Running head: INSIGHT SCHOOL OF MINNESOTA PRACITCUM 1

Insight School of Minnesota Practicum: Administrative Role

Jessica L. Brandt

Minnesota State University Moorhead ED794

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Looking at the MN Core Leadership Competencies at the beginning of this program, I

was weary I would hit all of the competencies I needed to, especially through my practicum. I

chose to add a second practicum in addition to my University of Minnesota Twin Cities

practicum to ensure I really focused on all the competencies I needed to for this program. I had

the opportunity to be a leader on the administrative team at Insight School of Minnesota (ISMN)

and assist with the development of our School Improvement Plan for Minnesota Department of

Education (MDE). Reflecting back on my experience being a part of the administrative team at

ISMN, I am confident that I met all the required competencies needed for the completion of my

practicum class and my master’s degree. I have learned more than I even realized.

Being a part of the administrative team for the School Improvement Plan gave me insight

as to how a team is developed, what the team leaders’ responsibilities are, and what the expected

outcomes of these meeting are. I spent the beginning of the first few meetings observing the

leaders and seeing how they interacted before I contributed my opinions. Being a new leader to

this team, I wanted to make sure I was interacting and contributing appropriately. I was met with

listening ears and collaborative ideas. Not all I had to say was agreed upon, which was a good

thing for me to experience and learn about. I learned how to also be a better listener and how to

communicate my ideas for buy-in from others. I noticed myself really starting to actively listen

and consider everything each leader brought up. I left the meetings feeling that I was able to

share my ideas but also full of information from others’ suggestions.

The cliché “having a seat at the table” turned into a literal and physical phrase for me

during this practicum. I felt included in the school’s decision-making process and felt I had a lot

to say once I gained the confidence in my skills and knowledge. Being a part of these meetings

while learning about educational leadership in my classes had a positive impact on my

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interactions. I had research and examples I learned from my readings, assignments and

discussions that I was able to use to back up my ideas for school improvement. I was surprised at

how much I could relate to and understand their conversations, and I think they were impressed

by my contributions. I felt more knowledgeable and empowered as time went on. I was learning

what it takes to be an effective leader and how that impact educational change.

I enjoyed participating in the School Improvement Plan because I gained an

understanding about the hierarchy and organizational management structure. I never realized

how much goes into planning a simple program initiative for our school. I now understand why

some programs take such a long time to implement. We had to make sure we had the data

reflecting a change was needed first, then develop suggestions for change based on local, state

and federal policies, laws and expectations. Not only that, but we had to get buy-in from other

stakeholders such as our students, parents and staff. I learned this is not always easy, as changes

impact families in various ways. All plans the administrative team made had to be carefully

communicated to each stakeholder. Some initiatives require changes in the allocation of budget,

which need to be approved by several people. Never working with budgets before, it was a good

learning experience for me to learn when there isn’t extra money, the money we do have needs to

be shifted. Not all parties agree with where the money needs to move from, which was a conflict

management learning encounter.

Communication continues to be an area of needed improvement at ISMN. Through the

creation and planning phases of the School Improvement Plan, it became clear that some

stakeholders felt left out of the plans and decisions. This was a critical point in my learning

process, as teachers and staff were unaware of changes that they were expected to implement in

the near future or changes that would directly impact them. I took this into consideration and

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expressed my concerns with the team about a communication strategy that would ensure

stakeholders felt acknowledged and informed. This was something I made note of in the

presentation to MDE. This is also a component I plan to focus on in my future leadership roles,

because I saw how damaging it can be to exclude stakeholders from decisions and plans.

My practicum experience at ISMN on the administrative team has provided me with

purpose for my current role. It taught me to think about stakeholders, policies, laws, and other

opinions and suggestions. It opened my eyes to collective leadership and shifted my perspective

on what successful leadership is. I found out I feel most fulfilled from a leadership position when

I am working with others on an shared outcome, specifically when we are creating something for

the common good. I enjoy collaborating and using the strengths and skills of my fellow leaders

and colleagues to develop new initiatives. I strive to be a leader that makes an effort to learn

from others and ensure everyone feels they have a voice in my department.