Postive School Culture and Its Impact On School Reform

Change can be very difficult for many people. Often times people are comfortable with the way they are doing things and the idea of change can be very overwhelming. There are many teachers that interpret change as more work. This can be very upsetting for teachers who are already putting in a lot of time and energy, especially if they feel that what they are already doing works. However, having a positive school culture can help ease these fears.

When a school has a positive culture there is open and honest communication. Teachers will be properly trained and kept up to date on current information so that they feel comfortable with the school reform. Administrators and teachers will be part of the decision making process so that teachers will feel more invested in the process. School leaders and staff members are supportive of one another which will help ease the overwhelming feelings that teachers often have when a reform is initiated. Finally, the school will have a powerful vision and mission that will be known and understand by all staff members. Since staff members are invested in the vision and mission of the school, they will be more likely to be invested in a reform if it meets the needs of the students, school and community.

Throughout this course I have learned a lot about effective leadership. Being an effective leader is much more difficult than I originally thought. The readings, activities and my involvement in administrative roles through my internship have made me see all aspects of leadership. An effective leader needs to be able to balance making informed decisions, meeting students' needs, supporting teachers, staff and parents, appeasing upper level admininstration, keeping up with current trends all while keeping true to the vision and mission of the school and district. This is a juggling act that can be very difficult. However, I feel if a leader makes it a point to create a positive school culture, the juggling act can be much more manageable.

Leadership Reflection 2

This course has made me think a lot about what an effective leader is. Having worked under several supervisors over the past seven years, I have had the opportunity to see first-hand what works and what doesn’t. However, the readings and discussions in this course have expanded my beliefs.

At the beginning of this course, I did not realize that there were so many leadership theories. It reminds me of the whole language/phonics reading wars debate. I really believe that no one style is right or wrong. I think that an effective leader needs to be flexible, open to change and to new ideas. This will allow a leader to look at theory and use the best technique in a situation. Not every theory will be effective for every person or situation and it is important for a leader to understand that.

Another important concept that I have learned in this course is that even though there are many theories on leadership, there are also many common elements amongst the theories. When reading Fullan, Covey, Deming, Sergiovanni and others, I have noticed that some of the common ideas are having high expectations for yourself and others, believing in others, seeking to understand and grow, and giving staff members opportunities to make decisions. Seeing these elements in several theories shows how powerful they are.

Most importantly, this course has allowed me to reflect on my own experiences as a leader and as a person who has been led. I have been able to think about the leaders who inspired me and who I excelled working with. They were leaders who challenged me, but were very supportive. They were leaders who empowered me and made me feel that I was a part of something that was meaningful. As an aspiring leader it is important for me to include these characteristics in my leadership style.

There are many important characteristics that an educational leader should possess. First, a leader should be honest. Staff members will respect and commit to a leader who displays honesty. Second, a leader should have integrity. A leader should act on his beliefs and not just talk about them. Even when no one is watching, a leader with integrity will follow through his or her beliefs. Third, a leader should be consistent. When staff and students see that a leader is consistent, they know what to expect and are more willing to commit to a vision. Fourth, a leader needs to be motivated to learn more and to see that the school’s vision is met. Finally, it is important for a leader to be enthusiastic about teaching, learning and working with children. This enthusiasm will spread to the staff and the students and people will be excited to work and learn.