“There are few things more pathetic than those who have lost their curiosity and sense of adventure, and who no longer care to learn.”
- Gordon B. Hinckley
- Gordon B. Hinckley
Transfer to SUU
In 2018, I made the decision to transfer to SUU to finish my graduate degree. I had heard good things, and several people I trusted recommended the program. I also felt like it was the right move, so I did, and then 3 years later (April 2020), I graduated! To get a taste for what I learned during my time there (see transcripts here), read on below:
In 2018, I made the decision to transfer to SUU to finish my graduate degree. I had heard good things, and several people I trusted recommended the program. I also felt like it was the right move, so I did, and then 3 years later (April 2020), I graduated! To get a taste for what I learned during my time there (see transcripts here), read on below:
- EDUC 6000 - Issues in Psychology & Measurement
- I really enjoyed this class, as we discussed the psychology of teaching, and then developing, validating and interpreting assessment measures (examples: High Quality Assessment; Rewriting a Learning Target; Selected Response Creation; etc.). As in all of my classes, the weekly discussions were apt and useful in considering situations I or teachers in my school will likely encounter (see: Emphasis on Summative Assessment; Portfolio Assessment; Performance Assessment; etc.), and I appreciated the PLC that my classes offered.
- EDUC 6036 - Leadership with Technology
- This class was helpful in giving me the chance to consider additional ways to utilize technology (e.g. in not just my classroom, but in our school at large. I used it as an opportunity to help get Canvas off the ground and going at our school (which would prove quite useful during the Spring 2020 Coronavirus school shutdown); here's what I came up with: Canvas Plan; Canvas Intro Video. I also created a video (for easy staff sharing) that Assessed Student Data over the last 3 years.
- EDUC 6100 - Practices of Instructional Supervision
- The last class that I've taken from SUU, this one has been quite useful, teaching me about various methods of evaluation and supervision (and the important distinction between the two) as a principal / school leader. I have practiced a few different methods in this class, such as the Selective Verbatim Approach, as well as the Wide Angle Approach. I also created a video about potential evaluation improvements we might make at my school; see the Teacher Evaluation Model video to see that!
- EDUC 6380 - Ethics and Decision Making for Educational Leaders
- In this course we learned how to think and act ethically in the public school setting, considering a number of case studies / reflections (for example, A Student's Best Interests; The Gay Teacher; The Spanking; My Psychological Orientation, etc.), discussions (e.g. Ethical Challenges; Minority Viewpoints; Unethical Policies; etc.), and so on.
- EDUC 6500 - School Finance
- This was a tough class, but I did learn a lot of valuable things from it about school finance, including our responsibility to the public for how we spend funds, how to budget, my role as an admin in the financial process, sound financial practices, etc. For example, I created several Purchase Flowchart (one for a Minor Purchase, another for a Capital Item) to visually illustrate the purchase order process. I also analyzed our own school data to identify, analyze & also plan for future spending: Financial Revenue Report.
- EDUC 6540 - Organization of American Schools
- As with all of my classes with Prof. Montgomery, I truly appreciated the unique perspective his many years of experience offered me as I learned about the function, organization, and history of how American schools function today. We had some robust discussions ("Hinges of Destiny"; Parental Involvement; Social Emotional Learning; etc.), and also some useful reflective assignments (e.g. Problem Solving in Schools; Organizational Flowchart; Changing Public Perception; etc.)
- EDUC 6560 - Leadership of Student Services and Programs
- This class focused on how to collaborate with the community to promote student needs, health and also to promote such collaboration. I learned how to manage a variety of activities and extracurriculars, and how to build community buy-in and support for these as well. Weekly discussions explored these topics (for instance: Preventing Dropout; Reinforcing School Culture; etc.) and several assignments encouraging further development of programs & support for students (e.g. After School Program Plan; Suicide Prevention Training & Schedule; etc.).
- EDUC 6740 - School Law
- One of my favorite classes, here I learned all about the legal foundations for public schools, district policies, state board rules, case law, etc. I reflected on my own thinking, as well as my own school (e.g. School Policy and Procedures; Personal Code of Ethics; etc.) and a number of case studies & case law (see: Zero-Tolerance Policies; SPED Students; Defamation; Right to Privacy; etc.)
- EDUC 6899 - Admin/Supervisory Capstone - Secondary Internship
- I spent my first internship (for a log of all of my hours during my internships, click here; for a summary of the assessments completed, click here) up at Lehi's ESY (Extended School Year) program, with a few other interns over the summer of 2019, being supervised principally by Phil Clark and Jason Flinders, although we worked with and spent time with all of the admins there at Lehi High. I was able to accomplish a number of my 11 capstones, which we complete through the program. These each evaluated my administrative abilities regarding the following:
- Analyzing School Assessment Data (final assessment presentation for the Alpine School board here)
- Teacher Evaluation 1; Teacher Evaluation 2
- Classified Employee
- School-Based Learning Team
- Classroom Observation
- Student Discipline
- School Hiring & Screening Process
- I spent my first internship (for a log of all of my hours during my internships, click here; for a summary of the assessments completed, click here) up at Lehi's ESY (Extended School Year) program, with a few other interns over the summer of 2019, being supervised principally by Phil Clark and Jason Flinders, although we worked with and spent time with all of the admins there at Lehi High. I was able to accomplish a number of my 11 capstones, which we complete through the program. These each evaluated my administrative abilities regarding the following:
- EDUC 6898 - Admin/Supervisory Capstone - Elementary Internship
- This was my second and final official internship experience. I worked with principal Dr. Benjamin Johnson and assistant principal Todd Hepworth at Treeside Charter School over the course of the fall semester. I completed my remaining capstone assessments, and also conducted a case study as part of my experience there. Here are the final capstone assessments of my administrative competencies I completed while there:
- Professional Development
- September PD - Using data: Case Study A; Case Study B; Slideshow & Discussion
- Flexible Field Trip - Wetlands Fieldwork: Lesson Plan Overview; Resource Website
- School Community Council
- IEP & 504 Planning
- After School Activities
- Professional Development
- This was my second and final official internship experience. I worked with principal Dr. Benjamin Johnson and assistant principal Todd Hepworth at Treeside Charter School over the course of the fall semester. I completed my remaining capstone assessments, and also conducted a case study as part of my experience there. Here are the final capstone assessments of my administrative competencies I completed while there:
Sources
Zhou, L. (2020). Bryce Canyon Twilight [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/school/southern-utah-university/?feedView=images
Zhou, L. (2020). Bryce Canyon Twilight [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/school/southern-utah-university/?feedView=images