Ideal Principal Project

Based on the Robert F. Kennedy High School case I feel the leadership challenges are very complex having multiple layers. As King pointed out there was no clear leadership. The leadership that was present experienced difficulties with balancing power. The assumed leaders displayed they held more clout and powers over the established leaders. There was open disagreements and lack of communication among the staff which resulted in high tensions. When looking from the human resources frame the staff, administrators and student alike were not getting their needs me. There was problems such as safety concerns that created an atmosphere of fears coupled with administrator staff that was not wanting to provide adequate safety precautions to address

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.

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

Servant leadership is key- Educational leaders must have the interests of the children as their main concern. Hall’s use of fear to achieve results created a bigger problem within the school district rather than solving it. Listening to teachers’ difficulties and working directly with those inside individual schools will help leaders identify and solve problems, as Errol and Castarphen have done and will continue doing.

Effective leadership has been identified as a critical component for guiding school improvement; however, leaders who fail to establish a vision supported by thorough analysis of student performance data will be unlikely to focus instructional changes in critically needed areas.

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,

Many effective leaders inspire the loyalty of their followers whether it’s something negative or positive that’s coming their way. In many businesses, hospitals, and schools, steps are being taken to find ways to solve the problem. Simply ignoring a problem leads to dissatisfaction. Sometimes it may seem like an unrealistic expectation for a superintendent to have all the solutions, but it is human nature that the followers look to the leader for

Every person who enters the field of education has both the opportunity and an obligation to be a leader (Dufour, Marzano, 2011). Leadership defined by Owen (2002) is, “A journey of discovery. It is the expression of a person at his or her best whose aim is to transform something for the better and to develop this potential in others. It is not a solitary pursuit but one that harnesses the energy of those around you. Leadership is a process in which leaders and followers engage to achieve mutual goals. Prentice (2004) defines leadership as the accomplishment of a goal through the direction of human assistants. A great leader is one who can do so day after day, and year after year, in a wide variety of circumstances.

Hillard (2011) asserts that with the passing of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) bill, educational leaders face more challenging leadership responsibilities than ever in the history of education. The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) has set stringent standards that school principals must meet before they are deemed qualified to lead instruction. This includes completing formal Educational leadership programs, the passage of an examination demonstrating their skills and knowledge, and a certification process. However, school administrators are still concerned with not having enough time to provide instructional supports to teacher. In addition, it is nearly impossible for principals to be content experts in every subject, especially in high school settings.

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

In the movie Remember the Titans Julius Campbell, an All-American defensive end, tells his teammate, “Attitude reflects leadership.” This is true on school campuses. Principals need to speak with faculty, staff, students, and parents to learn what areas need to be addressed on campus. They need to develop plans based on what the students need at an individual school. Principals also must expect that all faculty, staff and students will adhere to the policies and expectations. Passing out rewards, modeling correct behaviors, recognizing student and staff, and staying on board with the program serve to keep the whole team motivated and

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

Leadership is often times confused with management, but they are in fact two separate and equally important aspects of successful organizations (Kotter, 2001). Leadership applies “power to influence the thoughts and actions of other people” (Zaleznik, 1992, p.2), while management is more concerned with handling problems as they arise (Kotter, 2001). Kotter (2001) and Zaleznik (1992) both discuss how leaders may be developed in different settings. The school district I work in practices growing leaders. Employees are identified for their leadership qualities and then the school district assists them with acquiring their administration degrees. Finally, they are transitioned from the classroom to administrative positions within the district

In today’s society, most people settle for “good enough”. Individuals, groups, schools and organizations are not pushing for the greatness they could achieve. In order to transform a school from good to great, you must have an amazing leader. There are four basic stages to transition from good to great: disciplined people, disciplined thought, disciplined action, and building greatness to last.