Zach Boness

EDAD 639

Practicum/Internship

Course Reflection

The course of practicum and internship was a vital course that really opened my eyes to
the importance of the job of being an administrator. The course allows students to gain a
deeper and vast knowledge of what administrators experience every day. Each month internees
have to focus on a specific standard to the ISLLC which helps administrators stay focus on the
important aspects of being a successful principal.

Leadership in administration is a crucial skill that one must possess to impact the culture
of a school in a positive manner. Without building strong relationships with everyone within the
school building it can cause major issues down the road in to the school year. With the school I
work at one of the biggest issues that plagues the school is student’s behavioral issues. I have
spent most of my time helping with the behavioral problems, processing them, and being a part
of the aces team to help teachers deal with the issues within the classroom.

Relations and professionalism tie in closely when it comes to this course. Administrators
have to maintain a high level of professionalism, but at the same time build their rapport with
people outside of the school. The community needs to be tied into the school to help form a
sense of from outside the school. Students need to feel the support from people outside the
school to help keep them accountable and want to be the best they can be within the
classroom.

Within the course students have to put in a minimum of 200 hours throughout the
course I had to set goals of what I would like to accomplish based on areas in administration
that I had to improve on. The areas of improvement were set based on a questionnaire test
that I had to take at the beginning of the course. Figuring out these areas allowed me to
challenge myself in the course to grow. One area was improving relations with the community.
I’m more of an introvert so reaching out to the community was great for me to learn.

This practicum/internship course has opened my eyes to all the countless hours that go
into being an administrator. Administrators spend a lot of time before and after the set hours
that a school is open to students. There are also a lot of different issues that come into the
offices of these principals that no one within the school, besides them, know about. It is a
thankless job that I have now gained a deeper respect for after taking this course.