As You Begin Your Internship, Careful Planning Will Ensure

As You Begin Your Internship Careful Planning Will Ensure That Your E

As you begin your internship, careful planning will ensure that your experience will have the greatest value in making you an effective administrator. In collaboration with your principal mentor, and with this information in mind, outline a word internship plan that demonstrates how you will complete the required internship hours. Include the following in your plan: Description of your specific placement and schedule. A minimum of 90 hours of leadership activities in which you intend to be involved and the alignment of those activities with ELCC standards. (When possible, focus the activities on educational law and finance to reflect concepts presented in EAD-505 and EAD-510.) Artifacts that will document your activities and their alignment with ELCC standards.

Strategies to communicate and work with your principal mentor and GCU faculty supervisor. When working with your principal mentor to identify leadership activities in which you will be involved, use the “Sample Educational Administration Internship Activities Expectations” as a guide. In your next internship, you will be assessed by your GCU faculty supervisor using the “Instrument for Measuring Leadership Effectiveness.” APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected. This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite Technical Support Articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

Paper For Above instruction

The internship placement serves as a critical step in the development of aspiring educational administrators, providing practical experience aligned with leadership standards and educational law and finance. A well-structured internship plan ensures that candidates meet required hours, demonstrate leadership, and develop artifacts that showcase their competencies. This paper outlines a detailed internship plan, emphasizing specific activities, scheduled timing, and strategies for effective mentorship and supervision.

Placement Description and Schedule

The internship will be conducted at Lincoln High School, a comprehensive secondary institution with diverse student populations and active administrative support. The internship schedule spans 150 hours over a semester, with a minimum of 90 hours dedicated to leadership activities. The work hours are structured to allow engagement during both school days and after-school hours, including participation in faculty meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and leadership team meetings. The schedule is designed to provide flexibility for immersive leadership experiences while ensuring compliance with programma requirements.

Leadership Activities and Alignment with ELCC Standards

The core of the internship involves at least 90 hours of targeted leadership activities, focusing on areas such as educational law, finance, and policy development. Activities include leading meetings on school budgeting, participating in legal compliance workshops, and developing policy documents aligned with state and federal regulations. These activities are mapped to ELCC standards to ensure comprehensive leadership development.

  • Budget Management and Financial Planning: Involvement in the development and oversight of the school budget, aligning with ELCC Standard 4 (Collaborative Practices). This activity enhances understanding of financial resource management.
  • Legal Compliance and Policy Development: Participation in legal workshops and review of school policies to ensure adherence to laws affecting education, aligning with Standard 2 (Ethical and Professional Leadership).
  • Faculty and Stakeholder Communication: Leading or facilitating meetings with faculty, parents, and community stakeholders to promote transparency and shared decision-making, aligning with Standard 1 (Contextual Leadership and Building Relationships).

Artifacts documenting these activities include agendas, minutes, policy drafts, financial reports, and reflective journals that connect each activity to the corresponding ELCC standard. These artifacts serve as tangible evidence of leadership development and competency achievement during the internship.

Strategies for Communication and Supervision

Effective communication with the principal mentor and faculty supervisor is vital to the success of the internship. Regular weekly check-ins will be scheduled, via in-person meetings or virtual conferences, to discuss progress, reflect on activities, and adjust the plan as needed. An initial orientation will clarify expectations, goals, and the process for artifact collection and reflection.

The principal mentor will provide ongoing feedback on leadership activities, review artifacts, and support professional growth opportunities aligned with the “Sample Educational Administration Internship Activities Expectations.” The faculty supervisor will monitor progress via scheduled updates and review artifacts to evaluate competency development, using the “Instrument for Measuring Leadership Effectiveness.” This structured support network promotes continuous improvement and ensures alignment with program outcomes.

To facilitate communication, digital collaboration tools such as email, shared drives, and project management platforms will be utilized. These tools enable timely updates, document sharing, and reflection, fostering a collaborative environment conducive to leadership growth.

Conclusion

Developing a comprehensive and strategic internship plan supports the effective acquisition of leadership skills essential for educational administration. By clearly defining activities, aligning them with ELCC standards, and establishing communication protocols with mentors and supervisors, interns can maximize their learning experience. This structured approach not only ensures compliance with program hours and standards but also prepares future administrators to face complex challenges in educational leadership with confidence and expertise.

References

  • American Association of School Administrators. (2015). Educational Leadership Constituent Council Standards. AASA.
  • Darling-Hammond, L., & Hyler, M. E. (2020). Preparing school leaders for a changing world. Educational Leadership, 77(7), 16-22.
  • Isaacs, G., & Fitzgerald, G. (2017). Ethical leadership in educational administration. Journal of Educational Administration, 55(2), 202-214.
  • National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional Standards for Educational Leaders. Preparation Standards.
  • Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.
  • Shirley, D., & Moore, S. (2018). Financial management for educational leaders. Educational Finance Review, 23(3), 145-165.
  • Smith, J. K., & Johnson, L. M. (2016). Facilitating legal compliance in schools. Educational Law Journal, 12(4), 112-129.
  • Stone, G. (2019). Effective communication strategies for school leaders. Journal of School Leadership, 29(4), 439-455.
  • Wang, J., & Winbourne, P. (2021). Collaborative leadership and stakeholder engagement. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(2), 435-448.
  • Zeichner, K. M., & Conklin, H. G. (2014). Preparing culturally responsive teachers: The role of internships. Teacher Education Quarterly, 41(3), 89-108.