I have two of my classmates posts about the same case study  I did and I need you to write a short responses to their posts Please:

1- Principal Olson appears to be a highly competent and well meaning school leader, however if I was leading Arcadia Elementary school I would not engage the parents in that way in regard to the instructional performance of one of my teachers. Understanding that Principal Olson is well meaning and his decision to survey the parents of the students in Ms. Wodjenski’s class is student – centered, I believe that this will cause dissent among the parents. These parents may begin to question Ms. Wodjensji’s abilities as well as share information to parents of students in younger grades about this experience which could lead to parents requesting that there child not be placed in the class. Additionally, it appears what Principal Olson is looking for is a reason to explain why the students did not perform as he expected. Even though he looked at various factors before creating the survey, he did not look specifically at the steps that he took to support the teacher and re- evaluate his processes for supervision and evaluation before he engaged parents through the survey. My suggestion to Principal Olson is to look at the strengths of his high performing teachers based on his evaluations and to assess what gaps or differences he may not have notice initially, he should then create an action plan with the teacher regarding how they culd work together to improve student performance based on his findings. I think that by making the decision to engage parents in this way that Principal Olson has opened the ” door” for scrutiny that may effect both the teachers and his positions. 

2- I would not have done what Principal Wayne Olson did.  By talking to students, other teachers and surveying parents before discussing the class’s performance with the teacher, Principal Olson may have created more problems than need be. His actions undermine the teacher’s efforts and could put her on defensive. It could irreparably harm her performance in class and well as create a circumstance in which she may feel that the principal is not to be trusted. This could lead to an adversarial relationship that would not benefit principal, teacher or students. His actions also could serve to also undermine his authority as a principal and respected leader among the school community. By reaching out to so many people, it take a personnel matter better handled between principal and teacher and create an opportunity for gossip and whispers that may arise when other teachers learn how he handled this issue.

Instead, Olson could have looked at the student needs and made an effort to give them and the teacher more in-class support. He could have perhaps conducted coaching session or asked a mentor/coach/peer to conduct a more in depth evaluation of her class.

One long-range issue that could arise is that parents may become more critical of the teacher’s performance and become more critical of her efforts with the students in the class. This would only devalue her work and perhaps create problems with students in the classroom. It could open her to student gossip and misbehavior.

This is my response :

The case:

Read Case Study from the end of chapter six

Question-Would you have done what Olson did? What could he have done? What long range problems could result from Olson’s decision to survey the parents?

Supervision and Evaluation—Case Study

Wayne Olson was in his second year as principal of Arcadia Elementary School. He was an effective principal, well regarded by teachers, students, parents, and the superintendent. He had been an outstanding teacher and his students always scored above the school average on both criteria-referenced and norm-referenced tests. Wayne was promoted to principal after he completed his academic coursework at the local university and his year-long internship at Arcadia Elementary. Wayne felt that his teachers were doing a very good job of teaching and he was eagerly awaiting the results of the statewide testing of his fourth grade students. When the results came back, Wayne was shocked to see that the scores were below average for Janet Wodjenski’s class. He knew that she was not his best teacher in the fourth grade, but he felt, when visiting her classroom, that the students and teacher were appropriately on-task. Wayne decided that he needed more information and talked to some of the students and to the teachers who taught Ms. Wodjenski’s students in the third grade. He also talked to Ms. Wodjenski. Nothing seemed to fit a pattern, but he was still concerned and decided to send a survey to the parents regarding their view of instruction in the classroom. Wayne did send a copy to Ms. Wodjenski on the same day he mailed it to the parents of the students.

answer :

In my opinion there are other ways he would have handledthis matter. Olson, acknowledged beforehand that Ms.Wodjenski was not one ofthe best teacher in fourth grade, and hence there must bereason as to why it was so. Focus would be on exploring these factors. Most ofthis information would be obtained from students and other teachers.

We arealso told that, although he was aware of Ms. Wodjesnki abilities, the classseemed to be at par with his expectations before the state test was done.Therefore, there could have been an issue with the exam itself. Olson, shouldalso have taken time to investigate the contents of the exams; whether it wasin line with the fourth grade curriculum and what the students had been taught.

Involvingparents was not a wise decision. Parents are likely to overact to thissituation. Although parents’ opinion would be valued, it might have been tooearly to send them a survey. Once other factors had been determined andconsidered, parents could then be involved.  Parents can overact by transferrin their childrento another school and also requesting for transfer of Ms. Wodjesnki from  Arcadia Elementary School.

Withall these said, this was a difficult situation for Mr. Olson. He was known aneffective principal and was well regarded by teachers, students, parents, andthe superintendent. He, therefore, had a reputation to maintain and pleasingall stakeholders is not easy for any school principal.