Feed back to the student

Elizabeth Hogan wrote on 01/14/2014

If you were the principal and needed to fill a coaching position, would you only interview teacher/coaches? More and more districts are needing to fill their coaching positions with citizen coaches.....do you feel this is a good decision? Does having teaching experience have any affect on their coaching techniques? Exp. Record #: 14035 Date submitted: 01/13/2014 Elizabeth Hogan approved on 01/14/2014 Cohort: UEN 2012

Student Name: Schroeder, Jakob John (390375)

Field-Based Internship Reflection Form For Internship Experience Standard 1: Visionary Leadership; Standard 2: Instructional Leadership; Standard 3: Organizational Leadership; Standard 4: Collaborative Leadership; Standard 5: Ethical Leadership; Standard 6: Political Leadership Title: Swim Coach & Summer Swim Program Level Secondary Elementary Secondary Elementary Time Spent 5 hour(s) 5 hour(s) 5 hour(s) 5 hour(s) Note

Standard and Criteria 2.j Visible and engaged in the community 2.j Visible and engaged in the community 5.b Demonstrates values, beliefs, and attitudes that will inspire others to higher levels of performance 5.b Demonstrates values, beliefs, and attitudes that will inspire others to higher levels of performance Briefly describe this field-based internship experience, including your specific role (1/2 page).

I have been the men?s assistant swim coach for the past six years at West High. I stay very busy as an assistant coach as we only have two coaches for 30 swimmers. I am responsible for creating work-outs, running practice, developing line-ups and entries, sending entries to teams, collecting and posting results, run off season programs for lifting and swimming, making purchases and working with a budget, and developing age group (elementary) swimmers during the summer. In the past I spent most of my time with the varsity swimmers which involves fine-tuning stroke technique and conditioning them to get in shape. This year, because we have a new head coach, I have been given the task of teaching our new swimmers how to actually swim (most people would not believe me when I tell them we have kids who do not know how to swim or have never taken swim lessons). This is an entirely different role for me as I must teach these swimmers everything, and I mean everything! This has been a lot of work, but is a very rewarding experience when you can see these new swimmers develop and improve each week and eventually they are able to do something they have never done before. I never thought my years of teaching swim lessons would be necessary to coach high school, but that experience is certainly paying off! Swim season is very busy and I see my athletes more than they see their own parents. We practice every evening for at least two hours and three days a week we have an hour and half morning practice (with the last coach it was four days a week for two hours in the morning), and at least two hours on the weekend. On weeks with swim meets I might be with the swimmers for nearly 30-40 hours and that does not include time spent out of practice working on a line up, preparing results, or spending time looking up results on future opponents. Because of this I must be constantly aware of the impact that I have on these young men and the outcome that my actions can have on them. I know I am a big influence on the lives of these young men and I must always act appropriately and set a good example for them. I know my coaches in the past definitely had a very positive impact on me, and I want to have the same impact on my athletes. With swimming I am also a member and involved in the Iowa High School Swim Coaches Association where we are always striving to improve swimming in the state of Iowa. And besides coaching in season I spend time in the summer helping to develop some of our age group swimmers who are in elementary and middle school (some of our future Wahawks). Getting these swimmers ready now will pay big dividends down the road when they come to high school already knowing how to swim and compete. Reflect on what you have learned from this experience, from mentor discussions, and how you will use this learning in future administrative leadership roles (no more than 1/2 page).

03/02/2014 08:20:37 PM

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Being a swim coach has probably been my most influential experience for preparing me to become a principal. As a teacher I am mostly limited to my classroom, but as a coach I am out and about interacting with many people. While I do spend most of my time with my athletes, I also spend a great deal of time with other adults such as parents, coaches, referees, and athletic directors. While it is very easy to figure out what my athletes need from me, dealing with other adults can be much more difficult as many have competing interests in what they want and expect from me. As a principal I will be expected to put in long hours on the job, as a swim coach I am already prepared for this. With in-season and out of season coaching I am very well primed to work long hours as I have been doing for the past six years. Just like coaching I will be visible in the community and must understand that I am never off the job and must always conduct myself in a professional manner. Being in the position of coach or principal (and teacher) always makes for an awkward decision at social events with parents. Some might expect you to have a drink with them and be social while others will frown on that decision. My coaching experience also helps with my credibility; I am not just a leader in the classroom, but also out of the classroom. I will always have a great appreciation for teachers who are also coaches and are involved with extracurricular activities. No matter where I am a principal or building leader I will always support and advocate for extracurricular activities as I have firsthand experience with the benefits they have on our students. I am seen mostly by my swimmers, but I am also seen by the public when we host meets or travel to an away meet. I have had many proud moments with my swimmers which mostly involve seeing them reach their potential and achieve their goals. But as a teacher and leader I am most proud when opposing coaches, referees, and parents compliment my swimmers on their appearance, manners, and sportsmanship. This truly makes me feel like we are not just teaching our students to become athletes and learn how to swim, but they are also becoming responsible young adults with skills and experiences that are applicable in the real world. Mentor(s) Mike Landers The date approved by his/her lead mentor: 01/13/2014

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