My Purpose For Seeking A Master 's Degree

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 authors are as followed: Gene E. Hall, Linda F. Quinn, and Donna M. Gollnick. Hall is a Professor of Urban Leadership at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Quinn is a full professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, and Gollnick is the Chief Academic Officer of TEACH-NOW, an online education program in Washinton, DC. This all points to experience and credibility. All authors are collegiate professors, as well as Quinn and Gollnick are specialized in education. This gives the article credibility, strength, and is not bias.

Successful administrators possess the necessary attributes that help them make decisions and solve various problems. All school leaders, regardless of their title or role in a building or district, will face obstacles involving individuals, community members, staff, and students. In order to address these challenges, leaders must understand the issue, formulate and apply a solution, and then reflect on their implementation of the solution to decide whether or not it is improving the situation. By no means is this an easy task, but effective leaders must strive to make sure their students, personnel, and constituents are being led down a path that will lead to overall academic and personal success. According to Young (2008), “as such,

The primary reason that I desire to become an educational leader is because I want to make a positive impact on the lives of students and teachers. I feel that it is very easy to lose sight of the goal of education, to provide students with the skills they need to be successful in their lives. This goal often becomes overshadowed with all of the other demands that are placed on teachers, students, and administrators. I want to be innovative in finding ways to work smarter instead of harder to relieve some of the stresses that are felt by the school’s students, teachers, and other faculty

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.

Leadership is an essential component of a schools’ success or failure. Learning By Heart, by Ronald S. Barth provokes teachers and administrators to reflect on their practices and contributions to their school. Roland Barth offers us different viewpoints on educational reform from his own experiences in education from being a public school teacher and principal to being a Harvard University faculty member. He mentions how school improvement and restructuring will come from within every teacher and administrator not from any program because “schools are not capable of improving themselves”.

Love, N., Stiles, K., Mundry, S., & DiRanna, K. (2008). The data coach’s guide to improving

Achieving a school district’s mission and vision requires the commitment of its stakeholders. In order to involve them in the process, it is necessary for educational leaders to “motivate staff, parents, students, board and community members” (Educational Leadership Constituencies Council, 2002, p. 4). The transformational leadership theory emphasizes the importance of educational leaders acting as role-models in order to motivate and inspire the school community. This approach has the potential to involve all stakeholders, leading to increased student success (Bush, 2007). The Assistant Director of Special Education in Northwest ISD directly supervised the school district’s assessment staff. Her education, experience, and passion set an example for her subordinates, stimulating them to achieve more, leading to her promotion to Executive Director of Student Services.

Throughout my life I have fought to determine what my meaning in life is. Suddenly one day I found that meaning and it was to help those who needed it the most. As a current employee in the Human Services field, being a caregiver for the mentally and intellectually disabled has made me realize what my meaning in life is. Each and every day I strive to make a difference in a person’s life by assisting them to become more independent. For instance, every night that I pull out of work I smile, because I know I have made a difference in someone’s life other than my own. It is off extreme importance to help the people who cannot assist themselves on their own.

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.

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.

In this essay I will identify the reason I want to continue my education through Spring Arbor University. I am currently a registered nurse in an emergency department and have been for almost 6 years. I have been in charge of the unit many times and have enjoyed teaching others. I would like to advance my degree for multiple reasons. The primary reason is that a Master’s degree is distinguishable and shows commitment to the field of nursing. Furthermore, it shows dedication and motivation of an individual to complete a degree that only about ten percent of nurses are able to accomplish.

My plan is to pursue a Master’s Degree in Computer Science with a focus on Computer Security part time at Portland State University starting in January of 2016. My motivation for seeking a masters degree is two-fold: first, after years of self study and independent research and learning, the depth and rigor provided by a graduate level academic program will significantly solidify the skills and knowledge I have gained. Second, the in-depth knowledge that comes from a graduate level program will prove invaluable in furthering my career. Both my current position, Mobile Security Engineer at Nike, and any future security related positions stand to benefit from a graduate program. My current full time employment in a security related position is what shapes my decision to enroll in this program part time. The combination of my academic preparation, personal interests and research, and my current and past employment give me the knowledge and experience to excel in the program.

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

I elected to pursue a master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MSLIS) to enhance and legitimize my analytical and research skills and enrolled at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC to establish my career in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I am currently finishing my last semester of coursework at and will graduate in May 2016. I have uniquely tailored my coursework to meet my needs, specialize in my areas of interests, and prepare me to be successful scholar capable of working with diverse communities. My expansive approach to LIS education reflects the interdisciplinary nature of our field. As one example, I concurrently completed two experimental learning opportunities that infused critical theories into my reading, writing, dialectic exchanges, and practice: an Independent Study on Critical Perspectives in Library and Information Studies and a Library Instruction Practicum at Georgetown University’s Lauinger Library. I have also pursued two cognate courses in Catholic’s MSW and MA Sociology programs: Community Organizing for Equitable Development and Advanced Sociology of Education, respectively.