Clinical I Learning Plan (CLP)

Documentation & Journals

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Student Name & Building/District/Organization: Emily Roeder- DMPS

Mentor’s Name & Building/District/Organization: Scott Blum- DC-G

Personal Mission: Mission as of 10/8/22: “To shape young lives and meet the needs of all
school community members through continuous improvement and collaboration”

Cohort Mission: “We will build a sense of belonging by collaborating and empowering all
cohort members to challenge each other to create sustainable change.”

NELP Standards:

Standard 1: Mission, Vision, and Improvement

Standard 2: Ethics and Professional Norms
Standard 3: Equity, Inclusiveness, and Cultural Responsiveness
Standard 4: Learning and Instruction
Standard 5: Community and External Leadership
Standard 6: Operations and Management
Standard 7: Building Professional Capacity
Standard 8: Internship

Clinical Goal #1: To put into practice principles, strategies, and processes being learned in the program
for the purpose of improving/transforming my classroom or work environment.

NELP Standard 1: Standard 1: Mission, Vision, and Improvement

Possible Activities:
Classroom transformation project
Regular check-ins with mentor and advisor
Present on results at Summer, 2023 Clinical I Seminar
PDSA Poster- Classroom
Clinical Goal #2: To put into practice principles, strategies, and processes being learned in the program
to advocate for and engage in opportunities that prioritize equity, inclusion, and culture within the
school and community.

NELP Standard 3: Equity, Inclusiveness, and Cultural Responsiveness

Possible Activities:
Meeting Student Needs in Special Education
IEP Meetings
FBLE

Clinical Goal #3: To put into practice principles, strategies, and processes being learned in the program
to develop, evaluate, and implement systems with high quality instruction, learning, assessment, and
curriculum in mind.

NELP Standard 4: Learning and Instruction

Possible Activities:
Meeting with Instructional Coaches
Collaborate with Teachers and Associates
PDSA- System Improvement

Clinical Goal #4: To put into practice principles, strategies, and processes being learned in the program
to engage with the educational community and to build school community around student learning and
the school improvement process.

NELP Standard 5: Community and External Leadership

Possible Activities:
PLC Lead Fill-In
School Board Meetings
Leadership Paper/Interviews
Meetings with Other Educators
 Clinical I Experience Log
(Please include your FBLE hours)

Date Task/Activity Describe CLP Time on Running

Goal Alignment Activity Total

8/20/22 Wrote a response to “Restoring Joy in Goal #3; NELP 1 1

Mudville” by Dr. Doug Stilwell- The #4
Deming Institute

9/26/22 Observed a DC-G board meeting Goal #4; NELP 2 3

#5

10/1/22 Wrote a response to“I See You” by Dr. Goal #3; NELP 1 4
Doug Stilwell- The Deming Institute #4

10/12/22 Attended theDrake Continual Improvement Goal #1; NELP 3 7

Network zoom session 1- “Joy in #1
Education” & 1 page reflection

10/12/22 Facilitated a PLC meeting Goal #4; NELP 1 8

#5; Goal #3;
NELP #4

10/15/22 Wrote FBLA paper & interview leaders Goal #4; NELP 15 23
#5

10/19/22 Interviewed Mentor over zoom- Goal #1; NELP 1 24

introductions/questions #1

10/24/22 Observed DC-G board meeting; questions Goal #4; NELP 4 28

with mentor #5

10/26/22 Facilitated a PLC meeting Goal #4; NELP 1 29

#5; Goal #3;
NELP #4

11/2/22 Assisted at Title 1 (reading and math Goal #4; NELP 1 30

intervention) Night- Carver Elementary #5

11/4/22 Attended an IEP meeting as general Goal #2; NELP 1 31

education teacher #3

11/7/22 Attended DC-G meetings: met with ALL GOALS 3.5 34.5
instructional coaches, a SPED teacher, two
students and families, discussed interview
and valuation processes
11/16/23 Developed success criteria and aligned Goal #3; NELP 6 40.5
learning targets for 5th grade music #4
curriculum

11/17/22 Evaluated the “Why Deming in Education” Goal #3; NELP 2 42.5
video and completed an organizer #4

11/28/22 Developed a PDSA poster on music with Goal #1; NELP 15 57.5
special education students #1; Goal #3;
NELP #4

11/29/22 Discussed building and classroom Goal #4; NELP 0.5 58

transformations with mentor #5

11/30/22 Facilitated a PLC meeting Goal #4; NELP 1 59

#5

12/3/22 Wrote a response to “The Starfish and the Goal #3; NELP 1 60
System” #4

12/7/22 Attended the Drake Continual Goal #1; NELP 3 63

Improvement Network zoom session 2: #1
“Joy in Education” & 1 page reflection

12/17/22 Completed reading “The Fifth Discipline: ALL GOALS 5 68

The Art and Practice of Learning
Organizations” by Dr. Peter M. Senge

12/22/22 Facilitated the first school- wide assembly Goal #4; NELP 1 69
post covid-19 #5

2/14/23 Discussed culture and diversity in school Goal #2; NELP 1 70

with mentor over zoom #3

2/16/23 Supervised Title 1 Night- Carver Goal #2; NELP 2 72

Elementary at the Science Center #3

3/4/23 Developed a PDSA on the Zones of Goal #2; NELP 15 87

Regulation in the music classroom #3

3/6/23 Completed reading “The End of Average: ALL GOALS 5 92

How to Succeed in a World that Values
Sameness” by Todd Rose

3/6/23 Attended virtual clinical on zoom Goal #1; NELP 1 93

#1

3/7/23 Completed EDL 274 Additional Resources- Goal #3; NELP 1 94

“Finland Phenomenon”, “Making the Most #4
 of School-Family Compacts” and “Leaders
Make the Future”

3/21/23 Discussed Boys and Girls Club partnership Goal #4; NELP 0.5 94.5
with DMPS with site director #5

3/22/23 Observed kindergarten classroom and Goal #3; NELP 1 95.5

teacher at Carver Elementary #4

3/27/23 Discussed Baldrige in DC-G with mentor ALL GOALS 0.5 96

3/28/23 Attended optional zoom on Baldrige ALL GOALS 1 97

framework

3/29/23 Attended the Drake Continual Goal #1; NELP 3 100

Improvement Network zoom session 3: #1
“Joy in Education” & 1 page reflection

3/29/23 Supervised and subbed for another Goal #3; NELP 1 101
classroom teacher voluntarily #4

3/30/23 Attended an IEP meeting as the general Goal #2; NELP 1 102
education teacher #3

4/1/23 Examined DC-G High School’s ALL GOALS 2 104

student/parent handbook

4/5/2023 Facilitated a PLC meeting Goal #4; NELP 1 105

#5; Goal #3;
NELP #4

4/5/2023 Attended Drake EDL faculty interview Goal #4; NELP 1 106
teaching demonstration #5

4/20/23 Facilitated the school-wide assembly for Goal #4; NELP 1 107
Earth Day #5

4/20/23 Supervised and subbed for a classroom Goal #3; NELP 1 108
teacher voluntarily #4

4/21/23 Conducted positive student/guardian Goal #4; NELP 2 110

contacts (not conferences) #5

4/21/23 Observed mentor principal at DC-G: ALL GOALS 3.5 113.5

attended instructional coach and counselor
meeting, discussed prom and graduation,
discussed Baldrige, customers, and
improvement around communication
4/22/23 Completed FBLE on classroom ALL GOALS 15 128.5
transformation for EDL 272

4/24/23 Completed a deep dive into DC-G mission, ALL GOALS 3 131.5
vision, district and building goals, website,
monthly newsletters, principal blog, social
media, calendar, parent resources, state
assessment data, building/district
demographics (contents of a Baldrige
Organizational Profile)

4/27/23 Supervised, organized, and lead Goal #4; NELP 5 136.5

school-wide talent show #5

5/3/23 Attended one hour of Drake Continual Goal #1; NELP 1 137.5
Improvement Network zoom session 4 #1

5/3/23 Facilitated a PLC meeting Goal #4; NELP 1 138.5

#5; Goal #3;
NELP #4

5/4/23 Completed reading intervention time with Goal #3; NELP 2 140.5
tier 2, ELL student, increasing their FAST #4
score

5/13/23 Supervised and served as the 5th grade Goal #4; NELP 8 148.5
DMPS district honor choir chair #5

5/15/23 Discussed end of the year, summer, and ALL GOALS 0.5 149
beginning of the year agendas for mentor
principal’s building

5/16/23 Examined monthly BLT minutes, identified Goal #1; NELP 2 151
building goals, and evaluated trends in data #1; Goal #3;
over the course of the year NELP #4

5/26/23 Observed another kindergarten classroom Goal #3; NELP 1 152

and teacher at Carver Elementary #4

5/24/23 Attended virtual clinical on zoom Goal #1; NELP 1 153

#1

5/31/23 Facilitate Carver social committee Goal #4; NELP 4 157

conversations on Conditions of Learning #5
Survey and building relationships and
community amongst staff
6/1/23 Completed reading “Hacking Leadership: Goal #1; NELP 4 161
10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning #1; Goal #4;
That Teachers, Students, and Parents Love” NELP #5
by Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis

6/13/23- Develop learning targets, success criteria, ALL GOALS 16 177

6/14/23 pacing guide, and scope and sequence in
alignment with district standards and EL
curriculum with 2023-2024 district PLC
leads

6/18/23 Completed FBLE on strategic planning for Goal #1; NELP 15 192
EDL 273 #1; Goals #2;
NELP #3; Goal
#3; NELP #4

6/21/23 Met with mentor to discuss strategic plans Goal #1; NELP 1 193
and district improvement plans #1; Goals #2;
NELP #3; Goal
#3; NELP #4

7/8/23 Completed reading “She Leads: The Goal #1; NELP 4 197
Women’s Guide to a Career in Education #1; Goal #4;
Leadership” by Rachael George NELP #5

7/25/23- Developed curriculum, assessments, and ALL GOALS 17 214

7/27/23 resource guide for district as a 2023-2024
PLC lead

7/29/30 Completed reading “Leadership and Goal #4; NELP 5 219

Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box” by #5
the Arbinger

7/30/23 Completed classroom transformation ALL GOALS 15 234

project
 Clinical Reflection 12/16/22

Emily Roeder

This clinical experience has been very eye opening so far. I have been spending

my time with Dr. Blum in Dallas-Center Grimes. He has been very transparent with me

about what a day in the life of a secondary principal looks like. So far, I have spent a

half day in his building where I experienced a parent meeting regarding a SPED

student, listened in on a conversation between principal and a student struggling with a

teacher, monitored passing time, witnessed a meeting with instructional coaches, and

went through details on prom all while trying to get my burning questions answered

about the job.

I have definitely learned that the job of principal can have planned meetings or

schedules for the day, but it never goes the way the day is planned to go. His meeting

with the instructional coaches set for 8:45 and it finally occurred at 10:30. The

principal has to be flexible, has to be the problem solver, and ultimately a good listener.

In our conversations, we discussed school board meetings from the school year

and the big push for banned books. It was very informative hearing a principals’

perspective on how to handle political issues creeping into education and how to

handle those tough conversations while remaining composed and community focused. I

gained a better understanding of the relationship between principal, superintendent,

school board, and community through those conversations. All of these roles have to

work together in the system and co-exist, even if there are differences in ideas or

opinions.
 We also talked through the systems improvement piece of being an administrator.

There can be push back, but including colleagues in the process allows for more

discussions and cohesion in the building. In the last two years, they worked on

introducing a 4X4 block system and it required a lot of planning and going back to the

drawing board in order to make the change possible. Our BLT teams are so important!

Quick fixes are not the best courses of action to see lasting change.

I have learned about the importance of shared vision. When there is no clear

vision, how can we work cohesively and even have shared goals? A lack of shared

vision means there is not a team. There also does not have to be just a district mission

and vision. It can be at the building level as well. DC-G High School has their own

vision and goals which guide the professional learning, the climate of the building, and

teaching practices. Being in DC-G provides a completely different viewpoint of culture

and community from Des Moines Public Schools.

I have always found it difficult to have a change in mindset and organization

skills. It seems as though in the principal role the work is never finished. There is

always more to be done and you have to manage priorities. Time management is key.

Another challenge I’ve been wrapping my brain around is being the “boss”, but not

being able to be the expert at everything or able to provide an answer for everything.

For me, I try to answer emails within twenty-fours to keep on top of what is going on,

but that is difficult when you are the one calling the shots or having to facilitate

conversations and questions.

I have been struggling with being a younger teacher in this program and within a
leadership role. I do not have as much experience as many do within this program or

that principals have, but I do have a fresh perspective. I have been struggling with the

sense of being ready to take on this role and feel confident in this type of position. I

should have taken the plunge and joined BLT at the beginning of the year or found

more ways to showcase my new knowledge and skills. I am not the PLC lead, but our

leader has had a variety of health complications, so I have stepped up to facilitate our

weekly meetings when needed.

After semester one, I now know it is a very thankless profession being at the top.

And I thought being a teacher was thankless. You have to wear so many different hats

and be an ear for everyone. It is probably very exhausting being the manager of not

only adults, but students. You always hear about teachers or parents griping about

administration, but they deal with a lot more than what we know. They are always at

extracurriculars and staying hours after the bell rings.

I have now learned and gained a better understanding of the NELP standards. I

should have guessed there were also standards to be met for admin, but I did not know

they existed. Even watching for a half day, the principal had to have experienced

working through a majority of the eight standards.

I have also learned building leaders do not have to sit alone at the top. Being

collaborative and being a listening ear for teammates really does go a long way.

Relying on other principals and building leaders can be helpful too for working through

ideas or building your own positive mental health. Hearing and listening to other

perspectives only makes you a stronger, more understanding administrator.

 Before this course, I had not really thought about education and schools as

systems or what a system really was. There are so many components to a working or

not working system and the principal has to find ways to get to the root of issues to

help propel the system forward. This idea made me think about our sessions on joy and

what are the root issues and how we can work towards solutions.

I have learned so much through this clinical experience so far. I look forward to

diving deeper with equity and inclusion, student/teacher learning, and so much more.

Reflection on Culture Pre-Assessments for EDL 274

Emily Roeder

I decided to take a look at three of the four assessments. I started with the cultural

competency assessment. One of the reasons I chose to apply for a teaching position in Des

Moines Public Schools was the diversity and the opportunity to explore curricular topics and

activities you might get the experience to tackle in more affluent or less diverse areas. My first

year of teaching was during Covid and George Floyd happened that summer. It was a horrific

and eye opening time in DMPS. No one felt like they had the right words to say or the answers

to make things better. All we knew was that we had to do better for our students. Since then, I

have prided myself on wanting to continuously learn and grow just as much as the students. I

have made it my mission to utilize social emotional learning in my classroom to better

understand what is going on in their lives and how I can help make learning a safer and more
welcoming space. This is never an area a white, privileged woman can be perfect in, but it is

an area I plan to prioritize for all of my students and my own cultural understanding.

The next assessment I took was the privilege assessment. I had a lot more “move

forwards” than move backwards. My mom came from a family with no money, but she worked

three jobs to pay her way to be the first college graduate in her family. My parents are both

white and worked hard to help me pay for a lot of my education. I was very lucky compared to

many. I am so grateful for my upbringing, but sometimes I do feel like I would be a better

educator if I knew what it was like to experience poverty or have different colored skin. My

kids just see another white teacher coming from a private institution. It is the relatability piece

that is difficult.

I finished with the how privileged are you quiz. We have taken several of these types of

assessments in professional learning. I will be honest, I scored pretty high on this test. Nothing

really surprised me with my results, especially after taking the previous assessment. I have

always known that I am privileged because of my family and experiences. I do not take those

things for granted, but it does remind me to take a step back and be more cognizant of my

words and actions. In my opinion, these results are just a reminder of your life experiences. It

is what you have learned from that knowledge and how you apply it that matters. I know I will

never experience a mico-aggression made towards me. How am I going to look out for those

that may experience that feeling and what am I going to do about it? I am intrigued to learn

more from this course. This is applicable content for any education work, but particularly in

the DMPS setting.