Preface and Personal Reflection
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My name is Ginny Wilburn. I am working towards a doctorate degree in Education
Leadership from the College of William and Mary. I am currently a third grade teacher at
Abingdon Elementary School in Gloucester County, Virginia. I have taught as a special
education teacher and a regular education teacher for the past eleven years. I have been working
on my school administration endorsement since August, 2008. My administrative internship
experiences offered me the opportunity to work as an assistant to my principal, Cathy Balderson.
I also worked on two exciting projects throughout the summer at the school board office. The
first project was to revise the teacher evaluation policies and procedures. This project enabled me
to put in practice the educational theories and concepts I have learned throughout the Education
Policy, Planning, and Leadership program at William and Mary. I also helped create a
professional development module that demonstrates for teachers the purpose and process of
unpacking the standards.
This reflective essay is the preface to my portfolio. My portfolio contains specific
evidence I have gained during my leadership preparation program at William and Mary. Each
section is separated into categories aligned with the Virginia Department of Education evaluation
criteria and performance indicators for administrators. Each section includes work samples that
demonstrate my mastery of the indicators.
I began the educational leadership program at William and Mary with the goal of
acquiring the skills and knowledge to become an empathetic, effective school administrator. As I
conclude the requirements of the educational administration endorsement, I feel fully prepared to
begin my journey to become a successful educational leader. My coursework has made me
realize the complexities and challenges a school administrator faces on a daily basis. A school
leader must be able to ensure the safety of all students and staff. A school administrator must
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possess a myriad of skills and knowledge to effectively serve as an instructional leader. Effective
communication skills and a skilled public relations spokesperson are also extremely important to
the many roles and responsibilities of a school leader. An administrator is also tasked with
recruiting and retaining highly qualified and dedicated personnel to further the goals of the
school. A school administrator must also understand the school budget process and be a
technology expert. The roles and responsibilities of a school leader can be overwhelming. I have
learned, however, that people seek leadership positions because they want to make a positive
difference. I have enjoyed making a positive difference to the many students I have taught
throughout the years. My time at William and Mary has prepared me to positively impact an
entire school community.
My academic coursework has fully prepared me to serve as a school leader. The
educational leadership program at William and Mary is a rigorous, comprehensive program that
carefully follows the standards set forth by the Virginia Department of Education. I have
assumed leadership roles at my school that have come naturally to me because of the experiences
I have acquired at William and Mary. I have learned how important it is for a school leader to be
in the classroom every day. This is crucial to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the
instructional program and plan for improvement. It is very important to demonstrate a
commitment to serving as an instructional resource to teachers and staff. Being in the classrooms
each day also sends the message to students and staff that their success is of supreme importance.
Establishing trust and building relationships with the school community serves as another
life lesson I have learned from my educational experiences at William and Mary. Trust and
authenticity provide the framework for establishing relationships in the school. Teachers and
staff must be confident knowing that the school leader acts on moral purpose. I have learned how
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valuable communication, morals and ethics, vision, and influence are to the tasks and roles of a
school leader. A commitment to school excellence is communicated through modeling; a leader
must be able to skillfully create a culture of learning by facilitating reflection in others.
I have learned, through my graduate work and under the study of my professors,
how to be a reflective practitioner. The invaluable knowledge I have acquired throughout the
graduate program has opened my mind to the limitless possibilities of effective school
leadership. I will continue to reflect on my practice as I strive to become a successful school
leader. The challenging, often demanding assignments throughout the program were specifically
crafted to guide my reflection on my goals, values, and commitment to make a positive
difference in education.
Although certain aspects of my internship experiences proved to be challenging, I was
very eager to have the opportunity to transform theory and knowledge into action. It is very
exciting to be able to affect a classroom; it is exhilarating to be able to affect an entire school
community. One of my projects during my internship was to work with a small committee to
revise the teacher evaluation system for the district. The new system was centered on the
following goals: 1.To develop knowledge and skills that result in improved student outcomes; 2.
To establish individual goals for professional growth and/or improvement; 3. To recommend an
individual for continued employment, non-renewal or dismissal. I found the coursework,
assignments, and insights learned from Dr. DiPaola’s Supervision course to be invaluable
knowledge that guided my efforts. The collaborative process weaved supervision, individualized
professional development, and self-reflection together to create a system that helps teachers
improve their practice.
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I had the opportunity to create a professional development module for teachers to learn
how to unpack the Standards of Learning to effectively align the curriculum, instruction, and
assessment. I felt very confident in the knowledge that I acquired from coursework in Program
Evaluation and Assessment to develop a comprehensive program. My experiences through
coursework assignments and projects have peaked my interest and enthusiasm for curriculum
and effective instructional strategies. I am very proud of these projects that I helped create.
Through these projects and my experiences working with my administrator this summer, I am
very eager and excited to continue my journey as a reflective practitioner and school leader. My
internship experiences have reinforced my decision to become a school administrator.
My E-portfolio contains various artifacts that demonstrate my professional growth and
leadership skills that have evolved over the past two years in the William and Mary EPPL
program. The portfolio is divided into five categories: Planning and Assessment; Instructional
Leadership; Organizational Management; Public and Community Relations; and
Professionalism. The portfolio contains artifacts from each category that highlight my
experiences and abilities to be an effective leader across these domains.
My professional growth is documented through artifacts included in the E-Portfolio. My
abilities as an effective leader are highlighted in a 3 year School Improvement Plan I created
with colleagues. This project taught me how to think of the school as an interdependent system.
Through close collaboration, we developed a high quality plan that could be implemented in any
school. The School Improvement Plan was presented and defended to a superintendent. Another
project that demonstrates my strengths as a school leader is research I conducted on Teacher
Evaluation and Student Achievement Data. Teacher evaluation is an area that first sparked my
interest as I studied Human Resource Administration. I plan to further my investigation into
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linking student achievement data and teacher evaluation in an effort to help teachers improve
their practice while increasing student outcomes. A third artifact that I am very proud of is
Aligning Curriculum and Instructional Strategies. As a school leader, I plan to utilize the
knowledge and skills I have acquired about the importance of alignment between curriculum,
instruction, and assessment. My goal is to serve as an effective instructional leader to teachers.
The Clinical Supervision Cycle provided an invaluable learning experience for me. The process
emphasized reflection, communication, and increased teacher/student performance. As a school
leader, I am equally committed to teacher success as I am to student success.
My suggestion to future interns and administrators is to ground all decisions on your
values and ethical standards. These standards will guide the decision-making process. A school
leader must make decisions that may not be popular to all stakeholders in the organization. My
experiences have demonstrated that trusting my leadership abilities and approaching each
decision with a clear commitment to the school’s mission and goals will guide my efforts.
Building relationships and trust is also extremely important. This is what I intend to do. School
leaders must have an authentic, highly collaborative relationship with the school community.
Positive relationships are the vehicles in which to achieve goals. Although a leader must always
be true to oneself, it is equally important to realize the perceptions of all stakeholders. Life
experiences shape who we are and how we interpret information. Another important message to
aspiring administrators is to always celebrate the small wins along the way. Teachers work
extremely hard each day to motivate and empower students to take responsibility for their
learning. Their efforts need to be celebrated and praised with genuine sincerity to establish a
climate of professionalism.
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As I complete my Educational Administration Endorsement and continue to pursue my
doctoral degree, I am extremely excited to begin my career as a school administrator. My goals
are to utilize the leadership skills I have acquired at William and Mary and through on-the-job
experiences and establish a professional, collegial culture of learning, strive toward a collective
vision of academic excellence, and facilitate reflection in teachers so they also realize their
leadership talents. As I approach the next chapter of my career, I realize I have become a leader.