Leadership Cycle 2

Part I: Reflective Narrative Template

Step 4: Reflect
Part I: Reflective Narrative Template
Directions: Reflect on your learning and equitable leadership development throughout Leadership Cycle 2 by
responding to the following prompts (no more than 4 pages) in terms of your leadership capacity to
co-facilitate collaborative professional learning and implementation of an evidence-based strategy. Type
your responses within the brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts.

1. Cite evidence (including the agendas and minutes, group work products and initial
implementation results, videos and annotations, and/or group feedback on the process) of
how your actions affected members and influenced progress toward meeting the group’s
goals to address a problem of practice and monitor initial impact on student learning and/or
well-being.
[ Upon reflection, I feel confident that the introduction of communities of practice (CoP) to
School S. has made a significant impact on the student's learning and well-being. Prior to the
implementation of Cycle 2, School S. did not have formal communities of practice, rather
discussions were informal and organic without an identified need or facilitated direction. In the
planning meeting, I provided the CoP with the school mission and vision statements,
demographic data, and multicultural instruction teacher survey data (Key Collaborative Work
Products (KCWP), pp. 1-2). I also shared the educational focus as identified by interviews with
stakeholders of the school: improve multicultural education to increase equity and engagement
while empowering all students. (Planning Meeting Minutes, p. 1). Next, I shared data, a
definition of a problem of practice (POP), and examples of evidence-based instructional
strategies (EBIS). I facilitated a discussion inviting all opinions, thoughts, and ideas from CoP
members to identify a problem of practice and an evidence-based instructional strategy to be
implemented at School S. (Planning Meeting Minutes, pp. 1-2; KCWP, pp. 1-2). As evidenced
in the minutes of all Step 3 meetings, the video clips, and the video annotations, I worked hard
to be an equitable leader consistently providing opportunities for co-facilitation of the meeting,
community sharing of experiences, data, successes, and challenges (Meeting #1-3 Minutes).
These opportunities built open, honest communication among the group members and provided
a culture in which all thoughts could be openly shared and discussed.
As evidenced by Step 3 Meeting #1 Minutes, I provided an opportunity at each meeting
to revisit the co-selected community norms listed on the Agendas. I also asked for member
sharing to amend or modify the previously co-identified EBIS. My actions guided the group to
unanimously chose an EBIS of content integration through the use of multicultural
authors/creators. I directed the group to consider multiple options for pre-assessment that
would assist the group in tracking progress and monitoring the EBIS implementation. Through
open dialogue, it was clear that the members were a bit apprehensive about the assessment. To
provide equity for all learners I asked the group to consider an assessment that could be
accessed by all students in our K-8 community. I guided the group to consider assessment with
our educational focus in mind, being sure to assess for engagement, student learning, and
empowerment/impact on student well-being (Minutes Meeting #1, p. 3). Our group collaborated
to determine the next steps as evidenced by Meeting #1 Minutes, pages 3-4. We agreed to
pre-assess students and begin implementation.

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 Leadership Cycle 2
Part I: Reflective Narrative Template

At ACT Meeting #2, I asked all members of the CoP to share their implementation
celebrations and challenges in addition to sharing initial data. As evidenced in Meeting #2
Minutes, pages 1-2, the group members shared that pre-assessment data across all grades
clearly showed that students are in need of multicultural instruction. Specifically, data in grade
three showed that only 4 of 27 students could locate Egypt on a map or knew anything about
Egyptian culture or traditions (Meeting #2 Minutes, p.1). This data along with art
pre-assessment data showing that only one of 32 students had a basic knowledge of Mehndi art
led the group to an important discussion about implementation progress. After sharing initial
data, in an effort to co-facilitate with a focus on equity, I asked group members to share their
thoughts on the next steps in implementation. The group agreed that at the time of meeting #2
they were content with the implementation process and determined that continued
implementation and data collocation was needed (Minutes Meeting #2, p. 2).
As evidenced in meeting minutes for all ACT meetings, my co-facilitation utilizing
visioning, collaboration, voting, and request for feedback by all members guided the CoP to
work together equitably, and also provided for goals that would impact all learner's academic
and social well-being. ]

2. Cite evidence (including the agendas and minutes, group work products and initial
implementation results, videos and annotations, and/or group feedback on the process) of
how effectively you maintained a high standard of professionalism, integrity, and equity (e.g.,
respect for diverse viewpoints) as you worked with members of the community of practice.
Include how you established and maintained the same expectations of others.
[ At our planning meeting I shared my excitement and appreciation for members
participating in a CoP that would have an important impact on the lives of our students. With a
goal of equitable leadership, I began by facilitating a discussion to set community norms. These
norms were signed and typed at the top of each Agenda. We agreed to listen to one another
and be open to trying new things (Agendas). In addition, as evidenced by video clips 1-3 and
video annotations, I actively worked to provide a culture of open, safe, and positive discussion.
To this end, I asked for sharing of both successes and challenges, validating both. I also
worked to provide space for teachers to offer diverse viewpoints on the challenges and
experiences in implementation. Specifically, I worked to validate challenges while also gently
reminding the group to stay positive, focused on the important work of the CoP to engage,
empower and impact the lives of our students through the equity provided by multicultural
education. This is evidenced by the meeting minutes and meeting feedback forms provided by
each member at the end of each meeting. I used the members' feedback to modify my
facilitation and continue to provide a CoP culture of positive collaboration as noted by all
community members. As noted on Meeting Feedback form 2/8/22 in regard to the question
“Did the facilitator maintain professionalism and integrity?” Teacher M. stated, “Yes, she allowed
time that was needed to share our thoughts and concerns about our lessons. we are able to get
ideas and advice from our fellow teacher and our facilitator” (KCWP, p.4). In light of this
feedback, I provided ample time for concerns, sharing of ideas, and advice at each meeting. ]

3. What aspects of school culture and context influenced the co-facilitation of a community of
practice at your school, and what actions did you take to respond to these contextually
based challenges or supports?
[ School S. is a small private school that at times has a culture that becomes stagnant.
Administration and educators are satisfied with continuing strategies that have worked in the
past, often giving little focused energy to finding new ways of instruction. The opportunity to

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 Leadership Cycle 2
Part I: Reflective Narrative Template

facilitate a community of practice truly influenced our community. The principal as well as CoP
teachers actively engaged in the implementation of the EBIS. Through data collected as
evidenced in the KCWP, all classrooms showed a direct impact on student learning and
well-being. Facilitated implementation built multicultural awareness aligning our efforts to the
school mission and vision.
Facilitating the first community of practice meant that I needed to get the principal and a
variety of teachers who taught grades K-8 to sign on to participate. This was a challenge, as,
without prior experience participating in a CoP, our overworked teachers had little reason to
agree. Thankfully, with my enthusiasm shared openly, and the notion that with our work we
would make a difference in the lives of our students, the participants signed on. Through
implementation discussions as evidenced in the video clips, annotations, and minutes, our
community members quickly saw the impact of their work. The students' learning and emotional
well-being were impacted. Specific evidence is shown on KCWP page 8 “My Adinkra Design”
where a student shares her learning about the symbols and meaning of the Adinkra cloth. It is
clear that through the implementation our students grew in awareness and this student chose to
create her cloth with the freedom sign, time changer symbol, and justice symbol. As evidenced
by the post-assessment, this student believes she can have an impact on her community. My
enthusiasm and belief in our goals and objectives spread through our CoP. It is clear that with
my intentional, consistent positive reinforcement, the teachers found pride in their work and the
successes in their implementation. ]

4. Analyze your strengths and areas for growth in co-facilitating a community of practice.
Reflect on initial implementation results, the group’s feedback to you, and research related
to equitable leadership development, adult learning, or group co-facilitation.
[ As I began this cycle I had never participated in a community of practice. I have learned
a great deal about CoP design and facilitation. My strengths are 1. My research and design of a
slide deck to assist my CoP in analyzing data, mission, vision, POP, and EBIS. I appreciated
the importance of using data and the mission and vision of the school to identify a POP and
then choose an EBIS for implementation. In order to assist my colleagues with understanding
what a CoP is and how we were to proceed, I created a slide deck that was used throughout the
cycle. This deck included definitions needed, data collected, and evidence-based instructional
strategies. I am proud of this deck as it truly helped the CoP to co-select and implement the
EBIS(Planning Meeting. Minutes). 2. I grew in the strength of planning by using the meeting
feedback forms to guide my weekly agenda creation and also help me to identify the needs of
my CoP members(KCWP). 3. I was strong in communication with my CoP members, as I
found that informal check-ins when passing in the hallway, or popping into my colleagues' rooms
really helped me to measure the overall tone of the group from week to week in order to support
them in their implementation, assessment, and progress monitoring.
Through facilitation, I realized important areas for growth. 1. Although I am an equitable
leader who consistently works to encourage and model a culture that is positive and also
provides space for the sharing of diverse views, I realized that I needed more facilitation tricks
and tools. I had a preliminary understanding of adult learning, and through research learned that
Wegner tied adult learning to CoPs explaining that “adult learners benefit from actively testing
new ideas, starting small while they incorporate new techniques, and getting feedback on their
progress. The facilitator’s central responsibility, then, is to support teachers’ learning during
Community of Practice (CoP) meetings”(Wenger, 2006). 2. With this correlation between adult
learning and facilitation guiding me, I researched and then worked to implement several of
Active Presence’s 16 Process Tools for Effective Meeting Facilitation. I equitably facilitated
visioning, sequential voting, priority setting, and multi-voting (Active Presence, n.d.). 3. Finally,
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 Leadership Cycle 2
Part I: Reflective Narrative Template

I have identified an area for growth in my need to develop my equitable facilitation skills by
learning how to co-facilitate discussions when the implementation is not working or the overall
tone of the group is one of frustration or lack of motivation. ]

5. Based on the analysis of your experiences in Cycle 2, identify specific professional learning
goals and describe next steps for growth.
[ Cycle 2 began with a great deal of learning. Works by Wenger-Trayner (2015) provided
an introduction to communities of practice identifying three crucial characteristics: domain,
community, and practice. With this new understanding of the structure and goals of CoP, I
worked with the administration to analyze school data and co-identify an educational focus at
our school site (Evidence: Step 1 Investigate). I facilitated a planning meeting in which I guided
the group members to utilize data and evidence-based research to co-determine a problem of
practice and evidence-based instructional strategy (Evidence: Step 2 Plan). Next, I learned to
write effective agendas in addition to using newfound techniques to co-facilitate meetings with a
focus on equity(Agendas). I worked to find ways to provide an honest and open space for
sharing that validated both challenges and successes. I guided the group through using initial
data to analyze the implementation and determine the next steps (Evidence: Step 3 ACT and
Meeting Minutes). Finally, I used group member meeting feedback, group discussions, and data
to consistently reflect on my growing facilitation skills working consistently to provide equitable
leadership and opportunities for adult learning through facilitation (Evidence: Step 4 Reflect).
Future Goals: 1. As I reflect upon Step 3 ACT it is clear that I was blessed to have a
group of CoP members that were positive and motivated to implement the EBIS (Meeting #1-3
Minutes). Moving forward I intend to focus my attention on learning facilitation techniques for
challenging circumstances when members are not motivated or committed to the EBIS
implementation. 2. Reflecting on the Cycle as a whole, I realize that Step 2 Plan data about a
lack of multicultural education drove the educational focus and co-selection of a POP and EBIS
(Plan Document). With this in mind, I intend to learn more about assessment practices that can
be used schoolwide to provide data on equity of both academic and social-emotional learning.
Next Steps: Reflecting on Cycle 2-Facilitating Communities of Practice, I believe that my
next steps for growth are: to learn additional assessment strategies that provide data (Step 1),
research facilitation techniques for difficult CoP situations (Step 2), continued facilitation of
communities of practice with the use of newly identified facilitation strategies (Step 3), and
continuous use of feedback forms and reflection of how to use data to inform and guide the CoP
(Step4). ]

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