VENTURA COUNTY ROUNDUP : Ventura : Principal Attends Harvard With Peers

The principal of Lincoln Elementary School was one of five California teachers who attended a two-week course for educators at the Summer Institute at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education in Boston.

Valerie Chrisman attended the Art and Craft of the Principalship course June 29 through July 9, featuring nationally known educators who shared their insights about innovative education.

The program attracted 120 educators from public and private schools throughout the United States, along with others from Bermuda, Argentina, India, Korea, South Africa and other nations.

“The first time I heard about the summer institute was when I was attending graduate school,” Chrisman said. “It was then that I set it as a goal and knew that I would really love to take part in the program.”

Chrisman holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and Spanish from UCLA, elementary and secondary teaching credentials from UC Davis and a master’s degree in administration from Pepperdine University. She paid the $5,000 expense of the program, but said it was worth it for the knowledge that she gained.

Among the speakers were Robert Kegan, who spoke on transformational learning for school leaders that stressed professional development for educators; Roland Barth, institute founder; and Alfie Kohn, who spoke on redesigning schools to encourage students to value education and good character traits above possible reward.

She said she was most impressed by Norman Kunc, an educator with cerebral palsy who spoke about what disabled individuals want and need from those without disabilities.

Upon her return to the district, Chrisman wrote a 10-page action plan for Lincoln Elementary School and ways to integrate the innovative ideas from the institute into the daily instruction at the school.

She said Joseph Spirito, superintendent of the Ventura Unified School District, requested that she make a 20-minute presentation to other district principals last week summarizing what she learned at the institute and expressed plans to send two principals from the district to the 2000 summer program.