3.4.e Advanced Educational Leadership Internship Handbook INTERNSHIP IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION EDL 8400 ELEMENTARY INTERNSHIP EDL 8410 SECONDARY INTERNSHIP University of Nebraska at Omaha Procedures and Forms http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern Approved 5-1-2014
Table of Contents 1. Overview 2 Objectives 2 Prerequisites 2 Field Work 5 Policies 5 2. Modules 7 A. Personal Growth in Leadership 7 B. Leadership in Instruction and Teacher Effectiveness 8 C. Supporting Positive School Culture Through Engagement 9 D. Management for School Improvement 9 E. Elementary or Secondary Expertise 10 Elementary choose one i. Early Childhood ii. Literacy iii. Special Education iv. Intern-Developed Secondary choose one i. Alternative Schools ii. Activities and Athletics Supervision iii. Special Education iv. Intern-Developed 3. Internship Forms and Samples 12 Intern Agreement 12 Internship Overview 13 Samples 14-15 2
Module Reflections 16 Record of School Internship Activity (Signature/Description) 17 Evaluation Rubric 18 Worksheet (Optional) 19 4. Frequently Asked Questions 20 How should I select practicing administrative mentors (site superviors)? How and when should I communicate with university supervisors? What is the procedure for completing PK-6 and 7-12 Internship concurrently? What if I already have an administrative certificate and I am returning for second certificate? If I am completing Internship, do I need to do comps and a capstone? How do I organize Internship forms for evaluation? Can I submit an electronic record for Internship? 3
1. OVERVIEW Internship in educational leadership is most meaningful in assisting in the development of transformational educators who have the tools to make strong relationships, to spark innovative change, and to nurture lasting improvement in schools. Internship is designed to provide experience in elementary and/or secondary administration and supervision according to the interests and needs of the interns. The goal of this handbook is to provide a detailed view of the processes in Internship, but should not be considered as a comprehensive statement of the course. Please read this entire document carefully before starting Internship. Consult with university internship supervisors and review the online materials for additional guidance. Interns will work with practicing administrators and a university supervisor. Field experiences (90 hours or more in length per certification) will be planned, implemented, and correctly logged by the intern. OBJECTIVES These objectives are aligned with NCATE/ELCC/ISLLC standards for educational administration and are designed to prepare professional administrators to advance as dedicated practitioners, reflective scholars, and responsible citizens. 1 The intern will develop awareness and skills of the issues and opportunities for improvement within the school organization. (Standard 1, 2) 2 The intern will develop skills and abilities in identification of issues to be addressed within the PK-12 school and provide appropriate alternative action plans to be taken to address those issues. (Standard 1,2,6) 3 The intern will develop skills and abilities to develop plans of actions and select one alternative to implement and follow through in addressing an issue in the school organization. (Standard 1,2,6) 4 The intern will develop skills and abilities in the evaluation of the organizational goals of the school, e.g., achievement, communications, creativity, etc. (Standard 1,2,3,4,5,6) 5 The intern will develop skills in strategies for management of school climate and culture and in intervention at critical times. (Standard 3) 6 The intern will develop management and leadership skills within the context of a school system by carrying out four or more administrative experiences (modules). (Standard 1,2,3,4,5,6) 7 The intern will develop professional growth through continued in service training, observation, and study. (Standard 2) 8 The intern will develop an awareness of ethical considerations and legal aspects in school administration. (Standard 5) PREREQUISITES Interns must be completing a degree or endorsement in Educational Leadership. (Internship 8400/8410 is required for Building Leadership concentration.) Interns must have 24 credit hours toward certification completed or in progress. 4
FIELD WORK Internship will be developed to meet intern goals and site needs. At least one of the modules will include a semester long commitment, and others can be a combination of short-term projects. During the internship, the intern will be required to complete a minimum of four administrative modules--initial certification requires five modules. The intern will log activities with reflection for each module, the field or site supervisor will provide feedback, and university supervisor will periodically discuss the administrative experiences with the intern. Reflections will include a description of how the experience was carried out, what was gained from the activity, and pertinent artifacts. The log and reflections will be written in conformity with school leadership and university standards, and evaluated by rubric (see page 18). Internship modules: 1. Personal growth in leadership (university seminars, professional organization meetings or conferences, etc.) This module is only required for initial certification. 2. Leadership in instruction and teacher effectiveness (professional learning community leadership, instructor in professional development, teacher recruitment and support, curriculum writing, assessment and evaluation) 3. Supporting positive school culture through engagement (family outreach, conference planning, community agency partnerships, school communications) 4. Management for school improvement (scheduling, school improvement planning, student discipline, transportation, extra curricular activity implementation) 5. Elementary expertise (choice of early childhood, literacy, special education, or intern-developed module) OR Secondary expertise (choice of alternative schools, athletic and activities supervision, special education, or intern-developed module) Details on each module are found on pages 7-9. GUIDELINES AND POLICIES 1. Appropriate leadership activities may be part of assigned or volunteer duties as an educator, if the intern is taking a leadership role. 2. Interns are able to log hours once they are accepted in the EDL. Students accepted prior to 2014 may log hours beginning spring 2014. 3. It is encouraged that interns embed fieldwork throughout their programs and design meaningful activities. Module activities may be completed and signed before the actual class semester. Many activities may be most appropriate during semesters prior to enrolling in internship. NOTE: It is the intern s responsibility to have all forms, artifacts, and signatures available for internship evaluation. Hard 5
copies of materials may be delivered to the Educational Leadership office to have a copy filed (but not evaluated) if interns choose to have that back up storage. 4. Activities that receive a grade in an EDL class are already counting toward the overall field experience hours required for certification. Class assignments cannot also be logged in Internship, as this would result in fewer than the number of total hours of fieldwork in the program that is required for certification. For example, if you are to visit a school board meeting in Educational Policy class, that cannot be counted toward Internship, too. (If you attend another school board meeting beyond the course requirement, then that could be counted toward Internship.) 5. Planning, traveling, making phone calls, creating materials, cleaning up, etc. are all a part of leadership activities. As you log time, please include non face-to-face or implementation hours. For example, if you are in charge of a one hour after school in-service for teachers, your log could include: meeting with the principal, preparing a PowerPoint, set up of the site, making copies of handouts, delivery of in-service (one hour), and reviewing evaluation feedback with a mentor so the task is not one hour, but probably ten hours, and more if traveling is involved. 6. Internship forms that must be submitted include the Intern Agreement form, the Internship Overview form, the Module Reflections, Record of Internship Activities forms (with signatures), and any artifacts chosen to support your Internship. Forms are found on pages 12-17. The Intern Agreement form is signed at the beginning of Internship, and is kept on file in the Educational Leadership office as indication that Internship activities are being undertaken by the intern. The Internship Overview form is not completed until the end of the Internship as this outlines how the modules of Internship were completed. Module Reflections summarize the activities, explain how the work aligned with the standards, theories, and models of school leadership, and how the work of Internship prepared the intern to undertake the role of school leadership. One is completed for each finished module. Record of Internship Activity (Signature/Description) forms show the relationship of a practicing school leader in each activity. 7. Artifacts are not necessary or appropriate for all activities, but should be included when demonstrating the strengths and learning of the intern. 8. Interns create their own internship relationships and activities. If you are in need of appropriate internship experiences, call the EDL office at 402-554-2721. We are currently in contact with many school leaders, and can help you make connections. 9. All internship activities must be completed ten working days before the end of the semester for a grade to be awarded. Not meeting this deadline could delay graduation. 10. If interns are unable to complete the necessary fieldwork hours and requirements during the internship semester, they may request to receive a grade of IP In Progress for up to 2 semesters, including summer. If granted, it is the responsibility of the intern to complete and turn in all work within the time frame, or the IP may be changed to the letter grade reflecting the amount/quality of internship forms and materials submitted. 6
11. The university supervisor evaluates Internship by rubric on page 18. If seeking information on the amount or quality of Internship work needed, look first at the examples provided, then speak with the university supervisor early in the process. Ongoing communication with faculty will allow for improvement and suggestions long before the final evaluation. Site supervisors provide their email or phone number with their signatures so that the university supervisor can get details as needed into Internship work. 12. If you have a disability and use accommodations in the classroom, please make an appointment with the Disability Services Office, 402-554-2872, email unodisability@unomaha.edu, MBSC 111, as soon as reasonably practicable prior to the first day of your work in the field to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be made for your field experience. 2. MODULES The following modules should be completed as required for endorsement and certification. Each module includes at least 12 hours of fieldwork. One internship activity is to be a semester long commitment, so will probably need much more than 12 hours. If earning K-6 endorsement, the entire internship should be conducted in PK-6 settings to meet the objectives of PK-6 education. Secondary endorsement should be completed in 7-12 settings for secondary objectives. Utilizing central office administrators as mentors and completing activities in district level settings is acceptable if activities are focused on the corresponding elementary or secondary objectives. As noted in policies, work done in planning, organizing, debriefing, etc. is just as much a part of fieldwork as the actual implementation of an activity. Site supervisors are only responsible for oversight of the actual activity, and understand that additional hours in preparation are to be considered as meaningful fieldwork. For certification, a total of 90 or more hours are expected for EDL 8400 (PK-6) or EDL 8410 (7-12) Internship. Completing both 8400 and 8410 (PK-12) Internship in one semester (enrolling concurrently) requires 168 hours. Activities planned and completed may seem equally appropriate for more than one module. Choose the module that is the best fit, or the one that you need more hours in, and assign it to that module. If splitting an activity between two or more modules, split the activity into smaller parts and assign the accompanying time to each module. So, for example, if your activity is Back to School Night for a total of 12 hours, you might assign all 12 hours to Module 3 Supporting School Culture, but you could also make it fit into Module 2 instead (not 12 hours each no double dipping!). You also could assign the planning for Back to School to Module 2 (4 hours), communicating with and meeting families for Back to School to Module 3 (4 hours), and set up and buying supplies for Back to School to Module 4 (4 hours) to add up to the total 12 hours. You will make the designation of which module and how much time was involved on the Internship Overview form. 7
Confidentiality in reporting, including reflections, must be maintained in all modules. Names of students should be removed and information that is not public record should not be included without permission. I. PERSONAL GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP Interns are encouraged to attend a series of seminars during their internship class (EDL 8400/8410). Each seminar will explore an important leadership issue and offer interns the opportunity to discuss their internship experiences with peers and university supervisors. Attending six seminars and completing the Module Reflection for Personal Growth in Leadership will allow an intern to log 18 hours toward Internship. A minimum of 12 hours is required for those completing initial administrative endorsement. Interns who are returning to complete a second endorsement need only attend seminars that are of interest to their leadership growth, and do NOT need to complete a Module Reflection or log hours in Personal Growth (but can do so to reach 90 hours). Interns who are completing both K-6 and 7-12 Internship at the same time only need one module (12 hours) in Personal Growth for K-12 endorsement. Interns may also log hours in Personal Growth by attending professional meetings and conferences. These events must not be attended in the role of teacher (i.e., pre-school inservice days). Remember that the goal is growth in school leadership! Review the indicators of ISLLC Standard 1 to help determine if an event is a good fit for Personal Growth. A maximum of 20 hours in Personal Growth may be logged, as the great majority of the Internship should be taking active leadership roles in schools. II. LEADERSHIP IN INSTRUCTION AND TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS Many short and long term activities can help in understanding and practicing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of being an effective instructional leader who can support teaching and learning by adults and students in schools. While activities undertaken will be determined by site needs and intern strengths, a sample of possible activities includes: facilitate a professional learning community or teaching team to strengthen instruction interview a curriculum supervisor or instructional coach from two different schools or districts and compare/contrast their roles assess instructional proficiencies through informal classroom observation to determine areas for professional development participate in school district curriculum writing or materials adoption plan and present an in-service or workshop on the use of instructional tools, strategies, assessments, or current technologies When brainstorming ideas for activities in this module, reviewing ISLLC Standard 2 indicators could be helpful in evaluating your strengths and identifying areas you would like to gain more expertise in during Internship. 8
III. SUPPORTING POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT A positive school culture with internal and external communities working in harmony for the benefit of student success is not something that changes quickly or comes about through short term or one-time events. Enriching the school s diverse and unique culture is continually nurtured by effective school leaders, and so creating activities like an assembly or speaker to improve culture is not the objective of this module. The indicators for ISLLC Standards 4 and 6 may offer insights into activities appropriate for this module, and some suggestions include: establish a partnership with a community group, business, or agency shadow a new school leader and discuss ways the culture is being improved develop materials for families who are unable to participate in conventional activities to participate in school events improve the communication between school and community by establishing print or electronic modes to share information on an event or issue plan and present a family engagement forum on a current education program or issue fill a need not currently being met for students or staff in the school for services, resources, or assistance School culture is developed through the adults in the school, so engagement may be not only for families and the community, but also by raising awareness and support of faculty and staff. For example, one project involved planning a tour of the community by teachers the week before school for them to see first hand the neighborhoods and businesses surrounding their students. Another project involved pairing every faculty and staff member with a student in need of a buddy/mentor and ending the semester with a recognition lunch. Activities in this module improve the internal and external environments by creating a better place to work and learn. IV. MANAGEMENT FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT School management encompasses a wide variety of skills, concepts, policies, and practices to structure an educationally rich, productive, and safe school environment. This perception of management fosters stewardship of the school, but also of the school vision relaying, executing, and promoting it to all stakeholders. Some of the facets of management are: serving as an advocate for students, handling school finances and resources effectively, and practicing decision making to include equitable considerations, valid data gathering, and ethical analysis concerning staff. ISLLC Standard 3, as well as 1, 2, 5, and 6, contain indicators that may help in planning appropriate Internship activities. Suggestions for possible activities are: create posters that translate the school s mission and core values into student/staff friendly language to communicate school vision. work with the creator of the master schedule for a school or district to solve time and space conflicts. shadow a school or district specialist in student conduct and discuss specific utilization of the code of conduct to increase student success. 9
review student use of resources such as cafeteria, transportation, media center, or technology and propose changes of policy or practices to maximize educational time and reduce waste. write a grant for school or district needs and complete the steps in grant submission. participate in school improvement planning and lead an initiative for implementation of the plan V. EXPERTISE While all field work for EDL 8400 (K-6 endorsement) is done from elementary settings, and all work for EDL 8410 (7-12 endorsement) is in secondary, there are some areas of leadership that are most appropriate for either elementary or secondary school leadership. Choose one of the options within the Elementary Expertise or Secondary Expertise that will improve your ability to be a successful school leader. The following list consists of a brief focus for the choices for the Expertise module with a sample of an activity for each. Interns will refine these modules and create their own activities to showcase their strengths, but also to push themselves in adding expertise to new fields. Elementary Expertise Early Childhood. School leaders in elementary schools must be aware of the philosophy, needs, and programming for early childhood provided both within schools and in the surrounding community. A sample activity for this module would be to read current journals in the field and compile a list of questions to ask an early childhood specialist that would be asked during an early childhood site visit. Literacy. One role of elementary schools is to help children learn to read so that in upper grades they can read to learn. If you have little training or experience in literacy, completing this module would improve your ability to be an instructional leader. A sample activity for this module would be to volunteer for an after school tutoring site, then keep a list of strengths and weaknesses not only of the program, but of the specific strategies used for instruction, to share with school decision makers. Special Education. There are many programs, needs, and levels that could be explored for a module on Special Education. The difficulty in crafting this module is to always be sure you are working on leadership skills and knowledge. Often teacher roles become predominant, and while that may provide important growth, it may not be appropriate for an administration internship. So, for example, attending an IEP meeting as a teacher would not be able to be logged as Internship, but taking the lead in contacting families and professionals for IEP meetings, creating a checklist for special education teachers to use in preparing for IEP, or discussing the IEP process with district or state officials would be able to be logged as Internship. Intern-Developed Module (see next page for details) Secondary Expertise 10
Alternative Schools. Leadership in schools with special purposes, or for students with unique needs, can have challenges for administration roles. Planning for jobs with these circumstances can be enhanced by being able to show internship experience in those settings. A sample activity in alternative schools could be to create a flow chart of student progress through the program and making suggestions to align administrative time with student success. Activity/Athletic Supervision. One common change that new secondary leaders report when moving from teaching to administration is the amount of time and effort needed to plan, supervise, and even attend the many activities of the school. Some roles in leadership are primarily in this area, and yet all secondary school leaders take some part in these programs and activities for students. This module lends itself to a semester long commitment, but even planning and supervising a single event can become the focus of this module if in reflection, other activities are compared and discussed. Special Education. There are many programs, needs, and levels that could be explored for a module on Special Education. The difficulty in crafting this module is to always be sure you are working on leadership skills and knowledge. Often teacher roles become predominant, and while that may provide important growth, it may not be appropriate for an administration internship. So, for example, meeting with a family for a 504 Plan as a teacher would not be able to be logged as Internship, but taking the lead in contacting families and professionals for school-to-work planning, creating a checklist for special education teachers to use in co-teaching, or discussing the legal or ethical issues for special needs students with district or state officials would be able to be logged as Internship. Intern-Developed Module (either Elementary or Secondary) The option of creating an intern-developed module allows for individual needs and goals to be met in Internship that are not covered in other modules. When considering an interndeveloped module, first decide if the ideas cannot be logged into one of the required modules. Accepting a module that is intern-developed is done sparingly, as most leadership activities can be framed by the required modules. Intern-developed modules are for unique circumstances, and should be approved by email in their planning stage by university supervisor so that evidence of acceptance exists before hours are logged. Modules might be developed for areas of interest such as private school leadership, leading in a second language, leading a specialized program such as International Baccalaureate, middle school leadership, etc. If completing K-6 and 7-12 Internship, the two Expertise modules must be completely separate from one another, and not be a K-12 view of the same module. 11
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Intern Agreement Form This form should be on file in the Office of Educational Leadership, Roskens Hall 312, University of Nebraska Omaha, before beginning to log internship hours or activities. This includes activities done at the school or site in which the intern is currently employed. Date I recognize that during internship I am subject to the rules, regulations, and policies of the school district or site and of the University of Nebraska Omaha. Failure to abide by policies may result in termination of internship. I understand that during internship I serve at the pleasure of the site supervisor, and that behavior deemed inappropriate may lead to reassignment, termination, or failing grade in internship. I will honor confidential information and records that may be part of the internship experience, model ethical leadership, and communicate issues or concerns with correct individuals or groups. I know that sometimes plans, schedules, and goals of organizations change--which may adversely impact my ability to complete internship activities. It is my responsibility to contact my university supervisor in a timely manner to support changes that may be needed to complete internship. I have thought of a way to secure signatures, logs, artifacts, etc. that I need to demonstrate successful completion of internship. If I misplace these important documents, I may need to complete extra activities to provide the required evidence. Finally, I have read and understand the ISLLC Standards for Educational Leadership, and will strive to meet these standards during internship. (http://www.ccsso.org/documents/2008/educational_leadership_policy_standards_2008.pdf) Intern Name: Intern Signature: Contact phone number/email: NUid number: Please check all that apply: I plan on K-6 certification I plan on 7-12 certification Internship is a required course for my Building Leader Concentration Internship is an elective I currently have an administrative certificate This form may be downloaded from the Internship site at: http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern 13
Internship Overview Name check one: NUid Number EDL 8400 Elementary (PK-6) Internship Semester EDL 8410 Secondary (7-12) DATES BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INTERNSHIP ACTIVITY (SHORT TITLE) HOURS LOGGED PERSONAL GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP (INITIAL ENDORSEMENT ONLY) LEADERSHIP IN INSTRUCTION AND TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS SUPPORTING POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT MANAGING FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT EXPERTISE: TOTAL LOGGED HOURS This form may be downloaded from the Internship site at: http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern 14
Internship Overview SAMPLE Name Ima Educator check one: NUid Number 12345678 X EDL 8400 Elementary (PK-6) Internship Semester fall 2014 EDL 8410 Secondary (7-12) DATES BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INTERNSHIP ACTIVITY (SHORT TITLE) HOURS LOGGED PERSONAL GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP (INITIAL ENDORSEMENT ONLY) 9/18/14 Internship Seminar--Ethics 10/10/14 Internship Seminar Crisis Plans 11/28/14 Internship Seminar--Communications 12/2/14 Workshop, Understanding by Design, Lincoln, NE 3 3 3 6 8/31/14- present LEADERSHIP IN INSTRUCTION AND TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS Team Leader, Grade Level Meetings for Data Analysis and Planning to be completed by GAs 14 SUPPORTING POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT MANAGING FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT EXPERTISE: TOTAL LOGGED HOURS 98 15
Internship Overview SAMPLE Name Ura Leader check one: NUid Number 87654321 EDL 8400 Elementary (PK-6) Internship Semester fall 2014 x EDL 8410 Secondary (7-12) X DATES BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INTERNSHIP ACTIVITY (SHORT TITLE) HOURS LOGGED PERSONAL GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP (INITIAL ENDORSEMENT ONLY) 9/18/14 Internship Seminar--Ethics 10/10/14 Internship Seminar Crisis Plans 11/28/14 Internship Seminar--Communications 12/2/14 Workshop, Understanding by Design, Lincoln, NE 3 3 3 6 LEADERSHIP IN INSTRUCTION AND TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS to be completed by GAs SUPPORTING POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT MANAGING FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT EXPERTISE: TOTAL LOGGED HOURS 98 16
Name: Module Reflection Module: There are three parts to a successful module reflection: (1) an explanation of your activity and your leadership roles and responsibilities, (2) an insightful, detailed summary of how these activities contributed to your understanding and abilities to be an effective school leader, and (3) connections to resources and examples that you have read or learned that support your points. See Evaluation Rubric for expectations. This form may be downloaded from the Internship site at: http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern 17
University of Nebraska Omaha Department of Educational Leadership Record of School Internship Activity Intern Name: Brief Description of Internship Activity(ies): Number of hours logged in preparing and completing activity(ies): Work done in planning, organizing, debriefing, etc. is just as much a part of fieldwork as the actual implementation of an activity. Site supervisors are only responsible for oversight of the actual activity, and understand that additional hours in preparation are to be considered meaningful fieldwork. Signature of Site Supervisor: Date: Phone number and email contact: Thank you for your support of a future school leader! Site supervisors may be asked by interns to collaborate and oversee activities as brief as one hour to as extensive as one semester. If you have questions, you may ask your intern to see their Internship Policy guide, go to http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern, or call 402-554-2721 to speak to a university internship supervisor. Supervisors will contact some, but not all, site supervisors for added feedback. If you would like to add comments below, they will be part of the intern s record of Internship. This form may be downloaded from the Internship site at: http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern 18
EDL INTERNSHIP EVALUATION RUBRIC Intern Name: 8400 Elementary 8410 Secondary Criteria Complete Internship Overview Quality of Module Reflections Supporting Evidence of Leadership Knowledge Quality of Leadership Activities Demonstration of Professionalism and Ethics Minimal or Not Accepted Required number of hours assigned to appropriate module not in evidence. Utilizes same hours for more than one module. Unsupported with site signatures. Reflections resemble lists or reports with little or no thought articulated about the connections to future leadership, personal growth, or specific insights. Needs revision/editing. Little or no connections made to learning or sources in school leadership. Artifacts are unorganized or in a scrapbook format without explanation. Reflects participation rather than leading or teacher rather than administrator roles. Activities redundant or not demonstrating effort in leading. Indicates lack of respect of others, not following policies, or breaking confidentiality or trust. Difficulty fulfilling deadlines or responsibilities in internship activities or reports. Acceptable Performance Log with signature forms showing evidence of required internship hours. (Usually 90 hours) Reflections summarize activities accomplished, and reflect on some insights into personal leadership growth. Errors are minor and do not interfere with comprehension. Connections to outside sources are evident. Artifacts are used when appropriate to support the description of activities. All modules are completed with projects that fulfill the policy and time requirements. Completes at least one semester long project. Direct explanation of leadership roles is highlighted. Demonstrates respect of others, follows policies, maintains confidentiality and acts in a trustworthy manner. Meets deadlines and completes responsibilities without reminders. Superior Performance Overview outlines variety of experiences and meaningful work toward school leadership with potential for positive impact for intern and schools. Reflections summarize activities to create an overall picture of the module represented and articulate thoughtful reflection of leadership. Professional writing conventions and tone are evident. Connections to outside sources underscore leadership knowledge. Artifacts enhance the understanding of the internship and provide a portfolio for future use by the intern. Leadership is practiced in a variety of settings for specific purposes in school and personal improvement. Activities are individualized to the school needs and allow for using strengths and exploring new roles. Encourages respect and equity as a leader in schools. Shows professional and personal responsibility and reliability as a strength. Exemplary Performance Overview shows extreme effort and creative strategies in leadership growth opportunities. Reflections are high quality and show direct correlation to the module/isllc Standards. They detail new learning and future educational leadership. Fluent writing increases reader understanding. Unique and detailed review of the internship is highlighted by the connections between theory and practice and shown through precise examples. Activities demonstrate exceptional readiness to undertake the complexity of leadership in schools, and have an impact or measurable outcomes for the group led. Models expert emotional intelligence. Encourages positive outcomes and anticipates the needs of individuals and groups. Overall Evaluation of Forms and Artifacts: 19
Signature of university supervisor date This form may be downloaded from the Internship site at: http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern WORKSHEET (OPTIONAL, BUT RECOMMENDED) As you progress through Internship, if you do not keep some type of field notes, diary, or record, it is likely that you will forget the details, issues, and insights that make your learning in building leadership unique and meaningful. This form is NOT to be turned in, and you may make your own notebook or template to record not only your efforts, but insights into what worked, what was difficult, how things could have been improved, how you were able to change and adapt, what skills you leaned upon, what surprised you, etc. These thoughts will help you articulate the meaningful leadership involved rather than just reviewing how you spent required hours. Keeping field notes will be most helpful when you get to the stage of writing Internship Module Reflections and completing materials for evaluation. More importantly, this will help you look back and chart your own growth and improvement over time. DATE/TIME ACTIVITY NOTES/IMPORTANT DETAILS 20
This form may be downloaded from the Internship site at: http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How should I select practicing administrative mentors (site supervisor)? While many interns choose the nearest administrator for convenience, it is not necessary to choose to complete all activities with one mentor. Learning from different settings, styles, and jobs can be beneficial as you prepare to make yourself ready to seek new roles as building leader. Your mentor or mentors should have administrative certification and not be in their initial year of school or district leadership. Experience allows a mentor to have the time and perspective to work with interns, and adds to your stature as protégé of strong and successful building leadership. How and when should I communicate with university supervisors? Your initial communication is done by filing of the Intern Agreement Form with the Educational Leadership Department, Roskens 312. Starting activities without first completing this form risks that those hours may not be counted toward the number needed. After reading this entire guide, and seeking out the online source at http://sites.google.com/site/unoedlintern, you should have additional questions answered by calling 402-554-2721 and asking for a university internship supervisor. Do not assume answers and then be disappointed later! If you would like to discuss your plans for Internship, pencil in your ideas on an Internship Overview form, so you and the supervisor can see a complete picture of your plans when you schedule a time to meet. Formal meetings in Internship occur the semester you take EDL 8400 and/or 8410 for credit. Scheduled seminars are available for you to discuss your progress, share with peers, and prepare your materials for evaluation. If you are struggling with meeting deadlines or completing tasks, do not wait to talk to a supervisor. They may have resources to aid you, and can help you problem solve alternatives. What is the procedure for completing PK-6 and 7-12 Internship concurrently? The registration online may only allow you to sign up for one Internship on MavLink. Call 402-554-2721 if this happens and a Permit to Enroll can be created for you. Taking both Internships concurrently has the benefit of only requiring one module in Personal Growth in Leadership, and reduces the total number of hours required for the two classes from 180 (90 + 90) to 168. 21
Undertaking K-12 certification doubles the workload and paperwork for the 6 credit hours. It is important to plan in advance, and usually complete a large portion of the activities prior to the 8400/8410 semester in order to complete the requirements with quality and without stress! What if I already have an administrative certificate and I am returning for second certificate? Starting in the fall of 2014, all Internship candidates follow the same procedures for these courses (8400/8410), even if they completed a practicum at another certification level. If completing a second endorsement, 45 graduate credit hours must be completed (along with a masters degree). For Internship, the seminars are not required, but may be attended if desired to help complete the 90 hours of fieldwork for the second endorsement. Second endorsement does not complete comps or Capstone, and will probably not need to take the state test (Praxis) for endorsement (check this all the details have not been worked out). If I am completing Internship, do I need to do comps and a capstone? Because they happen at the end of the program, Internship, comps, and capstone are often confused, but they have different purposes and requirements. The brief explanation of the differences is: Internship is a course that is required for those earning a Building Administrator Concentration in a master s degree or endorsement. The requirements are graded for the course. After completing the program and the state requirements (including Praxis testing), a Principal s Certificate is applied for by the intern. Those who are completing a master s degree from the university take comps. A comprehensive exam is a requirement of the degree and so does not involve certification. Those completing an endorsement program do not take comps. Every program in educational leadership masters and endorsement, Building Administrator and Teacher Leader concentration, completes capstone. This requirement demonstrates fulfillment of the adopted ISLLC Standards and acceptance of Capstone is needed for earning degrees and for initial certification. The good news for those taking Internship is that much of the Internship is centered on ISLLC Standards and you can cut and paste appropriate sections of Internship into the Capstone documents. You can not merely submit Internship for Capstone, but it should shorten your work on Capstone substantially. How do I organize Internship forms for evaluation? You will present a three ring binder with your Internship Overview and all Record of School Leadership Internship Activity (signature) forms in the first section. Use dividers to mark each module in the order of the Overview, with the Module Reflection on top and any artifacts behind the reflection. Worksheets or field notes are not included. The university supervisor will provide the copy of the rubric for evaluation. If the Internship 22
binder is not accepted, feedback will be given along with the chance for the intern to resubmit. (Those who submit an accepted binder will not resubmit for a higher grade.) As there is only one resubmission, please be sure there is a clear understanding of what is expected before revising. Can I submit an electronic record for Internship? It is a good idea to store your documents electronically in more than one place and even to scan documents for your future use. When submitting your Internship for evaluation, however, a hard copy in a three ring binder is required. If your artifacts are web sites or other electronic formats, make a screen shot and include it in your binder. 23