Leader Interview Reflection Paper 1
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School
California Baptist University *
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Course
460
Subject
Health Science
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
5
Uploaded by AdmiralTree13105
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Leader Interview/Reflection Paper #1 B Kuhn
ECH 460
Cal Baptist University
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Interview:
What is your job title, and what are your primary responsibilities?
Preschool Director and Lead teacher – I have a lot of responsibilities, but some of the most important things I do daily are lesson planning and implementation. I meet our daily operation goals as well as keep up on and develop standards for the Pre-k and Kindergarten programs. Our reputation is very important to our team so it’s important to maintain and uphold our image and message. What type of program do you oversee?
The preschool and early kindergarten classrooms. It is my job to plan and apply the Montessori program for the preschool and transitioning children going from kindergarten to 1
st
grade. We have an early kindergarten program that I helped to establish; it has been running now for almost 3 years. We have two after school programs for the children that I help run as well. What education and experience do you have in the field?
How did you obtain this job?
I earned my Bachelors in Elementary teaching from Grand Canyon University. I have worked with
the school district for 6 year prior to obtaining my degree in their after-school program for 4
th
and 5
th
graders as well as one year shadowing before and during college. After I graduated, I worked for 4 years as a teacher. 2 years in pre-K and 2 years in and advanced kindergarten and first grade blended room. I obtained my previous job along with my current job by being involved with the district. I already had my foot in the door so to speak.
What do you enjoy most about your position? What are some of the challenges?
I love being able to provide children with opportunities that will develop their growth and future. Watching the children learn and explore is one of my favorite things in the whole world. For example, we started a science station in one of our transition classes and the children were using
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the magnet table. A couple of the children realized for the first time what a magnet was and how it worked. The excitement and curiosity as they walked about the room searching for items that were magnetic was incredible to watch. These are the moments you can see a light go on in their little heads and you just know they are going to remember this for a long time. How do you spend most of your time?
Planning, planning, and more planning. Then a lot of preparation. Overseeing the programs that I do, I am very busy. However, my position also has a lot of advantages that I enjoy. I get to visit the classroom and watch how much my extra work has really paid off. What qualities do you think are most important in a leader?
I try not to view myself as above anyone else. I have to know when to say yes and when to say no. Some of the most important things as a leader is going the extra mile, being supportive, listening to everyone that has something to say, and always be encouraging. Always be approachable so anyone feels they can come to you with any kind of problem they may have. What are your main priorities as a leader/supervisor?
Making sure that the staff and myself are up to speed. The children are always our top priority, but we must make sure that we are doing our jobs so that the children remain at the top of our list. We all must keep up on things like lesson plans, keeping the classrooms and programs up to code, and teaching the proper material. Things change a lot of the time, and the district will give us new expectations that we must make sure to smoothly integrate. What advice would you give to someone taking on the role of leader/supervisor in an early childhood setting?
It’s a big job, but it’s also very rewarding. It takes a special person to be able
to carry the weight and responsibly that we have on our plates. My best advice would be to
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volunteer in the areas that you don’t feel the most comfortable in. This will not only help but allow you understand various positions firsthand. Get to know your surroundings and peers. Be present in the moment and don’t forget to enjoy your time. 1:
How do contextual factors (like type of program, relationships, cultural issues) affect this leader's approach to supervision? The type of program, relationship, and cultural issues affects how a leader approaches their position. In my interview, Mr. Barei is the director of the school’s Preschool program as well as lead teacher. He expressed the importance of knowing and
understanding the other teachers. He visits their classrooms and tries to understand their position and helps them compose plans. We didn’t discuss cultural issues specifically, but with what Mr. Barei said in our interview, understanding these cultural issues is very important, not only with the staff, but the students and their families as well. Mr. Barei approaches his position humbly and tries to understand his staff personally so that they are comfortable and preform at their best. He emphasized being a good listener, encouraging, and supportive leader and that has provided him with professional relationships that are valuable and productive. 2: What stage of adult development (see page 70-73 in your text) is this leader in? How do you know? How do you think this impacts his/her approach to supervision? I would guess that Mr. Barei is in the 40s adulthood stage of the life cycle. He seems to be a responsible leader and takes his work seriously. He is actively building and overseeing programs at his school which leads me to think about Erikson’s view on this stage. “Continued productivity and caring.”
He also mentions his children so I can assume he is a father. In this stage, the staff development states that you know teachers and you individualize to meet their needs, and that is what Mr.
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Barei seems to do. He respects his staff, values their insight, assists and encourages other teacher’s growth and development. 3: What stage of supervisor development (see page 79 in your text) is this leader in?
How do you know? How do you think this impacts his/her approach to supervision? I would guess that Mr. Barei is in Phase 3, the maturing phase of supervisor development. He is confident in himself and his capabilities and seems compassionate and understanding of the people and staff around him. Most importantly, I fell, he is comfortable with being a leader and being in charge. He is authoritative while also being caring and understanding.