Creating an Induction Model for School Administrators 89convincing evidence of leadership behavior patterns and the presence/absence of key
leadership skills.
Figure 1. Regions of North Carolina.Monthly Internship Seminar
Over 80 interns gather each month at a local high school to participate in a series of
activities which include group discussions about internship experiences from the previous
month; a review of artifacts related to leadership standards; engagement in reflective activities
related to licensure exam; and participation in activities which spotlight key issues facing
school leaders in the accountability age.
Electronic Internship Portfolio
Interns participate in ongoing reflective practice throughout the internship. This includes
weekly journaling related to their experiences and the consistent relating of experiences to
standards and key behaviors. Interns collect relevant artifacts and other documentation that
confirm and exemplify authentic learning experiences during the year. Beginning with the
2007-2008 school year, the portfolios will be completed, developed, and housed
electronically.
INITIAL INDUCTION STEPS
The previous examples are types of pre-service activities that resulted from an ongoing
collaborative approach involving research, dialogue, teamwork, and the willingness to
participate in ongoing trial-and-error efforts. Resulting from such planning and discussion,
the Department noted the emerging needs found among new principals within the region.
Especially noticeable was the significant number of interns being very quickly promoted by
the district superintendents into leadership roles along with an increasing number of interns
transitioning from the internship directly into principalships.
With the possibility of new principals being especially vulnerable to the increasing
number of potential stressors and derailers during their first years on the job, the Department
developed strategies to help and support on-the-job graduates. Some initial steps included: