<div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dakota, <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">I am pleased that you not only feel comfortable with the organizational structure of your new school, but also can appreciate it due to the experience you gained during your time as a student teacher. I would also agree with your assessment that the preferred method of school structure seems to be ‘professional.’ As I stated in my original answer, I too feel that my school is leaning strongly to this type of structure. <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">What I have noticed about myself, and what I need to make sure not to do, is to get too lax on my duties in this type of structure. I sometimes find myself not finishing particular requests on time and sometimes not until I am asked a second time to get them completed. I will admit that I behave this way because I feel like I can get away with it and I justify it by telling myself that it isn’t going to benefit my students in any way and it is a waste of time. Although this may be true (most of the time), I would say that it isn’t the best choice of action (kinda like bringing baby Yorkies to class ;-) lol!) Just kidding...love you buddy...sorry for the digression Dr. Larson. <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">But really, as principals, we will need our subordinates to complete certain tasks for us in a timely manner. And it will take a blended balance of a professional and authoritarian structures to deal with some subordinates like myself. Also, from a subordinate point of view, I might be contributing to the loss of a professionally leaning structure in my building and that would not favor my personal interests. <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Thank you for sharing and giving me something to reflect on!<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tony <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">P.S. Those puppies are well trained...and darn cute! <div>Dakota's Original Answer<div> <div><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Through reevaluating my experience in my student teaching semester and my conversations about expectations with my new principal, I have come to the conclusion that I have not experienced a Weberian, authoritarian, or chaotic educational structure. I am thankful that I am not going to work under these circumstances because I firmly believe that creativity and the human side of teaching/educating is negatively affected by running a school like a factory or through showing power and aggressiveness on subordinates through cruelty and forcing conformity. <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">During my professional development hours, conversations, and discussions with two different schools/principals, I found that Green High School is certainly a professional structure. This school has recently adopted programs like ICU (behavior/academic focus). The ICU program is a program that keeps track of each student’s missing assignments. These missing assignments must be completed or they remain on “the list”. The students are consistently told that they are on the list and that they must get off before they can return to regular lunch room and not lunch help. I found this intervention to be extremely effective and proved itself as a professional structure because the schools focus is based on change and improving educational/behavioral aspects. This was just one example of how this school aims to change and show progression in their commitment to incorporating new structures within the school. <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> <span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Throughout my several conversations with my new principal, I have found that he insists on his teachers being themselves, being coachable, and working in teams. There are 2 sets of teams within each grade level (6-8). Ashland Middle School is a larger school and the 6 grade alone has 300 students enrolled. The team concept within each grade level is awesome and each group of 4 content teachers is on a specific team (math, science, english, social studies). If there is a problem student or issue within the team then we are all expected to come together and discuss it. If there is an angry parent or a problem that needs to be talked about then all the team members within my group will come together to have the conference with the parent. This is just one example of how the school function is progressing and improving teacher protection. I get the impression that my new boss wants me to be creative within the classroom and be collaborative and resourceful among my team members. </div>-- <div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">Happiness is a proper balance of preparation and recreation.</div> </div></div></div>

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