Self-Assessments

Abstract

This Professional Development Assessment and Plan compiles and summarizes my results from the following eight assessments: TELSA, Task versus People Assessment, Keirsey Temperament, Ethical Orientation, Motivation Beliefs, Conflict Style, Dispositions Survey and the ISLLC Assessments.

Personal Self-Assessments

My Personal Assessment reveals and summarizes the results of eight self-assessments. The eight assessments include: TELSA Self Assessment, Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Motivation Beliefs, Task Versus People Profile, Ethical Orientation, Assessment of ISLLC Dispositions, Conflict Style, and the State and National Standards Assessments.

Self-Assessment #1:  TELSA Self Assessment

The TELSA Self Assessment is a complicated and involved assessment tool that asks users to rate certain tasks in the areas of difficulty, importance and frequency for each task listed. Tasks are broken up into ten areas of leadership responsibility, and after completing the assessment users calculate each of the task’s scores and find the average for each area of responsibility.  Using a given scale, users are then able to rate the priority (low, medium or high) of their need for development in these areas.

The TELSA was the most difficult of all the assessments, because the user is asked to predict his or her ability to perform a task, rate the importance of the task and determine the frequency of how often that task is performed, regardless of whether the user has ever performed the task or not.  However, I feel I was able to competently make the majority of those predictions based on observations of our school leaders. Additionally, I enlisted the help of one of those leaders for those tasks with which I was unfamiliar.

According to the results of my assessment, my lowest area of required development is in the area of using technology to communicate.  This was not a surprising result, since I teach technology classes and use technology every day to communicate with students, parents, peers and leaders.  I was surprised at the inclusion of some of the older technologies, however, such as operating a slide projector or overhead projector, the former of which I have never operated in my life, and the latter of which I have not used in more than fifteen years. 

The area of highest developmental need was almost equally divided into two sections: the area of performing budgetary and other administrative duties, and the area of performing staff-related administrative duties.  This was also not surprising since I am seldom asked to perform many of the tasks listed.  However, I feel the staff-related administrative duties would rely heavily on interpersonal skills, so would be lower in difficulty to perform than the budgetary skills, which would require more technical training.

I feel that this assessment was the most valuable of all the assessments undertaken.  Although the other assessments provided important insight into different areas of leadership responsibilities and beliefs, this assessment pinpointed the precise area, or in my case, areas, of developmental need.  This assessment will be a great help in determining the focus of my internship.

Self-Assessment #2:  Keirsey Temperament Sorter

Score: Idealist Healer

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter is comprised of 70 questions designed to determine an individual’s personality type. According to the Keirsey Temperament Theory, personality types can be broken down into four basic groups, which are referred to as Artisans, Guardians, Rationals and Idealists. These four groups are further divided into four separate “Character Types,” so there are four types of Artisans, four types of Guardians, four types of Rationals, and four types of Idealists.

Based on my answers to the 70 questions, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter determined that I am an “Idealist Healer.”  In the workplace, an Idealist Healer is seen as someone who is flexible, is open to new ideas and is tolerant of unexpected complications.  I believe this is true of myself, as well as the claim that Idealist Healers are impatient with everyday details.   Like the Idealist Healer, I usually work well with others, but I am happy to work on my own. I do feel it is my calling to help others, not just in the subject matter I teach, but also in their lives—to recognize those who suffer from inner conflict and to find a manner in which to help them ease that conflict.  Like Keirsey’s “Idealist Healer,” I often find that I feel set apart from my coworkers in that I truly believe that every individual has the capacity for good. However, unlike Keirsey’s model, although I am likely to take my own feelings into consideration when making a decision, I almost always equally consider the facts, so I feel that my decisions are soundly based in a combination of both awareness of the individuals involved and the facts behind the situation.

Self-Assessment #3:  Motivation Beliefs

I believe that there are two basic types of motivation:  internal and external.  Internal motivation is derived from personal beliefs and the desire for satisfaction in job completion, whereas external motivation comes from outside the self:  advancement, salary, and tangible rewards. 

When I motivate students I tend to begin with external motivators, such as prizes, grades, praise, etc.  As the year progresses, however, I try to help them realize that true motivation must come from within.  I try to help them recognize that my opinion of their project is less important than their own opinion.   I hope to help them see that when they rush through an assignment, they are not just compromising their grades, they are compromising their “inner” integrity—that part of themselves that doesn’t rely on what others think, but on which they themselves think.  Questions like “Mrs. Miller, is this good enough?” will always be answered with, “I don’t know—is it?”  “Do you think I should change this?” is countered with “It’s your project, not mine.”  When I taught journalism, the answer was “It’s your newspaper,” and “it’s your yearbook.”  In this way I hope to help my students recognize that striving for the best in an intrinsic motivation that we must all build and keep shoring up throughout our lives.

Summary of three motivational theories and how schools could implement these theories to motivate faculty and staff:

Social Cognition Theory (Bandura, 1986):

This theory puts forth that the two leading components of an individual’s success are self-efficacy and self-regulation.  Self-efficacy is seen as an individual’s belief that he or she can actually accomplish a task or goal, and self-regulation is the planning, commitment and plan modification that individuals must be able to complete in order to actually achieve their goals. 

Bandura believed that to increase motivation, leaders should support self-efficacy and provide for self-regulatory needs.  The more people believe they can do something, the more committed they will become, and the more motivated they will be.

School leaders could implement this theory by allocating more responsibility to teachers.  Forcing strict adherence to one teaching method over another, for instance, implies that teachers don’t have the means of deciding on an appropriate method for themselves.  The trust that is implied with that responsibility would contribute to self-efficacy.  Administrators could supply the framework for decision-making, and in this way would be providing for self-regulation.

Attribution Theory (Weiner, 1986)

Weiner theorized that an individual’s success or failure is dependent upon what they think attributes to their success or failure.  Weiner theorized that an individual believes there are two explanations for success and failure:  an external cause out of his or her control, and an inner cause that comes from abilities, talents and self-belief.

It was Weiner’s thought that individuals needed to learn to stop putting blame on external forces and find the internal explanation for their own success or failure.

This would probably be the most difficult theories to implement in a school setting, because it is dependent on the individual’s ability and willingness to recognize that success or failure is not determined by an external event or individual, but by the person’s own self.  This is something I try to help my students understand—that they cannot control what happens outside themselves; the only thing they have control over is how they adapt and/or react to that external force. 

Schools could attempt to help staff members recognize their own internal abilities, talents and beliefs, and in this way help them come to realize that their own success or failure is linked to those internal forces. They could, in times of success or in times of difficulty, point out the positive decisions and/or actions taken by staff despite outside forces. 

This happened recently at my own school when a student climbed a light tower by the football field and threatened to jump.  School continued as usual with the exception of outside activities and classes, while emergency personnel were called in.  The situation was not resolved until that evening, but school released on time and teachers maintained a “business as usual” mentality, despite the fact that all administrators and counselors were at the site of the emergency.

After the situation was resolved (and the student was safe), the principal emailed the staff to thank them and pointed out the fact that although we had no control of the situation, we did control our own reactions, which in turn, helped students remain calm and continue with their day.  The principal reinforced the fact that our actions are determined by inner forces and our “success” at handling the situation was due to those very forces.

Motivation and Hygiene Theory (Fredrick Herzberg, 1959)

The Motivation and Hygiene Theory states that there are two pieces to motivation:  Hygiene, which are the components of a workplace that can contribute to the rate of satisfaction, (such as work policies, salaries, working relationships and conditions) and Motivation, which is the individual’s intrinsic need for self-value and growth. 

Schools have varied control over the Hygiene aspect of this theory, in that while they do set the policies, salaries and conditions, working relationships are harder to control.  However, steps can be taken to improve and encourage positive working relationships between teachers, as well as between teachers and administrators.

Schools could follow Herzberg’s suggestion of providing for the “Motivation” aspect of his theory by recognizing achievements, valuing teachers’ work, and providing for additional responsibilities and advancement.

Self-Assessment #4:  Task Versus People Profile

People: 13 Task: 13

I was somewhat surprised that I scored equally on both people and task, but on reflection, I realize that I find both areas of equal importance.  I consider myself  a “people person,” in that I focus on my students’ personalities and strengths rather than their ability or inability to complete a given task.  However, in focusing my answers to the profile on my own relationships and work ethic, I was able to recognize my belief that organization is just as important.  It is the framework I rely on to be consistent (thus, my concern for following standard rules and regulations) and by conforming to that framework, I am free to concentrate on the personalities I work with and teach.

Self-Assessment #5:  Ethical Orientation

Tied:  Socially Aware and Idealistic

This assessment is designed to score the ethical beliefs of the user.  My scores tied in categories three and four:  Socially Aware and Idealistic.   Although I feel there should be more questions to truly provide an accurate picture, and that the scenarios and responses presented were limited, I do believe that the outcome was accurate.  I feel that social awareness is a leader’s responsibility, while the finding of idealism mirrors the results of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. 

Idealism is intrinsic to an educator, and without it, I would never have imagined becoming a leader in the education industry. A good educator walks into a classroom steeped in the belief that every student not only can benefit from the subject they are about to be taught, but also has the ability to learn that subject.  Leaders need to echo that idealism, and further it with the belief that students, teachers, parents and the community have the desire and the need to help those students be successful. 

Without that idealism, how could leaders possibly wake up each day and go do the job that needs to be done?  How could they keep going even after setbacks, disappointments and disapproval?  It is because they don’t believe it is idealism, they believe it is fact.

Self-Assessment #6:  Assessment of Dispositions

The Assessment of Dispositions was designed to help the user become more aware of skills and inclinations in the areas of knowledge, pedagogy, leadership, technology and diversity.  I completed the assessment and gave a copy to my department head as well.  She gave me a performance rating of “T” in all areas, which coincided with most of my ratings.  However, my own rating for number 2, “Uses a communication style appropriate to the setting and audience” was an “A.”  While I feel that in the classroom—with both students and staff—I would rate myself with a “T” as well, my experience in this area outside the classroom is limited.  I need more experience with leading staff meetings and discussions.  I will need to arrange to have this type of experience in my internship.

Self-Assessment #7:  Conflict Style

High: Integrating Style;  Low: Avoiding and Forcing (tied)

Although the “idealist” in me would want to believe that we could all get along, the “realist” in me understands that the world simply doesn’t operate that way.  Dealing with conflict is something teachers have to learn to do, and discussing the situation is, in my experience, the best way to do it.  I have found that raising my voice will just escalate a situation, where as keeping my voice at a low and/or sympathetic tone often diffuses the situation just as fast. 

Students and teachers alike have the need to know that their concerns will be heard, and leaders have an ethical responsibility to hear them.  Sometimes I will concede in order for the other individual to feel as if he or she has had their needs met—if conceding is the right thing to do, but that decision can only be made on a case-to-case basis. 

Self-Assessment #8:  State and National Standards Assessments

As noted in the instructions, these standards are unfamiliar to me as an intern, and so I was often not able to discern the degree of their importance.  As a result, I gave a rating of “some degree” to most of the skills on the assessment.  However, in Competency Area 3: Integrity and Ethics, I scored each item with an “H” for high degree of importance.  This rating reflects my firm belief that leaders have a responsibility to conduct themselves with the highest degree of ethical behavior.  Leaders must be perceived as having a strong personal value system.  They must be committed to the betterment of our students, and to the belief that the rules, regulations and laws concerning our educational system have been created with the idea that all students have the right to an education, to be treated fairly, and to receive opportunities equal to those of every other student.