Welcome

About This Portfolio:

Hello! Welcome to my Teacher Leadership and Coaching Portfolio. My name is Cindy Kaardal. I have worked at International Schools for 14+ years as an elementary school teacher, an ICT specialist teacher, a curriculum coordinator, and a technology and innovation coach (elementary school and then K-12). I am passionate about student agency, creativity, authentic technology integration, and empowering teachers through coaching cycles. At the beginning of my coaching journey, I found the Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership and Coaching program at Ferrum College. It looked like a great progression for me to stay accountable to learning with a purpose and serving as the best coach I could be for the teachers I work with.

In this portfolio, you will see examples of work I created throughout the program at Ferrum College. As I am in a coaching position, a lot of what I have created has a coaching lens, even if it falls under a student learning outcome for "Leadership" or "Instruction." I wanted to attach as many visually appealing artifacts as possible, rather than essay formats, but in order to really showcase some of the student learning outcomes there are one or two essay/written coaching cycle formats in the portfolio. I think this portfolio shows growth as a coach and teacher leader as I progressed through this program.

Philosophy of Teacher Leadership & Coaching Practice Statement

My May 2024 Philosophy of Teacher Leadership and Coaching Practice Statement can be found in this blog post (opens in new window).

Table of Contents - Student Learning Outcomes

The following are the Student Learning Outcomes from Ferrum College's Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Teacher Leadership and Coaching program. In each artifact, I will identify which outcomes relate to the work completed.

I. Leadership Focus
1.1 Students will function in an educational leadership position.
1.2 Students will distinguish between concepts of leadership.
1.3 Students will analyze school achievement data needs to construct school improvement plans.
1.4 Students will use the knowledge of theory to solve problems.
1.5 Students will demonstrate understanding of the various cultural, social, political, legal, and ethical issues that impact education.

II. Instructional Focus
2.1 Students will demonstrate understanding of the relationship between educational theory and practice.
2.2 Students will compare and contrast curriculum models.
2.3 Students will apply knowledge of the theory of learning in all aspects of instructional design.
2.4 Students will plan instruction according to subject matter, curriculum, and community goals.
2.5 Students will demonstrate knowledge of research-based models of critical thinking and problem-solving.

III. Coaching Focus
3.1 Students will demonstrate understanding of current coaching research and models.
3.2 Students will develop a theoretical background for working as a mentor and an instructional coach.
3.3 Students will utilize assessment data to make informed decisions about coaching and instruction.
3.4 Students will apply skills for mentoring novice teachers and for engaging in coaching relationships.
3.5 Students will identify mentoring and coaching models designed to promote professional growth.

Final Reflection

A reflection of my time in this program can be found in this blog post.