Effective Elementary School Coaching Model

The ever-changing landscape of education and school accountability has given rise to a renewed focus on shared leadership. In the past, the principal was viewed as the primary decision maker within a school. However, Glickman (1989) points out that it is impossible for school principals to effectively complete all the necessary instructional and managerial tasks within schools. He contends that some teachers have more leadership abilities than the actual administrators and that “in successful schools, principals aren’t threatened by the wisdom of others, instead, they cherish it by distributing leadership” (Glickman, 1989, p. 8).

The responsibility of preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s future involves more than orchestrating the curriculum students learn and the teachers who teach it. It involves the ability to employ the leadership styles fluently based on the everyday demands of running a school (Goleman, 2000). Informed by both research and real-world application, the Wallace Foundation identified five key functions of a successful leader: “shaping a vision of academic success for all students, creating a climate hospitable to education, cultivating leadership in others, improving instruction, [and] managing people, data, and processes to foster school improvement” (Harvey, 2013, pg. 4). To be an effective 21st century educational leader, one must cultivate a sustainable vision and school culture which are globally-minded, yet locally applicable to the community they serve.

Principals are under increased pressure to create systemic change within their school. Providing leadership coaching will give principals the tools they need while on the job and can improve their interactions throughout their workday. The purpose of coaching is to move from one place to another (Reiss, 2007, p. 54). The coaching model in the executive world has various models which supports the concept of helping leaders reach their next level with improved thinking skills or clarifying purposeful action to achieve challenging goals. Coaching develops leaders or gives leaders an additional edge (Allison-Napolitano, 2013). The coaching process is successful in helping individuals and organizations through change (Reiss, 2007, p. 56).

Transformational leadership, whilst being value-based and vision-driven, utilises a process of influence with intentions, in order to build school and community aptitude, in addition to staff morale (Leithwood, Harris and Hopkins, 2008). Transformational Leadership was initially presented by James Burns. He describes this style as being identified when “leaders and followers make each other advance to a higher level of mortality and motivation” (Burns, 1978). Morale and motivation are increased by leaders who successfully inspire the followers by means of positive motivation, role-modelling and engagement via effective communication. Seligman (2011) further supports the concept of success being led by positive motivation and positive emotional involvement. He extends his research on positive psychology, outlining how optimism, combined with transformational characteristics, enables people to grow, and subsequently enhances the process of change and transformation.

This influential work on “A Vivid Illustration of Leadership: Principals” Actions Propel Struggling Schools Turnaround work grew out of an urgent need to transform a high poverty high school. The author of this research discovered a framework between leadership, classroom teacher and learning. And so, this article discloses research that indicates the effectiveness of leadership and the kind of leadership needed to improve student achievement. Therefore, a leader must be a visionary and move with urgency to transform the learning environment. The purpose of this study was to explain the impact of effective leadership on school reform and to show how effective leadership methods are used to improve a high poverty high school. Because the leader

When considering leadership studies, the research is quite prolific. Leadership occurs in every facet of social dynamics to varying degrees. In education, specifically elementary and secondary education, the hierarchical approach of a top down leadership style has been the accepted norm with the principal as the figurehead of the school. In the past, the principal served the role of a manager and not a leader. However, in today’s changing educational climate of accountability and high stakes testing, the principal’s role continues to evolve into one of an instructional leader first who also has managerial duties. Cheney and Davis (2011) acknowledge this changing role stating “The job has evolved into a highly complex and demanding

Although administrative support is often included in school climate, research has focused specifically on principal leadership and its relation to teacher retention (Hirsch, 2005). Effective leaders foster collaboration and create opportunities for teachers to learn from one another throughout their careers (Wong, 2004). While ineffective principal leadership often leads to teacher attrition, effective principal leadership often leads to teacher retention. School leaders can control the quality of teaching force at their school by hiring high-quality teachers, strategically retaining good teachers and removing poor teachers, and developing the teachers already at their school (Loeb, Kalogrides and Beteille (2012). How principals execute

Principals must be taught by universities and and preparation programs transformational leadership practices. This will prepare them to use accountability and achievement data to drive instruction, serve as an instructional coach, challenge the status quo, motivate and mentor staff, manage personnel, handle disruptions in and out of the school and understand economic, social technological and global change on schooling.

Dr. Francis Kellar, a professor at the University of Southern California and director of New Teacher Support at Alliance College Ready Public Schools, and her equally qualified colleague, Dr. Julie Slayton, who possesses degrees in both educational policy and law, combine their research and experience concerning educational leadership characteristics to create a well-organized and extensive scholarly article that manages to overstate its own importance. The main purpose of their research includes the encouragement of further exploration into the interconnected relationship between leadership styles and psychosocial factors that affect principals’ leadership capabilities. By organizing their article so that it addresses the studies on leadership

The findings of this study provided information to stakeholders in educational settings such as administrators, boards of education, and teachers with knowledge on the dimensions of teachers’ perceptions of their principal’s leadership styles to strengthen weak aspects of educational leadership. It uncovered information linked to reducing high teacher turnover leading to increased job satisfaction and raising student performance levels.

Marzano, McNulty and Waters propose five steps for a plan of effective school leadership. The first step is developing a leadership team with purpose. The definition used for a purposeful community is one with the collective efficacy and capability to develop and use assets to accomplish goals that mater to all community members through agreed-upon process (Marzano, et. al, 2005). The second step is distributing some responsibilities throughout the leadership team. The third step is to select the right work. The fourth step is to identify the order of magnitude implied by the selected work. The last step is to match the management style to the order of magnitude of the change initiative. The last step incorporates whether this is first or second order change.

In a well-researched and scholarly book, Doctors Joesph and Jo Blase accomplish two tasks: outlining how principals should apply instructional leadership skills while performing their jobs, and describing how principals should maintain positive relationships with their teachers while still effectively leading. As well published, credentialed authors in the field of educational leadership, the both of the Blases serve as credible sources on the topic. To accomplish their desired tasks, the authors divide the book into brief chapters that each explain either an attribute of instructional leadership or a method for maintaining positive principal-teacher relations. According to the authors themselves, the book’s shows “what successful instructional leaders do to enhance teaching and learning and the effects that their behaviors have on teachers’ performance and well-being” (xiii). Through the authors’ careful organization of research, use of primary sources, and use of secondary sources, the book accomplishes this goal.

Transformational leadership style can inspire and motivate others to the next level and achieve higher goals or the goal at hand. For example, principals influence and motivate staff that works under their leadership. Principals evoke a following of staff to follow his or her insights into the task, ask questions, and solve problems. Principals also consider staff, students, and parents.

Transformational leadership style can inspire and motivate others to the next level and achieve higher goals or the goal at hand. For example, principals influence and motivate staff that works under their leadership. Principals evoke a following of staff to follow his or her insights into the task, ask questions, and solve problems. Principals also consider staff, students, and parents.

Effective school leadership today must combine the traditional school leadership duties such as teacher evaluation, budgeting, scheduling, and facilities maintenance with a deep involvement with specific aspects of teaching and learning. Effective instructional leaders are intensely involved in curricular and instructional issues that directly affect student achievement (Cotton, 2003). The writer of this paper acknowledges that school principals should play the role of instructional leaders, not just a school manager. The reality is that are many demands on a principals time and management skills making it difficult for most of them to spend time in classrooms, when performing teacher evaluation. Principals often make sure that teachers