Leadership And High Stakes Testing

As with the importance of selecting a highly qualified principal to help raise test scores and closing achievement gaps, the selection and support of staff is also critical. Gregory F. Branch, Eric A. Hanushek, and Steven G. Rivkin’s 2013 study “School Leaders Matter” examined the effectiveness of many principles’ leadership and the effect they had on student achievement ratings. “A primary channel through which principals can be expected to improve the quality of education is by raising the quality of teachers, either by improving the instruction provided by existing teachers or through teacher transitions that improve the caliber of the school’s workforce” (Branch, pg.4). A principal must be able to continually seek out professional development, to research best practices and new educational theories to support their staff and students. If principals are to close the achievement gap, they must be willing to inform and instruct their staff on new teaching strategies. Mr. Canada, from his TED talk, “Our failing schools. Enough is enough!”, states: “You go into a place that has failed kids for fifty years and say: ‘so what’s the plan?’ And they say: ‘Well, we are going to do what we did last year, this year’. What kind of business model is that?” (TED, 2013). The principal willing to venture into new, uncharted waters may succeed or fail, but at least they

Research determined the leadership styles chosen by principals in assessing themselves, as well as, the leadership styles identified by faculties and staffs. Three divisions (Washington, Wise and Wythe) participated in the study. An analysis of the data was performed utilizing an ANOVA and t-tests. The ANOVA and all t-tests concluded that no significant difference was present regarding principal leadership styles as compared to that of their faculties and staff. Additionally, the ANOVA and t-tests determined that there was no significant difference in faculty and staff perceptions based on their placement in either the elementary or secondary

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)

Consequently, the rational step taken is to deconsecrate schools into outwardly irreversible place of esteemed value of social order (Kozol, 3). He further noted many ways of opening the issue in complete observation of the class, which he believed can be attained by the quotation of many respected people’s word, such as Horace Mann who was diffident in articulating the real utility of public schools. Nonetheless, he also provided some other ways of embarking on this which he conscientiously noted that has exposed their conjecture of public schools as adults (Kozol, 4). Additionally, he said the best way of achieving this is by disseminating this purpose to students through dialogue as recommended by Doris Lessing (Kozol 4). Finally, he stated that there is no deceit of learning to be a responsive, affectionate or sympathetic person.

The teachers profiled in “Unforgettable Miss Bessie”, “My Favorite Teacher”, and “And the Orchestra Played On” are remembered and admired by the narrators. Miss Bessie, Miss Hattie, and Mr. K. possessed significant qualities that made them remarkable educators. They inspired and encouraged students. They only wanted the best for their students and prepared them for their futures, enabling them to overcome difficulties in school. Besides the content of their subject matter these educators their taught students to believe that their lives and future all depends from themselves: whether they would choose the clean asphalt road or dirty, bumpy one.

Everyone has, at one point in time, been taught how to do something. Whether it is how to tie one’s shoes or how to do long division, teachers have been around to help people learn forever. Teachers are an integral part of today’s society, and they will continue to be an outstanding asset in the lives of all the students across our country for centuries to come. Because of teaching’s impact on today’s world and children, I chose to interview my former North Allegheny GOAL teacher, Mr. Dan Williams for my Honors American History GREEF project.

Currently, I am not an employee of any learning organization, school district or educational system. However, I am involved and Chair the School Advisory Council (SAC) of Greenland Pines Elementary. This opportunity granted me a unique opportunity to observe the management of two different principals with their individual leadership styles. Furthermore, I contrasted my business practices from my own company and military service to coincide with this case study. The purpose of this paper is a comprehensive written outlining the processes presented by the educational leadership at Greenland Pines Elementary. With this in mind, we need to understand the concept of educational leadership.

The study sample were 141 middle level principals from Western Pennsylvania who worked with grades fourth through ninth, specifically targeting 8th graders. The principals represented urban, suburban and rural school districts in Western Pennsylvania.

The watching of the videos “The Principal Story” and “North Grand” in combination with reading the textbook “Leading in a Culture of Change” by Michael Fullan and our class discussions have provided me with many insights about my future as a high school principal. I have served as a mathematics teacher for almost twenty-three years and have served in many leadership roles throughout my career, however my participation in this course has verified that, although I have a strong foundation of knowledge, I still have much to learn about leading a school. I am coming to understand the position of principal is a monumental task and should be entered with into with much thought. Holding this role as principal requires that I use this position to

This study seeks to examine a principal leadership style and its effects on teacher job

According to the authors of this article (Donaldson, Marnik, Mackenzie, & Ackerman, 2009), principals need to concentrate on the development of skills and behaviors in order to be successful in motivating, leading, and changing the direction of a school. The successful principal understands that there exists a fine balance of caring for others and the need to accomplish specific tasks (Donaldson, Marnik, Mackenzie, & Ackerman, 2009).

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.

Shut up, turn around, eyes, front, go stand in the corner till you can sit still and be quiet, detention, if you don’t pass this class you will be back in this grade next year, and lastly, don’t make me call your parents. These are some of the things I heard from my teachers 30 years ago while I was in school, and they were not idle threats like so many of them are today. Today’s educators have a much softer approach to educating and controlling students than teachers of the past. Today’s philosophy of no one left behind and letting children figure things out on one’s own are complete opposites of the controlled, almost military drill teaching style from my youth. So which style is better? This paper will inform you about an educator from the past that ruled with a strict educational policy of teaching. First I’ll tell you a little back ground on this teacher, then talk briefly on a few of his teaching philosophies, a research study on the teaching styles of the past and present and there results, and lastly I will conclude with a final thought I would like you all to answer truthfully to yourself.

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

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.