~Individual Reflections Log #1~
Transformational leadership is the type of a leadership that, when employed by the leader, is able to get stakeholders to buy in to the vision for the organization and work together for real change. Along the path of transformation, the leader guides the group toward a goal, while often not setting the exact course to get there.
To get a real sense of transformational leadership, one can consider the things that it is NOT. Transformational leadership is:
- NOT a tit for tat relationship
- NOT a 'do as I say' relationship
- NOT management
- NOT about rewards and punishments
- NOT about being in a power position
It is my opinion that many teachers consider the principal the manager of a school. The principal works to set the schedules, coordinate staff development, keeps the day to day operations of the building going, etc... The reason I think many teachers see principals as managers, rather than leaders, is because the principal may not be as enthusiastic or as clear about a plan for transformation. In many cases, the teachers see each new year come with a new initiative, but don't grasp how it's all part of a larger picture. I think the most important part of being a transformational leader may be making sure that the folks you are working with realize that there is a transformation in the works. After this week's readings and discussions, I have been reflecting more carefully on the role of our elementary level principals. I know they work to develop a sense of camaraderie between staff members and around the vision for their building.
For instance, this school year we will be introducing the role of literacy coaches in two of our buildings. How this introduction of the new role is handled by the principal, how literacy coaching fits into a larger vision, and how literacy coaching is defined for staff will affect how successful this will be. As I reflected more consciously about our principals, I realize that they work hard to keep staff focused on the vision of student achievement and they allow the staff to develop unique plans for working with students toward that goal. However, I am not positive that the staff are always fully invested, or if they are simply 'doing' the business of the activities. I will be watching this much more closely after the readings and discussions.
A transformational school administrator that has the development of successful citizens as a school vision could easily be passionate about integrating technology with instruction as a way to make that vision become reality. Student learning (about themselves, about their learning, about the world) is a topic that all teachers are interested in and passionate about. The use of technology for learning is not a new idea, but is new to many teachers that have believed technology to be an add-on or supplement to 'regular' classroom activities. The knowledge that the world has changed and technology is a learning tool, is an idea that a transformational leader can really get behind. Many teachers need the leader to show them the big picture of what is going on with instructional technology and help them figure out the pedagogical modifications that need to be made. The leader can employ the use of technology tools to guide the staff to figure this information out as a community of learners, almost as students of the principal in a project based learning experience. Staff will come out of an experience like this with the ability to reflect on how the use of an online community worked for them and the leader can take that opportunity to compare the experience to the classroom experience. The technology is NOT the focus, the learning is the focus. The leader will have to remain focused, enthusiastic, and supportive.
I have been a leader in the area of instructional technology in my district for the past five years. I have goals, I work to encourage buy in and am very passionate about my vision for instructional technology. I cannot say that I am a transformational leader in this area, as I cannot yet say for sure that I have any followers!
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