[Ous-lp-rp13] EDAD 6020, Response to Question #3

[Dustin Tyler]

*Response to Ashton Miller Wheelersburg Middle School sounds like a great
place to work.  The ability to collaborate with a group of people that show
collective efficacy would be just like a family.  The teachers would take
care of one another. I also worked with a group of first grade teachers
that had an amazing amount of collective efficacy.  We took care of each
other, came together everyday and planned because what we would get out of
getting together would be far better than “doing our own thing”.  We would
informally discuss teaching practices, discipline techniques, and overall
what is best for children. We also would travel to the principal’s office
together to resolve issues or find out information.  We were all on the
same page from the principal, to the grade level, and most importantly we
put our minds together having the goal whatever decision we make it will be
best for kids. I believe we had a lot in common with your school when
reading your answer.  I completely agree that you can see what teachers
have high self-efficacy and which ones do not within the first few minutes
of walking into their classroom.  Most all teachers that I have seen with
high self-efficacy are very effective instructional and behavior educators.
They have a certain ability to rub off on their peers to make them better
educators as well. Education is a competitive field amongst teachers and I
am one that is always looking to steal hacks, and good instructional
practices from friends.  As a administrator these are the types of teachers
that I would lean on to set an example of what I would like to see in my
building.  Educators with self-efficacy will lead to collective efficacy of
a group or school of educators.  Overall, these two working together would
be imperative to have a healthy, successful school.  "I do not have a
school of my own, but I completed my student teaching at Wheelersburg
Middle School and in this school building, I saw both collective efficacy
and self-efficacy.  All of the teachers that I worked around and
collaborated with in the fourth grade definitely showed collective
efficacy. They are all supportive of each other, believe in one another,
and are always more than willing to do what is best for the students.  When
changes need to be made, they take all of the students into consideration,
as well as one another and how changing the situation will affect one
another. The principal at Wheelersburg Middle School, Dave, also shows
collective efficacy to his staff, from what I observed.  He is very
supportive and motivating and he is always willing to listen and help and
do anything he can to help his staff and/or help the students. For
collective efficacy to be present there has to be teamwork and each member
of the team has to care about one another and want to achieve a goal that
the group has set.  I could definitely see that occurring at Wheelersburg.
I think that self-efficacy is something that you have to have in order to
be a good teacher, and especially to be a teacher that makes a difference.
You have to care about others and you have to have the motivation to make a
change. I feel that all it is obvious when a teacher has high
self-efficacy.  You catch the feeling when you walk into the classroom. My
mentor teacher for my student teaching was Lori Suter. I truly have never
in my life met someone who has more self-efficacy than her.  Not only is it
apparent that she knows what she is doing, but also she is always very
confident that what she has planned is going to make a difference and help
the students learn. She cares about her job more than anything and her
motivation and confidence is sky high.  She is so determined and committed
and when you enter her room, you just know those things about her. She does
not need anyone else to tell her that what she has planned is going to work
and she does not need reassurance. I hope that when the time comes and I am
a school administrator, I am lucky enough to have teachers with
self-efficacy like hers.  More than that, I am thankful for the experience
that I had with Lori because it taught me so much about myself. I learned
so much from her about how to teach and that experience definitely built on
my level of self-efficacy. I could also observe that the other fourth grade
teachers also had high self-efficacy, which I would say was one reason that
their collective efficacy as a grade level was so high. Collective efficacy
and self-efficacy are both extremely important in order for a school to run
smoothly and for goals to be met.  All team members have to support one
another, as well as be encouraging and willing to help to benefit the team.
Before collective efficacy can be a thing, self-efficacy in each individual
of the team or group needs to be stable and established.  If you have
confidence, care, motivation, and drive in yourself, you are more likely to
spread that to others and build a strong sense of collective efficacy."*
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