1 Professional Development Plan University of Phoenix 2 My goals for the next five years are to finish with my associate s degree in teaching and get a degree in psychology then start my bachelor s degree in teaching My personal goals are to keep a high grade average so as to get as many scholarships as I can to help pay for my schooling My career goal for now is to keep moving up in the company I work for so as to make enough money to put back to help pay for my schooling and for retirement The steps needed to complete these goals are to continue as I have with my classes and work The only obstacle I may encounter is unforeseen ones like an illness or tragedy in my family I am a positive thinker and do not foresee anything I cannot overcome I take one class at a time and focus on that I grow and learn something new every day as long as I keep this attitude I can succeed at anything The one principle I believe I need to improve upon is number ten Interpersonal relationships the teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues parents and agencies in the larger community to support students learning and well being More than ever in today s climate of heightened expectations principals are in the hot seat to improve teaching and learning They need to be educational visionaries instructional and curriculum leaders assessment experts disciplinarians community builders public relations experts budget analysts facility managers special programs administrators and expert overseers of legal contractual and policy mandates and initiatives They are expected to broker the often conflicting interests of parents teachers students district office officials unions and state and federal agencies and they need to be sensitive to the widening range of student needs Research based Program content should incorporate knowledge of instruction organizational development and change management as well as leadership skills Standards for leadership programs as well as research on leadership behaviors that influence school 3 improvement support the need to change and or re prioritize the content of many preparation and development programs Jackson and Kelley 2002 Knapp Copland and Talbert 2003 Such changes include developing knowledge that will allow school leaders to better promote successful teaching and learning They also include the development of collaborative decision making strategies distributed leadership practices a culture of collegiality and community processes for organizational change and renewal and the development of management competence in the analysis and use of data and instructional technologies to guide school improvement activities Waters et al 2003 Knapp et al 2003 The literature also points to an expanded interest in ethical leadership practices and for a deeper understanding of the social and cultural influences that shape schooling Murphy forthcoming Concern with values and social contexts provokes greater attention to issues of diversity race and gender and equity Finally the literature reveals that programs are seeking to inculcate in participants habits of reflection and critical analysis that will allow them to learn from practice Field based internships There is a sizeable body of research that suggests most adults learn best when exposed to situations requiring the application of acquired skills knowledge and problem solving strategies within authentic settings and when guided by critical self reflection Cross disciplinary studies on experiential learning show that exposure to concrete elements of real world practice can increase a leader s ability to contemplate analyze and systematically plan strategies for action Kolb and Boyatzis 1999 Professional internships in the fields of medicine engineering and more recently educational administration are consistent with this premise Baugh 2003 Today more than 90 of all administrator credential programs require an internship experience of some kind Murphy 1992 Ideally strong internships provide 4 candidates with an intense extended opportunity to grapple with the day to day demands of school administrators under the watchful eye of an expert mentor with reflection tied to theoretical insights through related coursework Daresh 2001 Problem based learning Most educators agree that effective preservice programs feature instructional activities and assessments that focus on problems of practice and stimulate effective problem solving and reflection PBL activities simulate complex real world problems and dilemmas promote the blending of theoretical and practical knowledge improve problem solving capacity and help enhance candidates self concepts as future school leaders By participating in challenging and relevant simulations students develop new attitudes and skills experiment with various leadership roles and ideally practice the discipline of self reflection PBL methods also provide opportunities for candidates to test newly acquired leadership skills and receive feedback through authentic demonstrations and assessments Cohort groups The grouping of administrative candidates as well as experienced school leaders into cohorts has become increasingly popular Proponents of cohort grouping strategies maintain that adult learning is best accomplished when it is part of a socially cohesive activity structure that emphasizes shared authority for learning opportunities for collaboration and teamwork in practice oriented situations Barnett Basom Yerkes and Norris 2000 The positive effects of cohort structured learning experiences include enhanced feelings of group affiliation and acceptance social and emotional support motivation persistence group learning and mutual assistance Cohorts can help learners build group and individual knowledge think creatively and restructure problems from multiple perspectives Cohorts model the type of team building that is increasingly encouraged among school faculty Browne Ferrigno and Muth 2001 There is also evidence that cohorts can foster improved academic learning and program 5 completion rates among administrative credential candidates Because teachers give higher ratings to the leadership practices of principals who participated in cohort training structures it may be that cohorts not only benefit aspiring and practicing principals but the faculty in the schools they ultimately lead Leithwood et al 1996 Mentors The use of mentors in educational administration training programs has become