

I have always found myself to be passionate about education and its many branches.
Furthermore, topics that are more relevant to me, like bilingual education or mathematics have
triggered my voice into advocacy and active support. However, all what I have done in the past
consisted of raising my hand and talking about the subjects in the different meetings that I have
attended. In these meetings, even when many of my colleagues shared my views in most of the
occasions, nothing was done by the administration to consider our input.
When I considered to enroll in graduated studies, my main goal was to pursue a career
that would take me away from the elementary classroom. Instead, an educational diagnostician
program helped me to find another issue to be passionate about: special education. Not only did I
found out the different injustices that students with disabilities encounter, but I also
acknowledged the challenges that educators across the nation face while teaching them.
While finding a new voice in education, I realized that I wanted to be more active than
just evaluating students. I wanted to be a leader and to guide teachers and children to a better
education in a highly effective learning community.
At the beginning of this second internship, I was not very savvy about competency one. I
even considered it to be one of the areas in which I had to spend more time learning. After taking
time to study the guides to the principal examination, I realized that I finally understood what is
to shape the campus culture. My progress showed, because I scored nine out of ten questions
correct in the certification test.
Communication with members of the school community, competency 002, is an area in
which I also feel comfortable. For many years I have been part of my schools leadership team

COMPETENCY REFLECTION

and have participated in many meetings of the Parent and Teacher Organization. This year, I took
upon myself the task to host these meetings. I also helped my principal recently with a
community meeting that we hosted about school waivers. The certification test validated my
confidence because I score 11 out 12 questions correct.
Competency 003 deals with integrity and fairness in an ethical and legal matter. As part
of my duties as a teacher specialist in charge of many roles in school, I have to conduct myself
with the highest professional standards. I conference with parents, teachers, students, and other
school personnel frequently. That has shown me how to obey to ethical procedures and to be fair
no matter what. My test result was ten out of eleven questions correct.
In the area of Instructional Leadership, I had a great performance in competency 004. I
scored 9 out of 10 questions correct in the certification test. I believe I performed this well
because I am in direct contact with instructional resources at school. Every Thursday I participate
in Professional Learning Communities; in which we discuss instructional practices with teachers.
I also have intense background knowledge in the mathematics content, serving as lead teacher
for over ten years.
Competency 005, nurture and sustain an instructional program and a campus culture that
are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth, was my best area in the
certification test. Here, I scored all ten questions correct. I have been in direct contact with
teachers and students promoting their growth. As part of the appraisal system, I bring out the best
attributes teachers have in order to coach them into better professionals. Also, when I talk to
students every day, I try to be positive and encourage them to be successful.

COMPETENCY REFLECTION

Even though I felt confident before about competency 006, implement a staff evaluation
and development system, I did not do as well as in the other competencies in the TEXES. I only
scored eight out of 12 questions right. I have been in many hours of training for our districts
appraisal system. However, this is the only system I know after our district eliminated the states
Professional Development and Appraisal System (PDAS).
Competency 007, apply organizational, decision-making, and problem solving skills is
another area in which I need to spend more time learning. According to my test, I missed four out
of the 12 questions in that section. This year I have been working very closely with my principal
and have given her input with some decisions in school, However, it is not the same to be close
to someone making the decisions as it is to be making the decisions yourself. The mental process
that the person has to endure to become proficient in this competency will come with experience.
I know I will become better with practice.
Competency 008 continues to be my least proficient area, according to my judgement.
However, the test results were not that bad since I had 13 out of 15 items correct. Part of the
credit has to be given to my principal, because every time she has to deal with budget issues, she
calls me and explains the process and the part of the budget that she is dealing with.
The last competency, which has to do with campus physical plant and support systems,
address an area that I have some experience. I have participated in the planning for crisis
intervention and school safety. Because of several incidents that happened this semester in
school, I know that we are becoming a better campus handling emergencies and safety related
issues. In my certification test, I had seven out of eight questions correct.