Patricia Rayner

June 12, 2019

REFLECTIVE ESSAY

I have learned so much in the last two years being in this program. Pairing the Oakland

University Ed Specialist Program with the Galileo Leadership Academy has allowed me many

opportunities to increase my learning about best practices, build my leadership capacity, learn

from others in the field, and learn alongside a dedicated cohort.

School success begins with culture. Collaboration between administration, teachers,

support staff, and families is the foundation for success. Relationships are the key to building

successful school cultures. The importance of creating and living a shared mission, vision,

values, and goals was highlighted in our very first course and it continues to be at the core of

any successful school team. Thanks to Dr. Feun, I now have an improved understanding of

program evaluation and action research and the role they play in effective school leadership.

Throughout this program, I have increased my confidence in my abilities and know that

my seat and voice at any table matters. I am better able to monitor and evaluate teacher

instruction, school management, and operational systems. I also have a deeper understanding

of how to develop school capacity for distributed and shared leadership. I have been fascinated

by learning about Educational Law and have improved my ability to evaluate potential moral and

legal consequences of decision-making in a school district.

Areas of continued growth for continue to be: promoting the most effective and

appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning; effectively being able to use human,

fiscal, and technological resources to manage school operations; working with community

partners; and assessing emerging trends.

I am walking away truly understanding the importance of systems thinking. If there are

structures in place across an entire district, teachers are able to rely on them to add to the

structures and routines of their classroom. Lack of systems create disconnect, divides, and lack

of trust and competence within a school district.

 As educators, it is vital that we are advocates for our profession. We all must become

advocates for an adequate and fair funding system for Michigan public schools. There are many

misconceptions out there regarding how schools get their money. I believe I have a duty to help

educate others on Proposal A, per-pupil foundation allowances, and the findings of the School

Finance Research Collaborative and the MSU Ed Policy Report. My district is a base foundation

district. According to the School FInance Research Collaborative it costs $9,590 to educate a

child in the state of Michigan, with additional costs for special education students, students who

are at-risk, ELL, and transportation. That totals $15-18 million annually for my district alone. As

leaders we must be a part of the solution regarding funding inadequacies here in Michigan.

This program has helped me find my voice and know that what I have to say matters. I

am grateful for the learning, professional growth, and the way that I will be changed forever

because of my experiences and opportunities at OU.