UGA Leadership Coursework
1st Semester:
EDUL 6013: Basic Theories of Educational Administration
School-based leadership is examined from an organizational behavior perspective. Major research finding, theories, and ideas relevant to understanding behavior in schools are the focus of this course. This course is the study of the theoretical writings on leadership and leadership development and current literature on leadership as it impacts education.
This course helps to understand both the verbal and non-verbal actions of an administrator and their effects. Therefore, Bringing Out the Best in Education by Blasé had the best advice in my opinion for administrators. These eight pieces of advice can show the positive behaviors that leaders need to know for successful leadership.
EDUL 6014: Shared Governance in Schools
This course informs school leaders of political and practical issues in shared decision-making in schools. Roles of school-based councils will be explored in light of recent educational policy.
This course introduces the importance of collaboration across the board. Democratic collaboration proves to be a successful model for school leaders to follow. This method of leadership can be observed in numerous successful schools.
EDUL 6015: Total Quality Management in Schools
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management theory designed to create consistency of purpose, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. Merging many of the traditional management theories, TQM is an effective and practical approach to school restructuring through the use of empowered teams, customer-oriented leadership, and data-driven decision-making.
This course provided a successful model for improvement. Additionally, I was able to view improvement from the system level as opposed to the site level. Implementing TQM can cause positive change for a system that is in need of revision. The PDCA cycle can be utilized from system level all the way down to the classroom level to implement positive change.
EDUL 6016: School Personnel Selection and Evaluation
The concepts of staff recruitment, selection, induction, and evaluation are presented and analyzed through readings, paper assignments and other student products.
The highlight for this course for me was the interviewing suggestions. The type of questions, placement of chairs, the legal issues involved in interviewing are all critical for administrators to understand for interviews.
EDUL 6017: School Staff Development
This course is designed to familiarize school leaders with the activities involved in designing a comprehensive staff development program in K-12 schools. The knowledge base, standards, and theory base of staff development are explored.
This course revealed the importance of implementing a solid plan for staff development in addition to the importance of continuing the learning throughout the year. This trend has really been on the forefront of education and this course helps to understand its implementation.
EDUL 6019: Techniques for Teacher Observation
This course is designed to acquaint students with the techniques (tools) of teacher observation in order to ensure more successful supervisory classroom visitations. The observation techniques and tools can be adapted to fit more collegial forms of supervision (i.g., peer coaching).
The highlight of this course was the peer-observation model that can be implemented in the classroom to better teaching. First year teachers all the way to 25+ year veterans can learn from each other. Changing the mindset from one of critical evaluation to collaborative improvement is the task set before teachers today.
EDUL 6032: Building School Culture
This course examines a range of theories, concepts, models, and research findings described in the literature related to understanding school culture. In addition, the course reviews constructive approaches to changing and building school culture characterized by inclusion, collaboration, and shared leadership for school improvement.
The highlight of this course for me was finding the difference between culture and climate. I discovered the details related to a positive culture and climate. I was also able to assess leaders that I know and see how if at all they could improve.
EDUL 6088 (EOCS 7450): Practicum in Educational Leadership
The practicum occurs simultaneously with program course offerings and provides an immediate opportunity to consider, evaluate, and implement theories of leadership and program operation in an ongoing, operational environment. Students apply concepts learned in educational leadership courses to school and central office leadership activities.
2nd Semester:
EDUL 6020: Principles of Curriculum Design
This course is an examination of the fundamental principles of curriculum development for k-12 school settings.
The highlight of this course was the analysis of my own planning. I discovered that there is always room for improvement and I realized how to better my own planning in addition to looking at other teachers planning from an administrator’s perspective.
EDUL 6021: Leadership for Standards-Based Education
This course is a study of leadership for standards-based education. It is designed for building administrators, department chairpersons, instructional lead teachers, staff development specialists, curriculum leaders, and central office supervisors and administrators.
This course allowed me to take a look at the current practices in my own school through the lens of standards-based education. Having a real world connection allowed the material in this class to become real to me. Additionally, I was able to see how to improve what is not working.
EDUL 6023: Action Research for School Change
This course is a study of the use of data in action research for school change with exercises of practical application. It is designed for building administrators, department chairpersons, instructional lead teachers, staff development specialists, curriculum leaders, and central office supervisors and administrators.
This course showed me the value of conducting action research in your school. This type of research is so valuable in today’s world of education due to the focus that NCLB placed on subgroups and assessments. To determine the effectiveness of school programs initiated because of NCLB, action research seems to be a successful research tool to determine the effectiveness of new or old programs.
EDUL 6024: Student Discipline in Schools
This course provides essential knowledge and skills regarding the development and implementation of building based/classroom discipline plans in schools.
The highlight of this course for me was the assessment of my own discipline techniques. I was able to review what worked and what I could do better. This course will make me more aware of discipline techniques that I could use to help teachers in my school.
EDUL 6026: Planning for School Improvement
Based on current models followed in the school improvement process, this course acquaints students with developing a plan for improvement that includes analysis of mission statements, gap analysis, and a specific improvement plan to be implemented in a school setting.
This course challenges one to look at the larger picture of school improvement. Understanding mission and vision statements and how to accomplish these in the light of change is crucial for administrators to understand.
EDUL 6018: Ethics for School Administrators
This course provides an introduction to the ethical obligations of educational administrators in the state of Georgia. The purpose is to familiarize students with their administrators in the state of Georgia. The purpose is to familiarize students with their ethical obligations as professional educators in the state of Georgia, and to provide a forum for discussion and critical analysis of practical ethical issues that are likely to arise during an educator’s tenure.
This course allowed me to understand in more detail ethic responsibilities of teachers. An administrator must understand what constitutes a violation so that proper procedures must be followed. This provided the detail that one might need to be aware of specific details regarding these responsibilities.
EDUL 6031: Organizational Change and Development
This course focuses on research-based knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to initiating, monitoring, and evaluating school-based group and organizational change consistent with school and district-level vision.
This course revealed the elements necessary for successful change in a school. As an administrator, it is their duty to manage the change process. This course showed how to manage that change in a successful and meaningful way.
EDUL 6800: Practicum in Educational Leadership
The practicum occurs simultaneously with program course offerings and provides an immediate opportunity to consider, evaluate, and implement theories of leadership and program operation in an ongoing, operational environment. Students apply concepts learned in educational leadership courses to school and central office leadership activities.
3rd Semester:
EDUL 6010: School Law for Administrators
Essential legal concepts found in the United States and Georgia constitution, statues, regulations, and judicial decisions, with emphasis on mastering essential legal knowledge and on applying the law in educational settings.
The highlight of this course was to review the court cases that set precedence in school law. In addition, understanding where to look for judicial advice is beneficial for an administrator when disciplining students. This course helped to understand the limitation placed on educators.
EDUL 6011: Special Education Law for Administrators
Essential special education law concepts found in the United States and Georgia constitutions, statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions, with emphasis on mastering essential legal knowledge and on applying the law in educational settings.
This course was very informative concerning special education law. With the mainstreaming of so many special ed. children as well as the increase in 504’s in the classroom, it is important for an administrator to be able to relate these special education responsibilities to his/her teachers so that the law is followed.
EDUL 6012: The Law and School Personnel
Significant federal and state laws that impact human resource functions of schools are presented and analyzed.
This course was very informative concerning legal aspects of hiring, firing, and maintaining good teachers. This course afforded me the opportunity to read the laws regarding employment in the field of education.
EDUL 6022: Budgeting and Managing School Accounts
This course provides instruction in the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and monitor a school-level budget which links school goals to resources.
The highlight of this course was to understand the world of finances as they apply to both the school system and the school itself. This study allowed me to understand the bigger picture in the financial world of a school.
EDUL 6025: Managing and Operating Educational Facilities
This course provides methods and procedures for dealing with problems of maintaining and operating the physical learning environments in schools.
This course provided a fascinating look into the maintaining of the educational facility. I was able to see a different side of financial and personnel planning.
EDUL 6027: Managing Student Activity Funds
This course provides instruction in the technical and legal aspects of managing student and other activity funds.
The highlight of this course was to see how the bookkeeper maintains funds for the various student activities. Understanding the auditing process and money collection responsibilities of teachers is very important for administrator to understand and enforce.
EDUL 6033: Schools as Sociopolitical Systems
This course examines schools within the larger context of American public education. Using a systems perspective, the course describes the societal forces that impact public schools.
The highlight of this course was investigation concerning the level of pressure that is caused by both parents and county staff. While it is the charge of an administrator to carry on daily business at his/her school all the while confronting the pressures from a variety of sources. It is important to understand how to handle these pressures in a positive and productive way. This course helped to accomplish that goal.
EDUL 6800: Practicum in Educational Leadership
The practicum occurs simultaneously with program course offerings and provides an immediate opportunity to consider, evaluate, and implement theories of leadership and program operation in an ongoing, operational environment. Students apply concepts learned in educational leadership courses to school and central office leadership activities.
Throughout the entire program, this course allowed me to experience the world of an administrator rather than reading or researching it. This experience is VERY beneficial for someone considering becoming an administrator. An understanding of the standards that govern administration is also a benefit of this course for a future administrator.
