Please click on the link below (my picture) to visit my Leadership Platform which I developed through guidance from my professors: Dr. Ian Pumpian and Bill Robinson during my graduate class EDL 610 Educational Leadership in PreK-12 Educational Organizations in Spring of 2015.
Curriculum and Instruction I believe curriculum and instruction should be in alignment to what the institution seeks to achieve and carefully selected to meet students' academic needs. I believe this because I work at a language academy and even though we do follow common core and NGSS expectations, we also have other goals such as language target goals, technology ISTE standards and The Leader in Me curriculum that we integrate into our instruction in order to meet our mission statement that includes "creating global competent leaders" who are digital citizens who possess digital literacy skills. As a result, our school district allows our school flexibility in selecting curriculum we believe aligns with what we are trying to accomplish as a language immersion school and that best fits our particular academic needs, while the rest of the schools within our school district must follow the curriculum recommended by the district office. Many issues revolve around curriculum and instruction. For example, should it include character education? Which teaching strategies are more effective? Which modern technologies should we focus on? How should we develop life skills within our students? What will be relevant to our students' futures? How do we create a respectful environment that promotes learning? Which approach should we adopt for teaching 21st century skills? We must always remember that what works for other schools will not necessarily work for our school. We must take into consideration many factors such as demographics, SES, our population, school climate and culture, our academic goals, our mission statement, and our students' unique academic needs. I wish to expand on the topic of curriculum enhancement. I have been teaching since 2001 and I have yet to come across any curriculum that is ready to be used as is. No matter how scripted it is and how much it differentiates to scaffold and challenge all learners, it is best used as a guide and then we must still develop our own lesson plans that are truly tailored to address our students in our own classrooms. One reason we must enhance our curriculum is because our world is changing quicker than these companies can produce their curriculum. We enhance it by designing our own ways of developing the skill of "asking good questions" within our students. When we teach our students to "ask good questions" as they are learning the content required for their grade level, we are empowering them to take control of their learning by teaching them how to learn. "Asking good questions" is a transferable skill that can be applied to any subject matter and can be used by ALL learners regardless of what level or grade they are in. In addition to teaching students how to interact with the material they are learning, we must also teach them how to interact with each other for collaborative learning. The curriculum we have hardly ever includes any lessons that teaches students how to work respectfully with each other in an environment where all voices are heard and validated. We must enhance our lessons to include this, and other, valuable components that will increase our students' chance of success in a 21st century environment. Another way we enhance our lessons is by providing our students the opportunity to collaborate with others, as they continue to develop their understanding of a subject, not just with their peers inside their classrooms, but also via the internet with other learners who may be in a different district, state, or even country! This helps to truly create global leaders in our society! The goals of curriculum and instruction should be to engage students in a 21st century learning environment. Through experience I have discovered that in order for that to happen, we need to enhance the curriculum provided to us by using our own creativity in order to help students truly develop 21st century skills in the most authentic ways possible. Modern day technology lends itself to supporting the development of lesson plans that help us immerse our students in genuine experiences that will help them develop the skills they will need to be able to communicate their ideas world-wide and foster respect for all cultures, beliefs, religions, countries and perspectives. Involving students in effective curriculum and instruction is truly an art that takes passion! Parent and Community Involvement I believe that an effective learning environment validates the child by including the parents and community in as many school activities as possible and encouraging a solid and open communication between parents and teachers. I believe this because as a child I used to feel empowered when my mom used to volunteer at different school events throughout the school year. Even my aunt would make every effort to show up to my school-sponsored jog-a-thons, school plays, and other activities. My aunt would go out of her way to establish a positive relationship with my teachers all the way through high school to ensure my success. She was in constant communication with them. She wanted the best for me and somehow she knew it would help if she kept in touch with my teachers. Lots of issues/aspects of: including parents in our school activities and decision-making processes. For example: they can volunteer to do art lessons every other week, be classroom parent, support instruction by helping the teacher run off copies, prep materials, help during P.E. rotations, go on field trips, give presentations about their career. And they can share their hobbies and interests during special clubs that they can start on-campus if approved by the principal. I'd like to talk about the impact of parents sharing their hobbies and interests during special clubs that can be approved by principals. Explain your example: When I worked at Memorial Middle School, a parent and a few teachers, felt there was a need for an after school program that would help students, especially boys, use their time more productively rather than just going to the streets. What they proposed was a hobby that many of our male students, and even some female students, found very engaging and required lots of patience and attention to fine details. They proposed an after school club in which students would build plastic models of low-rider automobiles. They invited community members who were interested in sharing their passion for this hobby with our students. We had a very HIGH turn-out and I had never seen these boys work with so much patience, perseverance, dedication and happiness together, in a collaborative effort with other students, some of whom they would not have spoken to if it wasn't for this club that brought them together because of their shared interest. Through this club, these students had developed respect for each other, community members, who they had perceived as just "old people", and for themselves. They realized what they were capable of and they were grateful to the adults who had taken time from their busy schedules to dedicate time to them twice a week after school. These students now had something to look forward to and this club even helped increase attendance. The results were beautiful. I am thankful that the principal saw enough value in the proposal presented to her by a parent, who had the support of a few teachers, to approve it and allow it on campus. Discipline and School Climate/Culture I believe that students learn best when they feel welcomed, understood, and empowered. When school staff act like behavior coaches rather than rule enforcers we create a caring school culture that sends the message "We are here to guide you in your daily decision-making process. We understand you are still learning the expected behavioral norms and we will offer you gentle guidance along the way". I believe this because when I used to teach middle school I would offer my students gentle guidance with regard to behavioral expectations and I would never have any disruptions in my classroom. My students expressed their surprise to the way I would approach them and they would ask me in disbelief how come I am not writing them referrals. They would share with me that if they had done x, y and z in a different classroom, they would have already received a referral. Kids used to tell me that they felt respected and that they were surprised that I showed interest in things they liked. They responded well to my approach of helping them adjust and modify their behavior in a gentle manner rather than saying, "Alright! That's it! You're getting a referral!" Lots of issues/aspects of: increasing teacher understanding of choice words and the Do No Harm Philosophy: For example: teachers can learn about Stephen Covey's 7 Habits and use them school-wide to create a safe and effective school climate. Teachers can find out what students' interests are and integrate those interests into their lessons. Teachers can "catch" students being good and make positive phone calls/e-mails to parents describing in detail what their child did at school that was so wonderful. Staff members must model expected behavior for students at ALL times because students are always watching. Digital citizenship also contributes to school culture and climate. And teachers can learn more about restorative practices by being proactive and taking it upon themselves to learn more. I'd like to talk about: The impact positive phone calls/e-mails have on school culture/climate. Explain your example: I quickly figure out who is the leader of each group of students and I immediately look for a positive reason to initiate contact with their parents. Many times the parents are pleasantly surprised, and from that day on, that child puts forth their best effort to follow routines, procedures and be respectful to themselves and everyone around them. Since they have already established themselves as leaders, amongst their peers, during the past school years, their peers follow their lead and quickly realize that it is no longer "cool" to bully someone or be disruptive in the classroom. That approach has worked for me at every grade level that I have taught from kindergarten up to the 8th grade. As the teacher, you have already reached out to the parents to let them know you think highly of their child and the child has received recognition for their cooperative behavior. After that, they never want to let you down. Technology
I believe technology has its place in the classroom as an enhancement tool to support learning and learning should never revolve around what the digital tool can do. I believe this because technology allows teachers to design lessons with a different approach that allows students to create a different product that otherwise would have been unconceivable without technology around. In deciding how to incorporate technology into our lessons, we focus on our common core standard and learning objective and THEN decide how the digital tool will be used at the redefinition level. We don't first look at what is available for use on the iPad or laptop and then work around that because the purpose is to meet our learning objectives, not to get to know our iPad or laptop. We must always keep in mind that these tools come and go, so it is not about becoming familiar with the tool itself, but rather learning how to use what it offers at the time so that we can expand our learning. Lots of issues/aspects of: Technology revolutionizing the way we inform our instruction: For example: open badge infrastructure, data collected through different on-line programs, on-line collaborative learning, gamification, bandwidth, one-to-one programs, a tool for communication And on-line report cards. I'd like to talk about open badges infrastructure. Explain your example: Technology is certainly revolutionizing the way students learn, earn their credits, and keep their accomplishments organized. Now that we are all connected to the world wide web we can be transparent learners as we make our learning visible to everyone who is interested in viewing our compilation of achievements. Mozilla Firefox has now come up with a Mozilla Backpack that allows you to keep your collection of on-line AND off-line rewards, certificates, diplomas and accomplishments in general, represented by badges, all in one easily accessible place. Open badges is a new online standard to recognize and verify learning. If you are applying for a job, the person interviewing can have access to your badges and check for credibility from each institution that issued you each badge. They can also verify the criteria that was used in deciding if the student would earn each badge or not. This standard goes along with the idea of gamification, which keeps students interested in, sometimes maybe even addicted to, putting forth their best effort in pursuit of their next badge doing whatever it takes to acquire it, even if it means staying up until 1am in order to finish assignments on a timely manner while always making sure to turn in quality work. As a leader, I will have non-negotiables. These are expectations I will have of myself and my staff. My staff will be made aware of my non-negotiables from day one so that they know what I value and what I expect of myself and others. I will clearly identify three different non-negotiables in this blog. These expectations that I will list have emerged due to different experiences I have witnessed that I wish someone had addressed campus-wide and for reasons, beyond my knowledge, were not addressed. Confidentiality, respect for EVERYONE and support staff in public and advise in private.
When I first started teaching, I had this naive belief that any information you disclose to administration would be kept confidential and be used only to support your professional needs. I quickly found out that was not the case and I experienced a paradigm shift. I perceived it to be very unprofessional and immature of them to disclose information that was shared with them in confidentiality after they, themselves, had solicited the information. What is the purpose of being in such a position of power if you can't even be trusted? As a leader, I will NEVER betray that trust. When you're in such a position of power, you honor it and lead through example. Treat others the way you'd like to be treated. Non-negotiable #1: Honor Confidentiality. Throughout my career, I have witnessed some staff that only talk to each other on an as-needed basis. They will pass each other up in the hallways and not even make eye-contact. I have seen some staff who approach others, in good faith, to offer some advice and the other individual will just give them a glaring look and turn their back to them. I will NOT tolerate my staff treating each other in such a way. As teachers we expect our students to NOT treat each other like that, so why do some teachers think it's okay to treat each other in that manner? NO! I will have in-services if I have to, but MY staff will NOT walk through the hallways without at least acknowledging each other's presence through a warm smile. Non-negotiable #2: Respect for EVERYONE! My last negotiable comes as result of having had witnessed, many years ago in my career, shouting matches, accompanied with pointing fingers at people's faces, between administration and staff. Those situations created a very uncomfortable environment for everyone in the room and no one wants to take sides, but at the same time everyone still has to maintain a healthy relationship with both parties. As a leader, I will only show support through encouraging words and by showcasing different highlights I see taking place in different classrooms, however, in private, that's where I will touch base with my staff on areas of improvement. I will not disrespect my staff by pointing fingers and embarrassing them in front of their colleagues. Areas of growth will only be addressed in confidentiality and its up to them if they want to disclose to others what they are working on improving, as a way of developing their leadership skills. I expect them to also do the same with each other. If they believe that they have some advice for a colleague and they feel comfortable enough approaching them and sharing that advice, I encourage them to do so as long as it is done in a private and respectful setting. If they prefer that I be present, that's fine too. I just don't want anyone to ever feel attacked, bullied, or humiliated. My three non-negotiables that I will have in place as a leader have come about as a result of my career experiences. Different situations that I have witnessed have inspired me to decide that when I become a leader, this is what I will NEVER compromise. These non-negotiables are very close and dear to me and I will expect this type of behavior from myself, as well as from my staff. After carefully reading the different leadership styles that Reginald Leon Green describes in his book titled, "Practicing the Art of Leadership", I have decided that the Distributive Leadership style describes my leadership style the most. I believe in setting people up for success. When you allow people to capitalize on their strengths, they are more productive than when you just assign them tasks without any regard to their interests or strengths; then you set them up for failure and frustration. I don't believe in micro-managing, but rather in allowing each person to contribute their share based on the areas they are most passionate about. An organization is more effective when everyone's efforts are taken into account, encouraged and validated.
As a leader, when you share the decision-making process and other leadership responsibilities with the rest of the staff, you are sending the message that you value their input, you respect them as professionals, and they are an important part of that learning community because they have something valuable to contribute. "Members of the faculty must share the belief that, collectively, they have the capacity to produce the desired results" (Green, pg.65). As a leader, I must set my staff on a path from dependence, to independence and ultimately to interdependence so that, collectively, we can lead our school towards academic success while establishing a healthy environment in which all stakeholders feel welcomed. It does not suffice for all staff members to work together, they must also BELIEVE that TOGETHER we can accomplish a lot more than as individuals who just work alone behind closed doors inside their classrooms without collaborating with anyone. Green states, "[m]embers of the faculty must share the belief that, collectively, they have the capacity to produce the desired results" (pg. 65). What story will my faculty say about themselves? As a leader, my goal is to guide my faculty in such a way that they believe that they CAN make a difference and that every seed they plant makes a huge difference. Source: Green, R. (2013). Practicing the art of leadership: A problem-based approach to implementing the ISLLC standards (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson. I started teaching in 2001 when SDUSD had a shortage of bilingual teachers. I had an emergency credential and started off teaching kindergarten in Logan Heights at Logan Elementary. I taught kindergarten from 2001-2004. I worked for a very supportive principal who encouraged me to complete my teaching credential program so that he could hire me as more than just a long-term sub. I continued subbing at his school, Logan Elementary, from 2004-2006, while I pursued my BCLAD. During those years, I was very fortunate to gain experience with all grade levels from kindergarten through fifth grade. I got to know the curriculum, grade-level expectations and continued to impress my principal with my excellent behavior management skills regardless of what grade level I was placed in on any given day. He kept telling me he needed me to get my BCLAD teaching credential ASAP so that he could hire me at his school.
When I finally graduated with my BCLAD, in June of 2006, I received a phone call from the Director of Curriculum at Memorial Academy offering me a position at his junior high school. I politely declined letting him know that I already had a position promised at Logan Elementary. He would not take no for an answer. He said he knew of my practices and insisted that he needed me at his school. He called me two or three more times justifying his reasons why it was of high importance that I teach at his school. Once I listened to his reasons, I spoke to my principal about the situation. He said, he supported my decision, if I decide to go next door instead of staying at his school. Memorial Academy Charter School was the junior high that was adjacent to Logan Elementary and I decided to accept a teaching position at Memorial Academy. Although the charter school dissolved four years later, at the end of the 2008-2009 school year, those four years were very valuable four years of my life. I learned so much about so many things that I was not aware of before and that only by working there did I discover. I taught 6th grade math, 7th grade pre-algebra and two years of 8th grade algebra. At the end of the 2008-2009 school year, the charter school dissolved and SDUSD took over and placed a new principal in charge. I taught one more year under this wonderful and supportive principal. At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, the lay-off notices came and I got laid off, along with at least 7 other teachers at that site. The new school year started that September of 2010 and for the first time, since I had started teaching, I had no classroom to open up. That October of 2010, a friend of mine recommended me to my current principal and I worked at Riverview Elementary Language Academy as a substitute teacher that fall. In December of 2010 I interviewed for the Spanish immersion EAK position that would be opening up on January 3, 2011. I was hired to teach EAK that winter. At the end of the school year, I got hired to teach Spanish Immersion kindergarten for the 2011-2012 school year. Then I got hired to teach first grade Spanish Immersion for the 2012-2013 school year. During the 2013-2014 school year I taught 4th grade Spanish immersion and during this 2014-2015 school year I am also teaching 4th grade Spanish Immersion. This is the second year in a row that I serve as a cooperating teacher for a student-teacher from SDSU. My student-teacher from last year got hired at the same campus to teach 2nd grade. No matter where I have been, I have always found myself surrounded by very supportive people who encourage me to grow to my full potential in every way. The challenges that have presented themselves have helped shape my vision, personal mission and goals. I am grateful for all my experiences that have led me to where I am today. I look forward to continuing to develop as a professional through this new lens that I am now acquiring through my Educational Leadership with an Emphasis in Technology Master’s Degree Program. I believe all children should have a fair chance to a rigorous education, be respected regardless of background and not be underestimated.
I believe this because as a high school student I witnessed what I perceived to be an injustice in the education system. Friends of mine, who I knew had the ability to be academically challenged, supported, encouraged and guided were instead housed into classrooms that led to nowhere. Then I went off to college. After my first year of college, I came back to San Diego for the summer and it was my younger brother's first year of junior high. I was so excited to see what courses he had been enrolled in. When he came back home that day he was very frustrated with the class placements they had given him. As he shared his course schedule with me, my blood boiled and I insisted that my mom come with us the next day to the school office to get my brother into the right classes. Even though I was 19 years old, I knew that at that school my voice would not be heard unless I had a parent with me. So although my mom didn't understand what was happening, I promised her I would do all the talking, that I just needed her there because she was the mom and at that junior high they shoo away all the students who show up to the front counter without a parent. My mom did not fully understand the educational system in the U.S., but trusted that my brother and I knew what we were doing and supported our decision. The next morning, my mom accompanied my brother and me to the front office. There were many students trying to get their schedule changed. The front office clerk was very rude to all the students who showed up without a parent, just as I expected she would be, and made it very clear that they all needed to go to whatever classes they had been enrolled in and that without a parent, they would not be seen or heard. She wanted to shoo me away too, however, I pointed out to her that I had a parent with me. She got very upset and told us to write our name on a sign-in sheet and that my brother's academic counselor would see us as soon as she was done with the current student she was servicing. Even though it had been 6 years since I had set foot on that campus, I knew things had not changed and what I was experiencing at that moment confirmed my suspicions. When it was our turn, the counselor came out to greet us. She seemed very flustered and didn't make eye contact and just asked us to follow her to her cubicle. She asked what she could do for us and I told her that we were there to change my brother's schedule to college prep courses as opposed to the unnecessary remedial courses in which he had been enrolled. At first, she said she could not do that for us and to trust the system. That made my blood boil and I advised her that we are not an uninformed family. She said that my brother's placement of his current remedial courses had been based on assessments he had taken in elementary school and that those assessments indicated he needed those courses. I informed her that if I, the first born, had not ever been placed in such courses when I attended that school, and my sister had not ever been placed in such courses when SHE attended that school, then there was no way the third born child, who had been exposed to a whole lot more than I had been by the time I was his age, needed such courses. I told her that he will follow in my, as well as my sister's, footsteps and that I have already taken the liberty of creating his new course schedule. She took a good look at the piece of paper I handed to her and said that based on the test scores she was looking at on her computer, there was no way my brother would be able to handle those courses. I told her we were not going to leave until she made those schedule changes. She was very upset and said, "Fine, I will enroll him in those courses you are requesting him, but do NOT come to me at the end of the semester when he's getting all F's." I told her, "Oh, no, we will come to you at the end of the semester to show you that his report card reflects all A's". From that moment on, my brother was always enrolled in college-bound courses and ALWAYS earned a GPA of 3.75 or higher. He went on to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to major in Forestry, graduated in four years, and then he became a forester for the San Bernardino Forest Department. Recently he graduated from the Cal Fire Academy and now he's a battalion chief. He was recently featured in the Cal Poly Alumni magazine: "Henry Francisco Herrera (B.S., Forestry and Natural Resources, 2005) is a registered professional forester (RPF) with Cal Fire in the San Bernardino Unit. Before starting that job Herrera was a seasonal firefighter, forester, lands and special uses officer, and public information officer for nine years in the U.S. Forest Service. He gained experience working the San Bernardino, Cleveland, and Sierra National forest fires and several large fires throughout the state." My brother, obviously, has been and continues to be very successful. That academic counselor had no idea of my brother's potential and based his placement of courses on some simple data that meant nothing. Had I not gone to save him from a dismal future…I don't even want to think how differently his life would have turned out all because he had been placed in remedial courses when he should have been placed in college-bound courses. His junior high buddies, who we had known since kindergarten, asked him if I could please do the same for them and represent them and talk to their academic counselor as well so that they could be taken out of those extremely boring classes and be able to enjoy the fun classes in which my brother was enrolled. My heart hurt knowing how bad they wanted out. However, I was not their sister and I could not go represent every single one of them. The counselor already extremely disliked me because I forced her to change my brother's schedule to one that would lead him towards a more successful, happy and fulfilled future. I told my brother to tell his buddies to talk to their own families and see if they would go and help them out. My brother's buddies said their family members said they didn't have time for that and the ones who did have time, did not know enough English to be able to communicate their point across. As a result, no action was taken and they stayed in those boring courses, year after year after year. Soon enough, some of them lost interest in school in simply dropped out. ****************************************************************************************** The experience of my brother having had been incorrectly placed in courses that lead to nowhere, had not been the first time I witnessed academic injustice. However, it had been the first time that it had made my blood boil and I had to take action. I could not go back to my beautiful college life I was having at UC Davis that September knowing that my brother was not being academically challenged in his courses. I left satisfied to start the new quarter of my sophomore year after I had made sure he was enrolled in the correct courses. ****************************************************************************************** Here is an example of a different situation I witnessed while still in high school that also motivated me to become an educator and shaped my beliefs that every child deserves the right to a rigorous education, to be respected regardless of background and given the same opportunities as anyone else: The first time I became aware that all classes were not created equal was when I was a senior in high school. Obviously, I knew there were different levels of difficulty and that's why there were different classes, however, I assumed the rigor was still there even in the "easy" classes. It wasn't until my senior year of high school that I started really looking around me and questioning why some students were "making it" and others weren't. I remember going on a quick bathroom break on occasion and peeking into a classroom that one of my friends was in. Every time I would peek into her classroom, her teacher would be seating at her desk minding her own business and the students would just be sitting at their desk with worksheets. It seemed odd to me that that was going on because I would never see that happening in any of MY classes. In my classes my teachers were always actively engaged with us guiding us through different hands-on activities or stimulating our mind some other way. But they would never just give us worksheet after worksheet while they sat at their desk. I finally ended up asking my friend what exactly do they do in that class. She said they didn't do much. Then she told me that it's very relaxed and they just pretty much do whatever they want. This made me wonder how that type of class was going to prepare her for college. Of course, it didn't prepare her for college or anything else and that type of classroom environment negatively affected MANY people I personally knew. I perceived it as an injustice to their future. That, along with noticing that many of my peers were being misunderstood, labeled, stereotyped and not being given a fair chance made me want to become a teacher so that I could guide, encourage and challenge students who were perceived as "not worth it". I believe all children should have a fair chance to a rigorous education, be respected regardless of background and not be underestimated. All children should have access to the type of intellectual stimulation that will help them expand their opportunities in life so that they may experience success. All students should be immersed in a safe learning environment in which they feel free to take academic risks. All children deserve to feel respected and validated by their teacher. All children have a lot to contribute to enrich classroom discussions when given the chance. AND I believe assessments do NOT define ANY student. No child should be judged by their test scores or academic performance, but rather by their character, passion for life. Their own personal interests should be encouraged, supported and nurtured through guidance.
I definitely believe that education is a preparatory experience. Education prepares students to deal with life effectively. This is where they learn the social norms of the society in which they live, while developing many life skills so that they may have successful relationships and become contributing members of society. It prepares them for the job market while strengthening their social skills so that they can have choices in life that make them happy and emotionally healthy. |
Cristal HerreraMy belief statement includes my motivation for becoming an educator. Archives
March 2015
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