Related Dimensions
- #1 Policies
- #4 Instruction and resources
- #6 Organizational climate
- #7 Parent and community involvement
- #8 Work performance (Tomal, Schilling, & Trybus, 2013, p. 81).
The Rationale for Topic Selection
My topic is related to first aid since this issue influences all the stakeholders of the educational process daily. Without relevant knowledge on how to provide emergency care, teachers cannot fulfill their function of protecting their students. In the situation of increased danger or threat to one’s life, the teacher has to offer medical help and monitor the student’s condition until the ambulance arrives. The suggested policy will promote knowledge among educators and will enhance their skills.
Example
As Tomal et al. (2013) remark, only with a collaborative approach can the implementation of change be successful. Therefore, I will survey teachers and faculty staff. The questionnaire will help me to identify the level of awareness of first aid methods among the school’s employees. Also, the survey will help me to find out what areas of concern exist among teachers and other school staff members.
Leadership Mission and Vision and Receiving Input from Stakeholders
The needs assessment is closely associated with the leadership mission and vision outlined for the school. The mission is to make every child safe while staying at school. Concerning the mission, the vision is to increase each teacher’s skills and knowledge on first aid so that every school employee could provide students with appropriate help and support in case of an emergency. Taking into consideration the mission and vision, it is obvious that the needs assessment should be related to input that can be received from stakeholders to enhance the instructional program at school.
According to the school’s policy, the safety and well-being of all children are priorities in every educator’s work. Currently, these values are not receiving sufficient attention and consideration. Thus, the major problem is increasing teachers’ first aid skills and abilities so that they could exercise them in case of an emergency or disaster. However, receiving input from all stakeholders is not less important. Thus, not only teachers but also parents and students should become actively engaged in the process of change.
First, it is necessary to arrange effective communication and collaboration between teachers and parents. Both of these stakeholder groups carry responsibility for children’s safety, so interaction between educators and caregivers is crucial. Parents should be able to stay connected with their children’s educators and discuss the safety issues that may arise. Secondly, schoolchildren should also be given some basic training on how to behave in emergencies. Collaboration is highly important since only by acting collectively can all stakeholder groups reach the most positive outcomes. Thus, input from educators, parents, and students is necessary to meet the mission and vision requirements.
Sample Needs Assessment Statements
- Teachers at the GEMS World Academy, as well as students’ parents, acknowledge the significance of the first aid policy for the welfare of each learner and educator.
- The successful implementation of the first aid education policy for teachers will have a positive effect on the overall atmosphere at school and will decrease the likelihood of adverse impacts of attacks or natural disasters.
Comments on My Peer’s Topic
I find a cell phone policy a rather important topic for consideration. Because of using their mobiles all the time, students become distracted and can miss out on necessary information. However, so far, teachers do not have a right to limit the use of cell phones. Therefore, the suggested policy will be helpful both for teachers and students. Educators will not be interrupted, and their pupils will receive all the amount of crucial educational data. The outlined dimensions clarify the scope of the needs assessment to a great extent.
Reference
Tomal, D. R., Schilling, C. A., & Trybus, M. A. (2013). Leading school change: Maximizing resources for school improvement. Plymouth, UK: Rowman & Littlefield Education