Change is Facilitated by a Positive Culture

            Change is a scary process.  Moving to Washington, DC from a little farm town in Southwest Michigan was a significant change in my life and I was very apprehensive about it.  To me, moving 13 hours across the country took me away from everything I knew and was comfortable with and the idea of reestablishing myself and adapting to a “new way of life” was very daunting.  However, the one thing that got me through this entire process was a positive relationship with my family.  The strength these relationships gave me allowed me to take on this change with full force and helped me understand how to properly survive in my new surroundings.

            This story reveals that change is hard for most people to take on.  Without proper leadership and positive relationships that facilitate support and collaboration, change is not going to be accepted or incorporated.  Peterson (2002) states, “a school culture influences the ways people think, feel, and act” (p.10).  If your school culture is not one that supports progressive thinking, does not place student achievement first, and creates a feeling of solitude within the staff then implementing the complexities of the change process is going to be very difficult.  Before any change takes place, the leader must check the cultural pulse of the school and determine what aspects of the culture are positive and should be reinforced and what aspects of the culture are negative and harmful and should be changed (Peterson, 2002).  By creating a positive school culture, individuals will be able to develop a learning community that fosters professional development that continues the process of teacher learning.  

             If teachers enjoy discussing new ways of thinking, are reflective on their daily practices, are open to other opinions, and support both professional development and student achievement then implementing change will most likely be accepted by the staff.  As a leader, it is our job to support positive school cultures because without it we will not be able to perform our job, as the SEDL: facilitative leadership, (2002) describes, “leaders, then, are change makers and transformers, guiding the organization to a new and more compelling vision, a demanding role expectation” (p.1).  Without the aid of a positive school culture that supports innovation, respect, trust, and shared leadership that balances continuity and improvement any school reform model will surely fail.  Much of the school culture is derived from the leadership, if leaders trust the strength of others and value their efforts and see the people in the organization as its greatest resource not only will change take place but it will be supported with an enriched school culture (SEDL: leadership characteristics that facilitate school change, 2002).

References

Peterson, K. D. (2002). Positive. At issue culture, 10-15.

SEDL: facilitative leadership (2002). Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www.sedl.org/change/facilitate   

            /leaders.html

SEDL: leadership characteristics that facilitate school change (2002). Retrieved August 20, 2010, from              

            http://www.sedl.org/change/leadership/character.html

Self-Assessment and Survey Reflection

Principals are usually referred to as visionary individuals but their successes as leaders are not just simply due to their visionary strengths and execution. The self-assessment along with the online survey has truly helped me identify other important leadership characteristics that increase student achievement. The self-assessment was more straightforward and simply required a 1-5 ranking. While the online survey seemed a bit more complex because it extracted the 21 characteristics from a series of questions and then applied a numerical value from multiple responses; overall, my results were very similar. The minor differences were no more than one point for each characteristic, this illustrated that my perceptions for leadership characteristics are consistent.

The assessments were both interesting for me to fill out. From my personal experiences, I tried to gauge how much each characteristic plays into the success of a principal. Based off the online survey and self-assessment my top seven strengths as a school leader are: communication (r = .24), culture (.25), ideals and beliefs (.22), input (.25), outreach (.27), relationships (.18), and visibility (.20) (Marzono; 2007; McRel; 2010). My average correlation for strengths was r = .23. This shows that not all my strengths have been proven to be highly effective (visibility and relationships) while some are considered more effective like input and outreach. However, when evaluating how each of the 21 characteristics are measured to their 95% CI the most accurate measurements are culture, focus, input, involvement CIA, monitoring, and optimizer; of these I have two (culture and input).

The two assessments also revealed to me some areas of improvement. My seven top areas of improvement are: affirmation (r = .19), change agent (.25), discipline (.27), flexibility (.28), intellectual stimulation (.24), involvement CIA (.20), and order (.25) (Marzono; 2007; McRel; 2010). My average correlation for improvement was r = .24. Unfortunately, this correlation shows that my weaknesses have a higher impact on student achievement than do my strengths. Yet, when comparing my areas of improvement to the strongest correlated characteristics based off their 95% CI, I have only one (involvement CIA).

Overall, I am not taking these results too seriously because I have never even attempted to be a principal before so I truly have no idea if I am effective or not. However, based off these results it shows that I do have characteristics that will impact student achievement and even though I have areas of improvement neither assessment had any characteristic ranked lower than a three. This experience has been insightful and I look forward to doing it again in the future, especially once I have become an administrator.

References

Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A. (2005). School leadership that works from research to results (pp.42-63). Alexandria: ASCD.

McRel balanced leadership (2010). Retrieved July 31, 2010, from https://www.educationleadershipthatworks.org/Default.aspx

Successful Principal Characteristics

           The last few weeks of class have been interesting.  I have learned how to navigate an online class and a lot about leadership.  Through this reflection I am going to explore four characteristics of what a successful principal should posses.

  “In matters of style, swim with the current;
In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
                                    - T. Jefferson

            This quote describes my first characteristic of leadership, authentic inner direction.  According to Evans (2007), the authentic leader possesses “ a source of inner direction” (139), which continuously leads the principal toward effective long-range planning and routine problem solving.  Also, the inner direction of principals defines them as leaders because they will consistently pay attention to what is important and good for the school.  The inner direction manifests itself through strong actions, which results in a “not just saying, but a doing mentality.”  Evans describes that authentic leaders are much like Popeye the sailor, they know who they are, what they want, and what they are good at (Evans, 2007).  Quality principals have authentic inner direction.

“And when we think we lead, we are most led.”
                                    - Lord Byron

            Lord Byron is simply describing that leadership is a give and take process, or being both a lion and a lamb.  Effective leaders know how to embody two varying personalities; one that is learning and serving while the other is directing and leading.  Being the lamb means working hard to make other people successful—and then giving them the credit and enabling others to work by sharing the power (Murphy, 2007).  Being the lion encompasses setting directions, leading by example, demanding high standards and holding staff and students accountable.  Quality principals are both lions and lambs.

“People are more easily led than driven.”
                                    - David Harold Fink

            Fink is suggesting that leading is much different than just forcing people to do what you say.  To me an effective leader understands the importance of creating metanoia or a shift of mind in their staffs’ everyday thinking patterns.  This characteristic focuses on teamwork and the idea of “we” and not “I.”  Metanoias create environments where the common vision is embraced by all workers and is resonated throughout the organization as pride-in-work-mentality.  This mind shift leads staff to a higher understanding of their work and fosters intrinsic motivation, consequently, alleviating a command and conquer approach from the administration (Senge, 2007).  Quality principals believe in metanoia.

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
                                    - Ralph Waldo Emerson

            Emerson believes that a leader is one who believes in taking transformational action.  My background of teaching has been served in the inner city and all the schools I have worked in need transformation.  A great transformational principal will evaluate the current status of a school and then set direction, develop their staff, and redesign the organization.  Transformational leaders inspire trust and confidence in others and work wholeheartedly to create results (Leithwood, 2007).  Quality principals are transformational leaders.

References

 Evans, R. (2007). The authentic leader. In . Jossey & . Bass (Eds.), The jossey-bass reader on   educational leadership (2nd ed., pp. 135-154). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Leithwood, K. A. (2007). Transformation school leadership in a transactional policy world. In .             Jossey & . Bass (Eds.), The jossey-bass reader on educational leadership (2nd ed., pp.                183-196). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Murphy, J. (2007). The unheroic side of leadership. In . Jossey & . Bass (Eds.), The jossey-bass   reader on educational leadership (2nd ed., pp. 60). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Senge, P. M. (2007). Give ma a lever long enough.and single-handed I can move the world. In .             Jossey & . Bass (Eds.), The jossey-bass reader on educational leadership (2nd ed., pp. 3-            13). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Transformational Administrators

According to Leithwood (2007), “relatively few studies find a relationship between the principal’s hands-on supervision of classroom instruction, teacher effectiveness, and student achievement” (p.191). This quote summarizes the importance of transformational leadership or leadership that focuses on setting directions, developing people, and redesigning the organization rather than just teaching and learning. Leadership tactics that are interested in commanding and policing (transactional leadership) staff are no longer the ideal models, instead models that inspire, arouse emotion, provide individualized support, and allow workers to view their work in new lights / creating metonias are much more desirable (Leithwood, 2007; Senge, 2007). To me, transformational leadership borrows many ideas from servant leadership where it is the responsibility of the administrator to work for his colleagues allowing them to reach monumental successes. Transformational leadership is focused on creating positive change, whereas, typical transactional leadership relies solely on maintaining the status quo through simple rewards and consequences (Marzano, Waters, McNulty, 2005).
Transformational leadership paves the road toward successful educational reform by empowering staff with autonomy and creating a team of leaders that are all working toward professional growth and a common vision. Instead of commanding change, transformational leadership fosters change through the betterment of others and through the ideas of others. This type of leadership affects the way administrators lead schools by giving them a unique skill set. The first skill of transformational leadership is setting directions where visions, priorities, and expecting high performances are the norm. However, along with this, transformational administrators are also compelled to develop others by providing attention to those who may seem left out to even those who crave maturation (Leithwood, 2007). The final skill set transformational administrators use to lead schools is redesigning the organization where the focus is changing the culture from within, e.g., involving staff in school decisions and creating collaborative team work. Also, a transformational administrator recognizes the importance of community and as Fullan (n.d.) reports, “healthy neighborhoods and healthy schools go hand in hand, and school-community relationships are key“ (Move Toward the Danger section, para. 1).
Tied to this unique skill set of transformational administrators is the idea of incorporating innovative technology. A transformational leader knows that school improvement and technological advancement go hand in hand. Integrating technology supports transformational leadership because without it staff will be limited on daily execution of instruction, will not be pushed to change their curriculum or professional skills, will lose great opportunities to learn new technological skills with others, and may continuously maintain an old and ineffective school vision. Incorporating technology with instruction will create school reform through the enhancement of others and allowing others to develop a new confidence with current technology that will break down old barriers and create effective instruction that will increase student achievement.
With better technology, the teacher is likely to see an increase in student achievement. One department in particular that benefits from technological advancements is special education. As a transformational leader, special education may be an area within the school that has been neglected for many years. The staff members may seem excluded from the other departments and may lack a significant amount of resources. In order to meet the needs of special education students transformational administrators will treat the department equally with regard to curriculum and technological resources, autonomy, create opportunities for personal mastery, and involve staff in learning opportunities with other non-special education staff. Most importantly, the transformational leader will treat special education with an empathetic ear (Spears, n.d.). During the transformational process, it is important to guarantee all staff respect, openness, and understanding. This will surely allow the special education department to voice their opinions, commit to change, and believe in the school’s revolutionary vision. This in itself will increase student achievement in special education.
Overall, transformational leadership, if implemented correctly, will create school reform. To me, transformational leadership derives a lot of its character from Christian perspectives. For example, In Paul’s letter to Timothy, Paul describes leadership qualities that greatly resemble transformational and servant leaders. Apostle Paul states a leader is above reproach so work with great integrity and push the status quo and what is beneficial; a leader is temperate challenging times of stress with calm and collective responses; a leader demonstrates self-control; a leader is respectable and earns the respect of others; a leader is hospitable, warm, open, accessible and listens to others; a leader is able to teach and produces more than they actually consume; a leader is non violent and carries on them thick skin but a loving heart (Timothy 3:1, New International Bible). To me transformational leadership is Christian oriented placing others and the bigger picture of school education before yourself and simultaneously inspiring others through humility and determination.

References
Fullan, M. (n.d.). Leadership for the 21st century: breaking the bonds of dependency. Retrieved July 11, 2010, from http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/bonds_dependency.php
Leithwood, K. A. (2007). Transformation school leadership in a transactional policy world. In . Jossey & . Bass (Eds.), The jossey-bass reader on educational leadership (2nd ed., pp. 183-196). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A. (2005). School leadership that works from research to results (pp.13-27). Alexandria: ASCD.
Senge, P. M. (2007). Give ma a lever long enough.and single-handed I can move the world. In . Jossey & . Bass (Eds.), The jossey-bass reader on educational leadership (2nd ed., pp. 3-13). San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Spears, L. C. (n.d.). Ten characteristics of a servant-leader. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.maxwiseman.com/guests/servant/characteristics.htm

2 weeks and counting!!!

So far so good. Before we started the orientation to be honest I was on the fence with the on line learning community but now after seeing how much fun and interactive it is I am very happy I am part of this great cohort!!! I really like how we interact, how the information is simply laid out and the expectations are very clear.

As of today my expectations for the program are to keep on meeting everyone in the group, learning as much as I can about leadership and being an effective school leader. I want to successfully accomplish this program with interesting papers, effective group participation and growing a close relationship with everyone in the cohort. I am excited about how this experience is really going to shape me into a more successful and influential person.

In order to be successful in this program I am going to continue keeping close tabs on the ELC and making sure I check in at least 1-2 times a day to make sure I am completing all the assignments on time and contributing to my group. Overall, I have developed good study and work habits over the years and I am going to continue developing them throughout this coming year. I am kind of nervous about teaching classes and taking classes but as long as I keep on top of things and properly utilize my time I should have no problem. I am almost done writing 8-7 grade middle school science curriculum so that will help keep me more organized during the year and becasue of this I will hopefully experience less stress with teaching and course work.

As of now I honestly feel that the current level of support is above and beyond! I feel comfortable and for a beginner to the ELC feel like I have a very strong foundation due to the orientation. However, once the classes pick up I am sure I will need additional support with APA (wow that is such an in depth way to write a paper) and finding search engines for educational journals.

Off and ready for this year!!!!