Saturday, December 17, 2022

PQP Pt.1: Introduction Module to the Course

Welcome to Principal’s Qualification Program Part 1 at Lakehead University. Congratulations on beginning the next stage of your leadership journey. In Ontario, the Principal’s Qualification Program, as governed by the OCT Act and corresponding guideline, consists of two courses and a practicum. The courses and the practicum are designed to help you to explore your personal leadership qualities, to understand the landscape and requirements for principals in Ontario, and to challenge you. Each course, in conjunction with a component of the practicum, has a corresponding credential. The learning goals for the program can be found in Rubric 7.1, which will be discussed in module 1.

The information below will help inform your Practicum, which forms an integral piece of both PQP Part 1 and PQP Part 2. 

The requirements for PQP Part 1 include the completion of the Practicum Proposal form. This means that before we can recommend you to the College for your PQP Part 1 credential, you must submit your proposal and have it approved by your PQP Part 1 instructor. 

In order to be recommended to the College for your PQP Part 2, you must complete your practicum. This is accompanied by the practicum report, which must be submitted to our independent practicum coordinator for evaluation.

In most cases, the practicum is evaluated by the provider that approved it, which is typically the provider where you took PQP Part 1.

If you have any questions about the Practicum please do not hesitate to ask.  We will also be setting up a Google Meet to discuss the Practicum requirement.  

Lakehead Practicum Form:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eB_gncVoUMSq6MmoM6Ni-6u7CwiDS8qT/view?usp=sharing

Practicum Power Point:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q-XR6rfFMp32AC3VagLjaNtieVJ5ZyUe/view?usp=sharing

Total Course Hours: 125

Module 1: Introductions and the Role of the Principal (18 hours)

Frameworks for Case Studies: (1 hour)

Candidates must use one (or elements of both) of the following Case Study Analysis frameworks below when analyzing case studies in the Course:

Ontario College of Teachers Case Book Guide Pages 7 – 9

https://www.oct.ca/-/media/PDF/Exploring%20Leadership%20Practices%20through%20Case%20Inquiry/ExplLdrshpPrctcsCseInqry_en__web.pdf

Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education: Chapter 2 Analyzing Case Studies Using the Equity Literacy Framework

Discussion:

Review both the case study frameworks and reflect on their elements in the following Discussion Post.

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"Hailing from Ontario Canada, graduated from Lakehead University, I made my way into China where I have conducted most of my experience and teaching. Prior to China, I was a literacy coach in a couple different settings and completed my practicums in Thunder Bay. Professionally, I didn't think I would actually make it this far into my career where I find myself learning amongst such experienced individuals, let alone online. I love the classroom, I like being "boots on the ground", at the same time though as I have seen the way that administrative roles need to change to meet the needs of learners and school communities over the last decade (or so), it has become a point of accepting I can take on such responsibility and not only that I can take it on, but I can provide something that many can't, my own experiences and perspectives on the role within the community. This is a challenge (as it is for all), leadership role, full-time position, and a family-many hats. I am becoming an administrator with specializations in ESL and Literacy Advoacy. I really want to work alongside a team of people that want to make something outside of the expectations, but who are willing to see it through from the rough and rocky initial snapshot to the refined product that might not even be something we might be around to see personally. I'd like to inspire a staff to commit to a legacy, ultimately as teachers the one thing that separates one teacher from the next is their own spark in the classroom, and as a College of Teachers, we should not look so introvertly on "my practice" and "my name" but break that barrier and share out what we do/how we do it, so we can build on that.

One thing that urks a unique and creative teacher is indeed recognition, as a member of this group of people who have a common goal though, we want to ensure we keep in mind that if one falls, we all fall. Being overseas I see very close to firsthand how a reputation makes and breaks a school, in some cases it may not even be the school itself that is under fire, but the accreditation body.

Take something like "AdvancEd" (now Cognia) as an example, this is supposed to be an accreditation body that sets standards of educational practice and guides/informs next steps. Seeing first hand how much paper work is invovled without the body actually stepping onto the grounds (maybe it is a different process now that they rebranded), it certainly instills a sense of weariness and uncertainty as a parent, educator, employer when this is used to legitamize a school's credibility more than the practice of the teachers or school community itself. 

Basically, as an OCT I want to say I work to build/strengthen the reputation that our province brings (almost from a point of pride), and strives to improve-I know there are a lot more politics in that statement then I let on, but for the sake of simplicity, I hope to instil a sense of pride in a staff to foster a sense of ownership over one's position in a school. Not just an educator in that school or this school, but "an English/PE/etc Subject teacher/educator in my school"; not just having "a staff at the school that works well together", but having "colleageus who are supportive to me/or who appreciate what I bring to the school/or who inspire me to work towards..."

There are multiple ways of looking at the idea of an "I" vs "Us" in a school, and I hope to foster an "us" rather than an "I" mentality-a dual/open-minded mentality would be nice, but we only have one lifetime, here is to hoping!

Cheers!"

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