Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Vantrel Perry
In our text, The Principal as a Professional Development Leader, one of the most relevant
topics discussed is the Principal as a change agent and the challenges of planning for and
adapting to the future (Lindstrom & Speck, 2004). This is important because as future school
leaders, we will have to develop and implement professional development opportunities that
address challenges as they arise in an effective and efficient manner. In the past year, there have
been many lessons learned about the importance of high-quality professional development and
building capacity for increased student achievement from both our text and from professional
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) wreaked havoc on all aspects of
life. The public education system was hurriedly pushed into unknown territory by feelings of
alienation and closure, leaving instructors scant time to respond. The difficulties and insights
learned while instructing even during COVID-19 outbreak led me to alter my teaching
approaches and curriculum, incorporating different online teaching modalities and encouraging
self-learning. It also provided essential insights into my methodology and the future teaching of
Science, with a focus on teachers and students being involved in classroom instruction style
Several aspects became obvious as a result of the move to the digital classroom: students
have been given equipment and internet connectivity, but most do not know how to operate it.
This was concerning since schools were meant to teach modern skills, yet many underperforming
schools have failed to do so, as indicated by their kids' lack of digital literacy.
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Many children who were in impoverished regions, such as the area where I was assigned,
have caregivers who were also essential workers, leaving students with little or no support at
home. These households did not have the benefit of having relatives who can pool their resources
to pay a former teacher to monitor learning pods while their parents continue to work.
After reflecting on figure 6.1 in our text, it became apparent that it is extremely important
that the principal is recognized as the professional development leader. This is especially
important during times of critical or impromptu changes like during the COVID-19 Pandemic. If
I were the principal of a school during an ordeal such as the COVID-19 Pandemic, I would
respond to each question under Designer, Implementer, Reflective Leader, and Builder in a
like during the COVID-19 Pandemic, I would first determine where we are as a school and
where we need to be in order to be successful during this ordeal. The most important goal to me
would be to ensure that students are able to still receive effective and engaging instruction during
the ordeal. I would utilize what data is available about distance learning and try to create an
effective virtual school model for my teachers and other professionals to follow. As a designer of
professional developments I would create distance learning, virtual engagement, and Google
Education Suite professional developments to help us reach our targets. These professional
developments would hopefully include technology \and virtual instruction experts in order to
changes like during the COVID-19 Pandemic, I would take action and ensure that all teachers
and students have access to technology and internet in order to be successful. This would be
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based on my available funding, district support, and other conditions. As a reflective leader, I
would reflect on progress and make changes as necessary(Lindstrom & Speck, 2004).
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References
Lindstrom, P., & Speck, M. (2004). The principal as professional development leader. Corwin Press.