The Challenges Of Leadership In The Danielson Framework For Leadership

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.

In the book, The Moral Imperative of School Leadership, the author, Michael Fullan explains how school leadership should

When school leaders communicate effectively, and allow for collaboration students learn, parents and community members understand and support what the school is doing. In order for the process of teaching and learning to move forward or to evoke change school leaders must be effective communicators, by being articulate, and having a shared vison with their staff. School leaders have the ability to impact the school culture, and student achievement through their setting the teaching and learning conditions in their school.

A school leader is an educational leader who fosters success of all students by leading the development and alignment of the organizational, instructional and assessment strategies that enhance teaching and learning. As an instructional leader, the principal should set and communicate high standards for curricular/instructional quality and student achievement.

Building leaders are tasked with creating and sustaining a culture of learning. School culture is built through administrators stewarding a school vision. As an administrator, the vision is crucial to leading change. This living vision provides a focus and gives intentional direction to the organization. All stakeholders have to be involved in the developmental process, only then will stakeholders be vested. A principal has to articulate the vision through their actions and words. Leaders

Leithwood et. al., (2004), as a result of their review of the literature on school leadership, conclude that not only is leadership “second in strength only to classroom instruction” but also “effective leadership has the greatest impact in those circumstances (e.g., schools ‘in trouble’) in which it is most needed” (p. 70). A comprehensive longitudinal study of Chicago’s public school reform during the 1990’s revealed the importance of school leadership to student achievement. Overall, Bryk (2010) found that school leadership as having an influence on all organizational

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

As an educational leader I believe that an effective school cannot function in isolation. Therefore, as a leader I will look into my environment as a resource of collaboration. Additionally, I would well incorporate resources, school community, and district community colleagues in a way that contributes promoting collective progress towards the vision and goals of school improvement. I also believe in the responsibility and ability of the management team and teachers to contribute to the development of knowledge of best practices and school

The continuous pressure from accountability in schools is rapidly growing in the United States to ensure all students have an high quality education and that they are college/career ready. Since the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2001, school leaders and teachers are becoming more accountable in showing growth and proficiency student achievement. Therefore, schools are exploring a variety of avenues to help prepare students for their annual state assessment and accountability measures. Studies in recent years have indicated that school leaders can have both a direct and indirect impact on student achievement. There continues to be ongoing research emerging to determine how school leaders can have a significant influence towards student achievement. Though the evidence that leadership affects student achievement is primarily indirect, principal behaviors and decisions can continue to serve as a driving-force of what occurs in the classroom (Leithwood, Patten & Jantzi, 2010, p. 673).

Fifth, success is predicated on what transpires in the classroom (Guskey, 1999; Guskey, 2010). The classroom is the only place where student learning can improve. However, “significant change is tied more directly to well targeted, high-quality, ongoing, job-embedded professional development (Guskey, 1999, p. 44). Teachers must have a clear understanding of what students should know and be able to demonstrate because such clarity can guide educational reform

I deeply value having a servant, transformative, progressive leaders. The administrators of a school have a significant influence on the school’s success and effectiveness. Miriam Webster Dictionary defines leadership as “the power or ability to lead other people”. Educational leadership is tremendously more involved than basic types of leadership because it has a direct effect on the life-long learning of students. My personal definition of leadership is seeing where an organization currently is, where it needs to go, and developing a plan of action of how to get there. As a leader, I want to be present in the school, observing student learning, evaluating teachers, and giving performance-based feedback. I anticipate these changes to have a constructive and progressive effect on the schools I will work for in the future, but most importantly they would have an ever-lasting effect on the thousands of students that come through the

Leaders influence others toward improvement in educational practices and identify with and contribute to a community of learners and leaders in the teaching sector.

Teachers were walking away each week with new learning; however, there was very little, if any, time spent on reviewing student work samples and adjusting instruction based on feedback. I decided at that point it was time to make a change. In the spring semester, we began a series of PLCs entitled Keep, Change, and Action. We began by looking at student work samples collected from around the district. These samples were placed on a large poster and teachers were given time to review the

"Research and experience help us recognize that high-quality ongoing professional development that deepens teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills; provides opportunities for practice, research, and reflection; and includes efforts that are job-embedded, sustained, and collaborative will assist in the goal to remain up-to-date (Sparks, 2002)." the district created the curriculum and should be responsible for sharing the vision of a Rigorous Curriculum with the teachers. Ainsworth would agree that there are many facets to understanding and carrying out the units of studies utilizing his methods. The types of professional development the teachers need would cover Understanding by design, teaching standards, common formative assessments, lesson planning, differentiation and scaffolding for struggling students. Unfortunately, the district limited time to implement professional development since the elementary teacher have chosen not to attend the second Wednesday professional development. This means the district professional developers will have to use the two full days and three half days strategically, prioritizing based on need and also offering choice base PD so teachers can select options based on where they are in the learning process.

Professional development that provides teachers with the tools and knowledge to effectively use data is necessary for improving student outcomes