Abstract
Schools would not be able to function effectively without administrators. They ensure that teachers instruct, that parents are happy with how their child is being taught, and that the child is being treated fairly. They also work with community members to ensure the children are safe and are being taught concepts that will be useful to them as they enter the job market. School administrators also get the blame if something is not done correctly; consequently, it is vital when making a change to the academic curriculum and wanting to incorporate a new service-delivery model like personalized learning that the school administrator works closely with all the stakeholders and gets everyone on board so changes can be made. This chapter describes how to accomplish this task effectively.
TopEstablishing Personalized Learning
According to Rickabaugh (2016), there are four elements that must be in place before school administrators can establish a successful personalized service delivery model in their school or school district. First, the school needs a system that establishes a way for all students to be academically successful. The plan must consider each individual learner independently because some will be able to master the academic standards with little assistance, while others will need a lot more support from many different avenues. PL requires a lot of work on the part of both the teachers and students. Instructors will be asked to put in more hours and complete more tasks because every student must have their own individualized learning plan. These plans must be reviewed periodically (e.g., at least every grading period), and since students work at their own pace on their own projects, the teacher must keep track of who is working on what and be able to show progress when asked for confirmation by the student, parents, and school administrators (Rickabaugh, 2016).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Data Sources: Teachers use these for monitoring a student’s progress. They can include but are not limited to rubric scores, test scores, written feedback from the teachers on an assignment, self-reporting scores by the student, scores accumulated by the computer program, and so forth.
Mentoring Teachers: Typically, veteran teachers who have mastered their craft. They are willing to assist new teachers with classroom management, developing lesson plans, speaking with parents about concerns, and more. These teachers are typically given some time off from their classroom duties in order to assist other teachers.
Personalized Service Delivery Model: An educational model whereby the student is in charge of their learning. Examples include learning only by working on the computer or spending part of the day on the computer and part of the day working one-on-one with the teacher or other peers. Students, with the aid of their teacher and school administrator, develop their own learning plan, which must follow the state’s academic standards.
School Administrator: Person who leads the school, such as the principal or superintendent.
Rubric: A tool to evaluate a PL service delivery model. It typically is based on a 5-point Likert scale, with 1 being the worst, 3 being average, and 5 being the best. Teachers also use them to evaluate project that students have developed. This tool can be adapted to meet any assessment needs.
Coaches: Veteran teachers or school administrators who go into the individual classrooms, observe the teacher interacting with the students, and then provide feedback to the educator. These individuals will also model good teaching habits for the teacher who is struggling in this area.
School Team Leader: A small group of teachers who assist the school administrator with operating the school. These individuals are typically teachers who have mastered their craft and are ready to take on some additional leadership activities.