The Importance Of Effective Leadership And Its Impact On Improving Student Achievement

This past school year I have been social chair of Nursing Students Without Borders. I have organized, implemented and hosted social events throughout the Fall of 2016 and the Spring of 2017. This past year the leadership of NSWB has worked to make NSWB community focused which is why the position I held was added this past year. I have been able to mentor a pre-nursing student through NSWB. I was able to answer the questions honestly from a pre-nursing student and provide support during the application process. I have been able to participate in leadership meetings and have learned how to plan well and how to improve event planning.

As a teacher-leader, I have been assigned a number of wide-ranging and important informal roles in my career thus far that have enabled me to support and contribute towards the success of not only my students, but also my department and my school as a whole. By assuming these diverse leadership roles, I have been able to develop professionally, improve student attainment, positively influence the teaching and learning practice of my peers and contribute towards the culture and ethos of the schools I have worked in.

Teachers as leaders. Crowther, Ferguson and Hann (2009) in their book, Developing Teacher Leaders (2nd ed.) defined that “Teacher leadership is essentially an ethical stance that is based on views of both a better world and the power of teachers to shape meaning systems. It manifests in new forms of understanding and practice that contribute to school success and to the quality of life of the community in the long term.” They also described the six elements of Teachers as Leaders Framework. (Crowther, F., Ferguson, M., and Hann, L. (2009). P.

Orr, like many others, believes that a teacher leader is someone who “impacts education beyond their own classroom”; however, she is quick to point out that she believes it is more than just the work teachers accomplish with administrators within their own schools. Orr wants the idea of teacher leaders to encompass far more than that.

Palmer Lake Elementary School refers to a public elementary school located in Brooklyn Park. The school has 678 students with majority being Whites and non-Hispanics. The teachers; population is between 40 and 50 teachers: 6 speech teacher, two reading teacher, 3 gym physical, two music teachers, 28 for regular classes, one media. Accordingly, the ratio of students to teachers is approximately 15:1. Each class has varying number of students ranging from 19 to 28 students. Approximately 54 percent of the students are male and 46 percent are female. The percentage of students eligible for subsidized lunch is 65. This essay examines the leadership skills and styles of Dr. Tim Brown after an interview in his office. Dr. Tim is the principal of Palmer Lake Elementary School and plays the following roles. First, he shapes the vision of academic success and instructional competence for all students and teachers respectively. Second, he plays the role of creating a climate and environment that is hospitable for learning. Third, he cultivates leadership in other teachers. Fourth, he is answerable to external stakeholders such as parents and state education authorities concerning the school’s performances and use of resources. Effective educational leadership is a continuous process that involves self-examination, learning from others, collaboration and sustainable use of resources to accomplish the goals and

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

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,

Number of studies have asserted that teaching experience of principal positively associates with his/her instructional leadership (Eberts & Stone, 1988; Glasman, 1984; Hallinger, 1983; Leithwood et al., 1990). Studies have identified personal values of principal to indirectly shape his/her attention to varying aspects of educational programs (Barth, 1980, 1990; Cuban, 1988; Glasman, 1984; Leithwood et al., 1990, 1992). “Research on effects of principal leadership on student learning draws its conceptual lineage more directly from research on school effectiveness and school improvement.” (Hallinger, Bickman and Davis,

The purpose of this “Purpose, Reflective Practice, and Career Goals” paper is to reflect on how the Education Specialist program in Leadership in Educational Administration will help me to build upon my leadership skills and provide me with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively lead a school district dedicated to improving student achievement. In this paper, I explain how the program aligns with my career goals of becoming a school district superintendent and the importance of lifelong learning for educators. According to Rüprich & Urhahne (2015), teachers should set goals. I consider myself a lifelong learner with the ability to build leadership capacity and support instruction. Additionally, the Paper highlights the benefits of the program at Capella University as well as the usefulness of the available resources and the impact they will have on my learning during this journey.

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.

I think and every successful teacher will agree with me that promoting the success of every student is the main value of any educational professional and it is very important for a leader to demonstrate these traits. What is leadership? Some people think that it is good to be a boss and it is easy to rule any organization. Leadership is more than just to rule any organization. It is the development of a practice around a mission or vision and an ability to inspire others to do the same. There are three sets of practices make up this basic core of successful leadership practices: setting directions, developing people and redesigning the organization. Foster (1989) says, “Leadership differs from conventional administration in much the same way that education differs from training (p.10).” This speaks to results- to the why of teaching. And the value of a leader can be determined by their results. If their aim is high-quality education (an admittedly vague term), academic success, and well-being of each student then this is the standard by which they should be judged. Burns admonishes that “power and leadership are measured by the degree of

The role of principal has evolved over time just as our education system has. No longer is the leader of a school a mere manager of teachers and students. The current body of research shows that principals have great impact as instructional leaders when working within frameworks that inspire and support teacher growth. Student achievement is the ultimate focus and goal within any education community. We are promising families, post-secondary schools and the workforce that we will increase each child’s strengths and skills so they can be contributing members of their larger community. The goal is simple even though the road there in filled with many barriers and complexities. This is why powerful instructional leadership is essential for promoting growth and development in both teachers and students. I want to build meaningful processes that support this type of teacher growth and ensure that students do not fall through the cracks and reach their potential.

In order to make a difference in schools, we must first assess our problem areas and determine which weaknesses need support in order to ultimately boost student achievement. West Middle School suffers from a lack of innovative and research-based teaching strategies. It is not uncommon to walk up and down the halls and observe students sitting in straight rows and working on decade-old worksheets or drowning in the traditional lecture setting. This problem is compacted by our current administrator, who regularly demonstrates a Laissez-Faire leadership style. He tends to be hands off and trusts that his staff is making the best possible decisions they can for the students they serve. However, our achievement data and school culture are suffering as a result of this “status quo is dandy” approach. Administrators are becoming less managerial, and alternatively are required to take on a more significant role of instructional leaders. An instructional leader would serve West well. In order to make a real difference in my school, I need to possess teacher-leader traits that are grounded in leadership research, as I strive to inspire and direct action of my colleagues during times of change

This influential work on “A Vivid Illustration of Leadership: Principals” Actions Propel Struggling Schools Turnaround work grew out of an urgent need to transform a high poverty high school. The author of this research discovered a framework between leadership, classroom teacher and learning. And so, this article discloses research that indicates the effectiveness of leadership and the kind of leadership needed to improve student achievement. Therefore, a leader must be a visionary and move with urgency to transform the learning environment. The purpose of this study was to explain the impact of effective leadership on school reform and to show how effective leadership methods are used to improve a high poverty high school. Because the leader

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