O How have your studies strengthened your understanding oI this outcome?

Principals lead the development oI a culture oI learning. Principals should nurture

techniques that create a positive culture. According to Wilmore (2002), the Iocus oI
schools is curriculum and instruction. An eIIective leader is positive, has strong group
skills, is a good listener, is able to communicate and contribute to their community and
colleagues, reaches out to others to inIluence and improve educational practice, and leads
in and beyond the classroom. Multiculturalists believe that the racism and sexism
currently practiced in Western societies should be included in the educational curriculum
(Banks, 1999).
O How do Specialization Outcome 3 and ELLC Standard 2 align?
Outcome 3 examines teacher supervision, evaluation, and proIessional development.
Wilmore (2002) described ELCC Standard 2. This standard includes establishing a
positive school culture, promoting learning Ior all students, and providing staII with
training and resources to improve teaching and learning. Outcome 3 and Standard 2 are
closely related. School leaders and teachers have complimentary roles (Gorton & Alston,
2009). Administrators are responsible Ior communicating with educators to determine
proIessional development activities that will beneIit the school. The principal should
gather data Irom a needs assessment to clariIy activities that will improve teachers`
knowledge and skills. School leaders are responsible Ior encouraging teachers to learn
more skills that will improve instruction. When teachers acquire more knowledge and
are enthusiastic about teaching, student perIormance tends to increase. Administrators
serve as instructional leaders to Iacilitate the teaching and learning process.
O What reIerences support your new understanding oI this outcome?
Banks, J.A. (1999). An introduction to multicultural education (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.
Banks (1999) explained that multicultural education helps to create a society that
recognizes and respects the cultures oI a diverse group oI people. A school`s curriculum
should represent the voices and dreams oI the people who live in the community. Most
oI the teachers include materials that represent a variety oI races, genders, ethnicities,
ages, and religions. InIormation is oIten more accurate when it is comes Irom multiple
perspectives.
Gorton, R. & Alston, J. A. (2009). School leadership and administration: Important
concepts, case studies, & simulations (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Gorton and Alston (2009) argued that instructional leaders are responsible Ior using
resources properly, determining what to purchase, allocating Iunds to spend, and
maintaining a process to monitor transactions. School leaders must have well developed
communication skills. EIIective communication is a primary attribute oI establishing a
positive school culture.

Wilmore, E. L. (2002). Principal leadership. applying the new educational leadership
constituent council (ELCC) standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.


Wilmore (2002) described Standard 2 as an outline Ior the atmosphere or climate an
educational environment. The climate and culture portray values in an organization.
Schools should reinIorce positive behaviors and strategies that assist with progressing
toward the vision. School leaders Iocus on growth. 'The principal becomes a nurturer oI
the entire school community, the shepherd oI the Ilock, the person who provides the
sustaining liIeblood, and passion to the school (p. 34).
O What areas within this outcome would you still like to learn, practice, or experience?
Selecting proIessional development activities is one aspect oI this outcome that I will
continue to explore. I will also gain more knowledge and experience with teacher
evaluations. My plan is to schedule a pre-conIerence, observation, and post-conIerence
to conduct teacher evaluations. AIter the observations and conIerences, I will reIlect on
techniques to improve the evaluation process.
O What artiIacts or evidence have you gathered to demonstrate accomplishment or
competency oI this specialization outcome?
ArtiIacts will include research on teacher evaluation tools, summaries oI observation and
conIerence notes, and recommendations Ior improving the process.

ReIerences

Banks, J.A. (1999). An introduction to multicultural education (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn
and Bacon.

Gorton, R. & Alston, J. A. (2009). $chool leadership and administration. Important
concepts, case studies, & simulations (8th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Wilmore, E. L. (2002). Principal leadership. applying the new educational leadership
constituent council (ELCC) standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.