Faculty Administration

Full-time faculty members at times also serve as faculty administrators, such as Department Chairs or Program Directors, and work with faculty, staff and students to assure successful operations of their programs. Activities may include, but are not limited to the following: increasing curriculum and teaching quality, coordinating program development, directing advising, testing and recruitment and fostering collegiality and program advocacy.

- NDNU Faculty Handbook

Reading Program Director

As my Master of Arts degree attained at Brigham Young University focused on the diagnosis and treatment of reading difficulties, this is a program to which I am devoted. The purpose of the program is to support teachers to move from a generalist to a specialist position. Particular emphasis is given to building skills and strategies for English-language learners - a critical need in the state of California. (Here is the course schedule for the Reading Program).

Teaching of Leadership Skills

In addition to the development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for becoming an expert in the area of reading, I am interested in building these students' leadership abilities. And, of course, a key component in that leadership development is the improvement of emotional intelligence.

I see leadership as developing the skills to elicit teamwork (i.e., cooperation and collaboration) with the network of schools/districts. A leader must display enthusiasm, passion for their topic, and inspire others (classroom teachers) to higher levels of performance. A leader is committed to change and helps to bring that about through creative problem-solving strategies. A leader has a vision of the school, the district, the state, or the country.

So a challenge as program director will be to find ways to influence classes with both the steps necessary in becoming an effective leader and to raise emotional intelligence levels through the introduction of its key components.

Leaders need skills to inspire, to persuade, to influence, and to motivate. This is often most effectively done by modeling. The key emotional intelligence skills needed by a leader are empathy and service. It is not only by being in someone's shoes, but by “wearing “ someone's feet that I begin to comprehend the complexities of another's problem, challenge, or crisis. Then I can apply imagination and develop unique solutions to complex issues. The servant-leader is the one who:
1) fixes what is broken;
2) looks for small ways to improve;
3) challenges the status quo; and
4) focuses on what changes would create excellence.

I hope to transfer these beliefs, values, and attitudes to the students within the reading programs at NDNU University.

Update as of 10/06

During the 2005/06 academic year, I acted as Interim Director of the Reading Program, designed by Dr. Joanne Rossi, current Dean of the School of Education and Leadership. As a result of that temporary assignment, it was my privilege to field questions from prospective students, conduct interviews of potential candidates, advise students currently enrolled of next steps, and even make appropriate recommendations for job possibilities, etc. During my temporary tenure, I also had the opportunity to teach ED386, Program Development and Inservice Leadership in Literacy Education.

There were only six students enrolled, and therefore the class only qualified for a small group instruction classification, but I met with the students weekly in order to ensure that their experience would not be diminished. This was a class designed to prepare them for consulting work at the school/district level. Therefore, we examined: assessment procedures for schools/faculty; procedures for sharing data with staffs; templates for creating proposals; construction of effective staff development presentations; and the multiple roles in which a consultant may be involved (i.e., teacher, mentor, facilitator, leader, etc.). Students also brought specific case problems to be analyzed in order that solutions might be brainstormed. In some instances, individuals applied the recommendations offered. As a result, significant growth was experienced by all: teacher, child, parent, and principal.

I was also responsible for making sure each graduate had met all specified criteria. This included coordinating with the NDNU Credential Analyst, as well as determining whether the completed professional portfolio met all previously identified state standards.

It was also very satisfying to be involved in the process of hiring the new reading program director. This began with the usual perusal of letters of inquiry and resumes, followed by telephone interviews, and finally face-to-face interviews on campus. Continued involvement with Shadrack has reinforced that an excellent hiring decision was reached.

Evidence:

Letter from Barbara Kammerlohr

Course schedule for the Reading Program

"Building a Role Model" expresses my commitment to helping educators discover and teach from their strengths.

Link to Six Seconds EQ Leadership training program

Evidence Added 10/06

Letter from my Department Chair, Barbara Kammerlohr, about my work at NDNU

PDF of the NDNU Reading Program web site listing me as Director -- I helped hire the new Director whose name should be there now!