Frostburg State University

Form 002

Intern:_Paula Smith_____________

Administration and Supervision

Self-Assessment of Final Practicum
Your internship has been a total experience that included not only yourself, but also all of
the staff, administration, students, parents, and community members who participated in
some way in projects of your implementation. Also, you might consider all of the individuals
you were required to deal with as you conducted the internship duties and responsibilities.
For example, discipline problems would normally involve students, teachers, and parents at
a minimum. As you attended to such discipline problems, you would be engaged in trying
to facilitate among the needs of all individuals. Given this back-drop, provide answers to
the following questions regarding your internship practicum experience.
1. Was your internship effective? Did it meet all of the goals and objectives as stated in
your Planning Guide?
In answering this question fully, consider the use of such instrumentation as:
a. Pre- and post-surveys to determine outcomes of staff development training
b. Observation checklists to determine if students were behaving in the ways
expected by the school and the community
c. Interview schedules to determine parent and community opinions about the
need for a change or the impact of a change
d. Data from standardized tests and measures to determine how well students
have learned over a given period of time in given subject areas.

I believe my internship was effective in meeting all of the goals and objectives of the six (6)
Leadership Standards. My main focus was implementing the Tutoring for Success
after-school program. This programs focus was reducing the number of student who were
identified as being more than two (2) grade levels below in reading and math according to
their Fall MAP scores. There were 20% of 6th graders, 45% of 7th graders, and 21% of 8th
graders who have meet the goal of not being more than two (2) grade levels below in at least
reading or math according to their Spring MAP scores.
2. Did your internship projects meet the specific needs of all of the individuals who
participated? Where Question #1 focuses on the project goals and objectives of your
internship, this question focuses on the needs of individual participants. How well do
you believe individual participants needs were met throughout your internship?

I believe that the individuals identified for the Tutoring for Success program had their needs
met. While I was preparing the students schedules, I placed students in groups where reading
and math scores were similar so teachers would focus on the students weaknesses and plan
accordingly. In addition, I gave each teacher the DesCartes: A Continuum of Learning
report which stated each students skills and concepts to enhance, develop, and introduce.
Furthermore, the report shared learning continuum statements and new vocabulary, signs, and
symbols at each students level. This provided student individualized instruction, if necessary.

3. Did your internship help to bring about meaningful organizational change in your
school building? Many times internship projects are designed to facilitate the
development and implementation of new programs either for the delivery of
instructional services to students of to help in the management of the organization.
Did your internship facilitate such conditions at the building level? One important way
to determine the answer to this question is to investigate whether or not your
internship projects had an impact on the buildings mission and /or vision statements
regarding schooling. Was learning positively affected by your work?

School Improvement Plan: Aspirational Goal 1: All students will read at or above grade level
by 3rd grade and continue to read at or above grade level thereafter.
What strategies will be implemented to achieve the measurable objectives?
Strategy 1: Math and English language arts interventions will be offered after school
There were 20% of 6th graders, 45% of 7th graders, and 21% of 8th graders who have meet
the goal of not being more than two (2) grade levels below in at least reading or math
according to their Spring MAP scores.
4. Did your internship help to bring about meaningful organizational change in the school
district? There have been times when an internship project has been piloted at a
building site with the intention that, if judged to be effective, the district or the division
would have considered adapting it at other sites. In this way a pilot project could have
an impact on the organizational change of an entire district or division. How close did
your internship come to enjoying such an impact on the district or division? In refining
your answer to this question with an interest of establishing a broader base t it,
consider reviewing the districts or the divisions mission statement or board of
education annual reports on their goals to the community.

The Washington County Public Schools mission statement is Building a community that
inspires curiosity, creativity, and achievement. The students participating in the Tutoring for
Success program had the opportunity to be curious and creativity in their thinking which
ultimately resulted in increased MAP scores for 65 of the 66 students identified for the
program in at least in reading or math which demonstrates student achievement.
5. Did your internship experience provide project participants an opportunity to have
input on the overall assessment of the experience? Did you give staff members,
parents, students, and community members an opportunity to let you know how they
think your internship affected the district or the division, the building, and the
instructional programs?

Program personnel and the principal had the opportunity to complete an evaluation form for
the Tutoring for Success after-school program. The feedback provided detail information
on how the program was successful and what could change to improve the program in the
future. In addition, staff shared their challenges and concerns with the program and had option
to share and additional information concerning the program.

6. Identify your efforts to bring members of different groups together to work on

achieving similar goals and objectives.

The secretary sent a text message and voice mail message to each parent. In addition, the
food service manager prepared meals for the students attending the program. I was in contact
with the nurse to make sure all students with allergies were identified. Furthermore, I was in
contact with the special education teacher to make sure all accommodations were in place
for special education students in the program and guidance provided 504 information.
7. Identify strategies used to engage members from different constituents in the project
work. Examples of such constituents include but are not limited to these: parents,
senior citizens, and local government figures.

I mailed a letter to each parent who had a child more than 2 grade levels below to encourage
parents to register their child in the program. The secretary sent a text message and voice mail
message to parents reminding them of the starting dates and time. Any students who were
absent 2 weeks in a row, I would contact their parents to encourage them to have their child
begin attending the program on a regular basis.
8. Name or identify types of planning strategies utilized in your project work.

1.) Thinking and reflecting upon the ways to accomplish the goals I set
2.) Articulating a clear vision to the staff.
3.) Positive, productive, and caring relationships with students and staff
4.) Not finding an excuse, but on how to adjust the instruction if goal was not being met.
5.) Establish relationships with students families
9. Name or identify ways by which your internship experience might have made it clear to
you that local issues can confront us with barriers to change.

The main barrier I observed was the issues of transportation. Many parents of the student at
Hicks do not have private transportation and therefore rely on some type of public
transportation. Over 50% of the student population is at that poverty level and therefore
providing funds for transportation can be a burden. More public transportation needs to be
provided for students to stay for after school programs to improve student achievement.