Artifact

Name (Last, First): Barbee, James

Prefix, Number and Title of Course: ELA5332/6332 Instructional Leadership &
Program Improvement
Artifact Objective: To provide evidence that upon course completion the student will be
equipped to address critical standards and objectives including the various roles and
responsibilities required of the principal/school leader to create a vision of leadership
and learning, develop a positive school culture, manage the school as an organization,
and interact with the external school environment.
Assessment Tools: 200 points total: Reflective Writing Rubric (Narrative/Essay-100
points) & Multimedia Technology Rubric (Video Presentation-100 points) Rubrics are
included at the end of this document.
Standards (Number Only):
NCATE

InTASC

2015 PSEL/ISLLC

TILS

3b & 4a

10

1, 3, 4, 5, 8, & 10

A.1, A.5, B.1, & B.3

Completed Artifact:
Save both artifact files in pdf & mp4 formats with file name formatted as follows:

ELA5332or6332_coursestartdate_cohortorILL_Artifact_LastName_
FirstName

Example: ELA5332_0508_37_ILL43_Artifact_Doe_Jane
ELA6332_0508_37_ILL43_Artifact_Doe_Jane
(Course #, start date, & cohort or ILL can be found on VCamp.)
Upload artifact narrative/essay pdf file & video mp4 to student portfolio. Copy &
paste portfolio links here after uploading:
o Narrative/essay (pdf) link (this form): jbarbee.weebly.com/
o Video (mp4) link: jbarbee.weebly.com
Submit both artifact files (narrative/essay which is the pdf of this form and mp4
video presentation) via VCamp complete section and upload to Unit 8 dropbox.
Email both artifact files (narrative/essay pdf & mp4 video presentation file) as
attachments to bethel_soe_data@bethelu.edu
Make sure you name your files correctly.

Candidate Introduction
My name is James Barbee, and I am a current middle school math teacher at Ripley
Middle School. I have completed three years of teaching and serve as the Lead Student Council
Advisor. I come from a family of educators: my mother, grandmother, and aunt were all
teachers within the district that I currently work for. Having that much exposure to education in
my life, I know the value that effective teachers and leaders can have on a school.
As I reflect on what it means to be an instructional leader, I am reminded that this type of
leader must act with a SERVANT attitude. Principals are tasked with being true leaders of
instruction, transforming their teachers into facilitators and their schools into critical thinking
zones and respectful cultures. I plan to be a SERVANT leader to our school by focusing on
stewardship, engagement, respect, vision, analysis, network, and thought.

My Leadership Style
S Stewardship
To be a Steward is to place the needs of others before self. Stewards are involved in the
required work just as much as their counterparts. Teachers have reported that the greatest leaders
exhibited vision, humility, trust, empowerment, and a host of other qualities when leading their
teachers (Shaw, J., & Newton, J., 2014, p. 102). William Foster penned the thought that, a
leader is a leader for the moment only (Ubben, Hughes, & Norris, 2016, p. 3). Teachers at our
school will be afforded many opportunities to lead and to serve in professional roles.
Administrators will also make a personal and professional investment in each teacher. This
investment goes a long way into earning the trust and respect of teachers so that they feel valued
and seek out growth opportunities. My goal as the instructional leader is to provide opportunities
for my teachers to showcase their expertise, risk productive struggle, and foster professional

growth. When I place my teachers and staff in situations to excel, I am showing them that I care
about their success more than my own.

Marketing My School
E Engagement
Jim Elliot once said, Wherever you are, be all there (Jim Elliot Quotes, 2016). This is
the motto that I plan to utilize for our schools community involvement. Being engaged in the
community around your school allows teachers, families, and community leaders to work
together to build relationships that may not otherwise exist. I hope to establish a community
Movie on the Lawn night once per year. The families of our schools students and members of
the community will gather on the field and fellowship together. This would provide an
opportunity for staff members to serve members of the community and to fully grasp the
environments that our students come from. This will open many avenues for effective
communication, as both parties will understand the mentalities of the other. I also plan to utilize
Open Forums that will allow parents to voice praises and concerns to the administration in an
environment established for positive growth in our school. When the community feels that they
have ownership in the progressive nature of the school, they readily support the new endeavors
and initiatives to bring forth change.

The Importance of School Culture

R Respect
Respect is key to any great organization operating effectively. Our school will operate
on a respect-based culture. For children, structure and respect are the most important factors
they can be exposed to. This consistency leaves no room for misinterpretation and creates

stability among the entire school community. The respect culture begins with the administrative
team. It is our responsibility to set the tone of respect for teachers and students. We must be
professional, yet empathetic at all times. This means that we must be visible to both our staff
and students. We want to greet our students each morning and engage them in conversations.
This will show them that we care about them. If our teachers see the administrative team
actively engaging with the student body, this will make them more likely to adopt the same
practices in the halls and in their classrooms. In order to establish a school-wide culture of
respect, it involves leading by example.

The School Improvement Process

V Vision
Isernhagen (2012) wrote, Educators emphasized the importance of a collaborative
culture to the Title 1 School Improvement Process (p.5). In order for our school to have a
vision, we must place an emphasis on collaboration. When our school is not operating
effectively, a reflective improvement process must be developed. Our goal must be to identify
areas of improvement based on what will provide the best learning opportunities for our students.
Regardless of what makes us uncomfortable, all of our decisions must be student-centered.
It is important for me to have a plan for making our school better. Creating an
atmosphere of discussion among my administrative team and a school leadership council will
allow me to gain feedback and perspectives from other members of the school community. This
information will help form the school improvement plan that will guide all aspects of our school,
from the curriculum to the culture. Having a vision creates a focused initiative to follow.

Decision-Making
A Analysis
Appropriate delegation of decision-making to groups is critical at a personal and
organizational level (Genrich, Banks, & Bufton, 2001, p. 25). As the leader of our school, it is
be my responsibility to analyze what decisions can be made at my discretion and which
decisions should include others. Allowing certain decisions to be delegated to others will allow
me to include the reasoning and knowledge of others while also providing an opportunity for
them to be involved in the leadership process.
A priority of our administration must be to thoughtfully analyze situations in order to
reach a consensus on which ideas and plans should be addressed by individuals or groups. These
decisions must be carefully thought out in order to establish united support. Cohesion provides
needed strength in times of uncertainty and potential change. This can be aided with the use of a
school leadership team. I will select a small panel of representatives from each grade and subject
area to be the voice for their collaborative group. When it is time for the decision to be shared,
the school leadership team can assist in answering questions, promoting the decision positively,
and gaining the momentum needed to move positive changes forward in an efficient amount of
time.

The Learning Community & the School Leader/Principals Role

N Network and T Thought
The leaders role in a school includes the traditional operational tasks, but also includes
the strategic initiation of a progressive learning community. I will focus on establishing a teacher
network while also promoting a thoughtful school-wide atmosphere.

In order to promote the best learning community for our school, I must make teacher
networking an intentional portion of our schedule. Allowing teachers to meet and discuss ideas
and data means they are less likely to become overwhelmed or complacent in their work. I must
challenge our teachers to seek out new and innovative instructional methods, share their highs
and lows with their co-teachers, and provide ample opportunities for my staff to engage in these
practices. Too often, teachers are unable to apply the methods they have researched due to a
shortage of collaboration time. My plan is to maximize collaborative opportunities so that
teachers are able to delve into what works best for their students.
Just like our teachers are engaging in relevant conversations, the learning community that
I desire for our students focuses on critical thinking. I want our teachers and administrative team
to have conversations with our students so they understand the relevance of the materials being
presented to them. Students in our school should know that they are entering an environment
where the expectation is that our learners are to be engaged, motivated, and willing to struggle in
order to experience the growth that they need. This can be done through project-based learning
activities, student exhibitions, and active classroom discussions. We want to educate our best and
brightest and send them into the world prepared for any challenges they may face. We want to
create the next generation of thinkers.
To be an effective instructional leader, the individual must utilize a servant attitude. This
is in order to generate a positive mindset among the faculty and staff. Establishing a school-wide
culture of stewardship, engagement, respect, vision, analysis, network, and thought will allow for
the entire school community to work together for the greater goal of student achievement. If
students are to receive the positive benefits of these ideals, it is up to the effective instructional
leader to implement sound strategies and decisions that will produce these effects.

References:
Genrich, S. J., Banks, J. C., & Bufton, K. (2001). Group involvement in decision-making: a
pilot study. Journal Of Continuing Education In Nursing, 32(1), 20-26.

Isernhagen, J. C. (2012). A Portrait of Administrator, Teacher, and Parent Perceptions of Title I

School Improvement Plans. Journal Of At-Risk Issues, 17(1), 1-7.

Jim Elliot Quotes. (2016). Retrieved July 22, 2016, from

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2125255.Jim_Elliot
Shaw, J. & Newton, J. (2014) Teacher retention and satisfaction with a servant leader as
principal. Education, 135(1), 101-106.

Ubben, G., Hughes, L., & Norris, C. (2016). The principal: Creative leadership for excellence in
schools (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson