A Vision Of School Leadership

This past school year I have been social chair of Nursing Students Without Borders. I have organized, implemented and hosted social events throughout the Fall of 2016 and the Spring of 2017. This past year the leadership of NSWB has worked to make NSWB community focused which is why the position I held was added this past year. I have been able to mentor a pre-nursing student through NSWB. I was able to answer the questions honestly from a pre-nursing student and provide support during the application process. I have been able to participate in leadership meetings and have learned how to plan well and how to improve event planning.

As a teacher-leader, I have been assigned a number of wide-ranging and important informal roles in my career thus far that have enabled me to support and contribute towards the success of not only my students, but also my department and my school as a whole. By assuming these diverse leadership roles, I have been able to develop professionally, improve student attainment, positively influence the teaching and learning practice of my peers and contribute towards the culture and ethos of the schools I have worked in.

Leadership is a process whereby a person influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. A principal is a vital position because it ultimately leads to student achievement. As a principal I must be a culture manager, change agent, community builder, and ethical leader in my school. Being an effective principal requires setting a clear vision and mission statement, providing shared leadership in the school so that collaboration and mutual decisions are happening daily, producing an environment that all students feel safe and secure in while learning, and many more other important duties that are student focused.

Who school leaders are – what they do, attend to, or seem to appreciate is constantly watched by students, teachers, parents, and members of the community. Their interests and actions send powerful messages. They signal the values they hold. Above all else, leaders are cultural “teachers” in the best sense of the word. (Deal & Peterson, 1990, p. 201)

In the book, The Moral Imperative of School Leadership, the author, Michael Fullan, discusses how a school ran with moral imperative will benefit everyone involved. Fullan summarizes how principals who share the leadership role and work collectively with others find success. He lays out the ways to change the context of your campus, defines some barriers of school leadership, and how to make a difference at the individual level and at the school level. He also discusses how to make a difference beyond your campus, expanding to regionally and society. Lastly he demonstrates how a new direction and new context require the individual and system to work together towards successfully changing the culture of your campus.

Above all else, I view leadership within the school system as essential for its success. My cumulative experiences provide a strong background that will allow me to excel as a school leader. I possess an understanding of the challenges and intricacies of a wide variety of school systems, ranging from small rural programs to inner-city and sub-urban high schools to research universities. My experience teaching at the college level gives me a unique perspective that will allow me to guide a program aimed at cultivating high school students capable of excelling in their educational endeavors. In addition, I believe that to be a truly successful leader, one must have a clear understanding of the challenges faced by educators. My years as a high school teacher have provided me a keen perspective in this regard. University of Northern Colorado’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Program will be an invaluable avenue for me to learn from experienced educators as I hone my leadership abilities with the goal of using my life to lead improvements in the public education system. I look forward to the opportunity to develop as an educator,

Leadership is a privilege that carries with it many responsibilities to inspire others, and to direct individuals to attain the vision and goals of an organization. As an effective leader it is my job to be flexible, be an excellent communicator, be a person who leads by example, and is an individual who is committed, resourceful, and reflective. Achieving the characteristics above, I have developed a definite purpose in mind; one that is shared and modeled in and outside of my school environment. With such growth mindset, I teach, present workshops and empowers others to make decisions that will develop future leaders. To lead by example, I became a mentor for first-year teachers. Furthermore, I orchestrate educational committees, encouraging

Using the 21 leadership responsibilities, which are based in research as being correlated with student achievement as the basis for a strong and balanced leadership framework. What has become clear to me is that just as we ask teachers to be intentional and show the purpose of their lessons, we too as leaders need to be very clear about creating a purposeful learning community. In their interviews with principals, it was said that none were outstanding leaders when they started. It was the only attained by working hard overtime. Patters started to emerge across these highly successful leaders and through qualitative analysis six common traits were identified: deep conviction & moral purpose, a selfless, iron will to improve performance, a deep reservoir of optimism, emotional intelligence & relationship building, a commitment to self-improvement and less mystery, more

The hallmark of my leadership is that it is not only defined by and confined to what I do in Kohler High School, but also by the impact I’ve had upon the other pillar institution in my life: North Shore Academy of Gymnastics.

This paper explores numerous published articles discussing research on implications of different leadership techniques and effective school systems. Discussions of various leadership strategies and their real-world applications within school systems are implemented throughout this paper along with considerations of teacher retention and multiculturalism. Personal experience is also a key element of discussion in this paper. With all faculty and staff of school systems considered and being represented.

educational leadership." Journal of School Leadership 23.4 (2013): 664+. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

In some situations, leaders are viewed as someone who simply gives orders and others do the majority of the work. This perspective is far from the reality of becoming an effective principal. I feel it is vital to delegate tasks to others; successful principals must take control of the important situations and lead by example in their buildings. This course has shown me how essential communication, planning, and becoming a focused leader truly is to the success of a school. I have a great deal to learn and skills to develop to become an effective leader. This course has helped put leadership into perspective and the qualities required to develop into the best possible educational leader. Throughout my final courses I will continue to develop skills and create an even higher level of leadership

Numerous people in today’s society believe that a principal’s only occupation is to “be in charge" of the school where he/she is employed. In reality, the principal of a school is considered to be the “leader of the pack”. “Leadership, as moral action, is a struggle to do the right thing according to a sense of values and what it means to be a human being” (Sergiovanni, T.J. 2005). The leadership that a principal provides should demonstrate that he/she cares about the staff/students, that he/she learns daily from their accomplishments/failures, that he/she is willing to take risks that could lead to school improvement, and that he/she is a trustworthy person. Based on past experiences, the previous discussion, and the review of literature,

As I began this Leadership in Education course, I entered with an open mind and eagerness to learn about varying leadership styles and approaches. Over the years, I have fortunately been exposed to numerous genuine, caring, exceptional leaders in higher education. They all shared one commonality: student-centeredness. This has been my compass and guides me in my work. Through this course, I wanted to learn how I can better support students, whether directly or indirectly by leading other professionals and para-professionals in their work with students.

The concept and practice of teacher leadership have gained momentum in the past two decades. Teachers are assuming more leadership functions at both instructional and organizational levels of practice. Empirical literature reveals effects of teacher leadership practice, teacher leader characteristics, and conditions that promote and challenge teacher leadership.