EA8940

Reflective Essay

Yifang Shi

As time flies, we are about to finish our Education Specialist Program. I am full of joy and

also receiving a greatness of accomplishment. I've seen numerous touch points throughout my

career that have shaped and affected my leadership views. Fundamentally, I have experienced

my position as a leader who articulates and implements a leadership vision for the future and

inspires others to participate in education. After this two years Education Specialist program at

Oakland University, I have further improved my leadership thinking quality, intellectual

personality and understanding of the truth, goodness and beauty of life.

Words to The Program:

From the course School as a Formal Organization, I learned improving the quality of

education and teaching is to ensure the standardized management of schools. From the course

Curriculum & Staff Development, I learned that I have to focus on teaching routine

management. From lesson preparation, classroom teaching, and after school guidance, the

development of education and teaching activities should be innovative, effective and actively

promote the method of education reform and teachers' innovative ability. From the course

School & Community Development, I learned that to strengthen education practical, to generate

the community support, to carry out the target, and to improve the school education quality, is

targeted to motivate teachers and students, and to create effectively teaching and learning

environment. From the course Human Resource Management & 4 Supervision, I learned that

we should give full play to teachers' enthusiasm and encourage them to participate actively. As
a school leader, we should often listen to the views of teachers, encourage them to develop

their potential, and build a mutual respect and trust environment.

Words About My Internship Experience:

Through my internship experience, not only I learned deeply about how to play the school

leader role, but also I understood that the teacher-student relationship is another important

factor in creating a school that can provide quality education. Equality and harmony should be

established between teachers and students. In the communication with students, teachers

should understand students, respect students, treat each student with tolerance and equality.

Words About Challenge:

During the past two years, it’s hard for me to count how many nights I stay till 12am to

work in my home office. Those hours are the best and only time that I am able to dig into my

heart of education. I started to learn how to balance my life with working full time, studying in

the Education Specialist program and taking care of a three years old toddler. This brought

additional pressure to myself, but luckily I learned more time management skills and tasks

organizational skills. For the past two years, I missed most of my family Friday Night Movie

time. My husband and my daughter always feel frustrated whenever I could not join them to

watch movies because of my workload. This was certainly the most difficult part of the program.

However, it became much more manageable after the first semester. And now at the end of the

program, I feel I am much more confident with saying that I made it successfully!

Words About The “Humor Family”

Besides the challenge parts, the best thing that I love in this program is the cohort. I am

proud of this group of people who has the most inspiring ideas, the strongest support to each
other, the most depth of knowledge, and of course, the most and best humor I’ve ever and never

experienced. I will never forget my friends’ laughing with tearing, will never forget our tacit

understanding, will never forget every Wednesday, we eat together, learn together and explore

ourselves together. We are a family already!

Words to The Future:

For the future, in order to have a good sense of service for education, I will develop three

habits, the habit of exercise, the habit of learning, and the habit of reflection. In today's world,

where science and technology are advancing by leaps and bounds, new educational theories

are emerging and competition is fierce. It is very important for a good principal to keep a clear

head, perform his duties effectively, prevent problems before they happen and pay attention to

reflection. Through reflection and renewal of management concepts, we should constantly

improve our own moral, psychological and cultural literacy. We should have "three love",

namely: enthusiasm, passion, and true love. True love is the principal should love their teachers,

love their students, love their career, and love their school.