Effective Leadership Course Analysis

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)

The second quality of an effective leader is to have a vision. The vision should also include the schools missions, purpose and goals. The principal should be progressive and constantly looking for ways to keep the staff and students motivated to work towards a common goal. As an effective leader you must continuously promote the vision. This could be done with a school created slogan that fits the community. Most people want to belong and feel a part of something successful or on the path to greatness. It is a wonderful feeling to be a member of a successful school community where people really

As one leads with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner, they lead by modeling those values and beliefs that belong in an educational setting. They show concern and care personally for the students, staff and communities learning, behaviors, and lives. Leaders promote a culture of openness and trust. They model appropriate behavior and skills to improve learning and engage others to share in this process through collaboration.

According to author John C. Maxwell, “Good leadership isn’t about advancing yourself;it’s about advancing your team.” Much like Maxwell’s quote, I strive to advance my peers and my fellow students at South Florence High School. In my years at South Florence I’ve done my best to lead and be an example at this school by not only participating in clubs, but by doing my best academically. One thing that coincides with great leadership skills is a strong sense and acceptance of diversity in our school environment. Attending a school with a diverse student body helps prepare students for the culturally and ethnically diverse nation which we will be entering after we graduate and begin our lives.

A wise man once said; “flat terrain never made a skilled soldier.” As you progress through your career and advance your knowledge of your tradecraft you must learn to adapt. Having served on a Brigade Combat Team and a Division Geospatial Information and Services Team I felt ready to serve as a Squad Leader and Senior Geospatial Engineer Sergeant within a Brigade, but nothing could have prepared me for the challenges I would face serving as a Senior Geospatial Engineer Sergeant on a Combat Aviation Brigade’s Geospatial Information and Services Team.

This leadership course has taught me to the importance of leadership and what it means to be a leader. That leadership is something that is learned and developed over time. To set goals and encourage those who are involved in accomplishing the goal. Being a leader more than just having follower, but to have enthusiasm, courage, humility, and integrity. This course have also helped me understand how to not only apply leadership to my personal life but to the working atmosphere.

Throughout the semester we have had many conversations relating to diversity, time management, conflict management, as well as community service. Interestingly enough, we have not had an explicit conversation regarding the qualities of a leader, or what the title even means, since the beginning of the course when we wrote our leadership statements. At the beginning of this course, I described leadership as intuition, awareness, humility, courage, setting an example, and the willingness to be a team player. Through the conversations we have had, I now know this is not all it takes.

What do you know about yourself that you did not know at the beginning of this course?

It is vital to the success of our schools, including student learning, that school leaders have the skills, abilities and knowledge to lead effectively throughout the school environment. There is a limited amount of research available to assist school districts with the selection of appropriate professional development activities for administrators (Grissom & Harrington, 2010). The Wallace Foundation has researched the area of school leadership since 2000 and has published more than 70 reports on the subject (2013, p.5). Through their research work the Wallace Foundation is clear on the depths of the school leadership role and its complexities. The work through the Wallace Foundation states leadership is only second to classroom instruction among factors which impact student learning (Wallace Foundation, 2013, p. 5). Harvey and Holland (2012) in another Wallace Foundation research paper found improving school leadership ranks high on the list of priorities for school reform.

Leadership can be difficult to define because it has different meanings dependent on the audience. As an administrator, it is important to assist teachers in educating students’ growth of knowledge and help them understand that learning is a continuous process. Learning is not something that happens overnight, but something that happens as a result of continuous practice and the development of skills in a classroom. In my experience, teachers act as guides to field questions, provide logical directions to assignments, and help students have confidence. These are three important factors that have influenced my decision to become an administrator. This positive leadership philosophy of education believes that the purpose of schooling is to provide an opportunity for all students to acquire a quality education in a safe, nurturing, and positive environment. Education is the sole means for breaking down barriers. Finding the appropriate leadership style

In her week 7 lecture, Sister Patricia discusses the various leadership styles and identifies pros and cons of each. But the most significant idea for new principals is to identify where the staff is in their professional development, and move forward from there. Principals will be more effective if they start where the staff is and take time to learn about the school as the new school community learns about them. Depending on the professional development of the staff, the principal may have to rely on a number of different leadership strategies and organizational

After reading chapter 1 of School Leadership that Works, it is evident that leadership is considered to be vital to the successful functioning of many schools. A few aspects of schooling that have been linked to leadership are clear mission and goals, overall climate, attitude of teachers, classroom practices of teachers, organization of curriculum and instructions, and students' opportunity to learn. “Students in effective schools as opposed to ineffective schools have a 44 percent difference in their expected passing rate on a test that has a typical passing rate of 50 percent.” (Marzano 3) Because leadership is perceived to be important to the successful performance of schools, no wonder that an effective principal is thought as a necessary

As building level administrators deal with the day to day workings of the school. They need to understand that the need to develop relationship with everyone. These leaders have to become the premier experts in recognizing diversity and knowing excellence teaching when they see it.

One constant need of all communities, organizations, states and nations is that of quality leadership. Northouse (2007) describes school leadership by stating that it is “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 3). Northouse defines a “process” as a collection of systems in which the leadership and member of the school share in the development and delivery by joining behavior, policies and focus. In this many way an effective leader must embody certain competencies and behaviors.

The Leadership and Organization Culture of a school is a conundrum, something less tangible than the black and white policies written in a manual. While these aspects of leadership culture, even defined, can be difficult to explain, it is best for a leader to attempt an explanation, then it is for a leader to remain silent to the school’s community need for a greater understanding of its deeper operations. Here is a brief attempt, if not flawed, at articulating the characteristics of a strong leadership and organization culture.