Things Change!

~Individual Reflection Log #3~

I had previously considered the principal to be the manager of the building. Through readings and discussions, I now see the teachers, students, secretaries and custodians as managers of the building - all under the direction of the principal. The principal is the leader of the show, as is the conductor for a well run orchestra. In both cases, the leader/conductor works hard to get all parts of the organization/orchestra to work together to make beautiful music.
I've generally considered myself to be very efficient at getting things done, and also effective at moving things forward. In the past, I might have considered these qualities enough to be a leader. I noticed over at The Edge of Tomorrow, Ben Grey states that he'd prefer to be an exceptional leader. I've given that some thought and looked around for a word that described the type of leader I'd like to be and I came up with ~ surprising. I'd like to be a surprising leader. Not surprising in the sense of being unpredictable, but surprising in the sense of being refreshing and invigorating.

I want to be the leader that promotes positivity with a feeling of shared community in a familial type environment. I want to work with staff that focus on student learning in ways that are best for students. In order to be this type of leader, I will be open and honest, as transparent as possible, support change as needed, and support staff through changes. I will lead from the front, so to speak.

These leadership goals lead right into the impact that a positive school culture would have on efforts at school reform. The culture of a school needs to be positive and supportive as school reform needs the support of the entire community. A school culture that is respectful of differences, but keeps the focus on student learning will be better equipped to work together through a school reform program that will certainly be challenging. School reform is not easy and often requires folks to rethink their practices. A culture that is able to support itself from within will be more capable of sustaining efforts at systemic change.

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Effective Leadership

~Individual Reflections Log #2~

As a non-administrator, I often find myself assessing and analyzing those in leadership positions. I really feel that I have worked to give them 'the benefit of the doubt' because there was no way I could know ALL they have to deal with. I hear many teachers say, "I'd never want to be an administrator". The reasons usually have to do with the long hours, parent issues and the multitude of personalities that must be managed.

Through readings and group discussions, it would be impossible not to look to current administrators with which I have dealings. I now look at them with new eyes. I find myself considering the different styles and methods with which I've seen them interact with staff, parents and students.

The concept of an effective leader has begun to take shape in my mind. The effective leader is a person that is able to motivate staff to work together to achieve a goal. There are many theories of leadership, with a great many focusing on leadership in business. An educational leader can incorporate many of the components of business leadership, however, there are unique components that must be focused on in a school setting. The backbone of leadership, in my opinion, is for the leader to put forth his/her principles and get the staff behind these principles toward the vision.

An effective school principal must have goals, but will be flexible in working with staff to achieve those goals. The leader will empathize with staff ~ be able to listen, hear and provide feedback on ideas and situations. As a continuous learner, the leader encourages collaboration and open communication in a positive environment. These efforts enable the stakeholders to operate with a true feeling of fellowship.

When drawing these conclusions about principal to staff relationships, I continue to see parallels to teacher to student relationships. The above writing, in my opinion, is a perfect description of a classroom community.

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