Ghana is a developing country in Africa. It has been making efforts over the last decade to improve its education system in particular, to contribute to wider national development. The JSS system was introduced as part of a strategy to improve educational provision in the country (Report of the President’s Committee on Review of Education Reforms in Ghana (RPCRERG), 2002). The JSS constitutes a three-year post primary education system which replaced the earlier four-year middle school system. This structural development was followed by the introduction of the FCUBE initiative (GES, 2001) which aims to provide good quality basic education to all children of school-going age in Ghana. Head teachers are perceived as the principal instrument (RPCRERG, 2002) through whom leadership and management is carried out in schools. The introduction of new policies and subsequent changes place additional responsibilities on them so they need to be prepared for the new challenges. The changes in the education system in Ghana require highly-developed leadership and management abilities.
However, there is no provision of formal pre-service training (PRESET) forheadteachers (Oduro and MacBeath, 2003; Oplatka, 2004; Bush and Oduro, 2006). Although all trainee teachers attend teacher training colleges (TTCs), there are no specific courses for those aspiring for leadership positions. Yet on completion of their programmes, some of them receive direct appointments to leadership and management positions in schools, especially in rural areas (Oduro, 2003). In-service training (INSET)/continuing professional development (CPD) courses are the only means for training headteachers. However, in most cases, only those in urban and semi-urban schools get access ...
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...es in the Ghanaian educational context. However, none of the recent studies has explored ways of preparing and training headteachers, especially those at the JSS level. Oduro and
MacBeath’s (2003) case-study focused on traditions and tensions in educational leadership in Ghana, while the work of Oduro (2003) examined the perspectives of the primary school headteachers in one district on their role and professional development. The studies conducted by Dadey (1990, cited in Harber and Davies, 2002) and Abbey (1989, cited in Harber and
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Davies, 2002) highlighted the problems faced by secondary school headteachers in Ghana, but Hobson et al (2003) argued that the problems facing headteachers are a function of many factors, including the school phase. Thus the problems facing JSS headteachers in Ghana and their professional development needs are an under-explored area.
Gorton, R. A., & Alston, J. A. (2012). School leadership & administration: Important concepts, case studies, & simulations. (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. [Kindle Version] (pp. 1-323).
In a quote from Tom Peters, he states that “ leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.” Working as a lead administrator in a building can have some powerful challenges, but as with anything, the approach is what makes the difference. A good leader will take advantage of the tools around them, knowing that every building has individuals who offer their very own strengths. In focusing on the individual teacher strengths of each specific teacher, a rapport can be built, but most importantly, the outcome will be a stronger building because of the process of spreading the wealth. Ultimately, no teacher in any building became a teacher without being a leader first, and as I have looked back on my own past upbringing through scouting by other educators, I see the outpouring of wealth of experience from those teachers just waiting to make a
Leading organizations of school administrators offer educators various opportunities to encourage educators to become leaders. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) has mandated that leaders be better prepared for the task of providing quality education to all. NCLB “… is forcing all educational stakeholders to face the weakness of contemporary school leadership and is making it impossible to ignore the need for higher quality principals” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.1). It is believed that all educators can be and are leaders in their own right. A leader is a visionary and has the ability to inspire others to aspire to greatness. Of the numerous opportunities that are offered, those that are most beneficial include but are not limited to leadership training programs, professional development, and creating shared leadership opportunities for teachers to become leaders. The systems “…that produce our nation’s principals are complex and interrelated – and governed by the states. Each state establishes licensing, certification and re-certification” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.1). States use the ISLLC standards “…as the framework for preparation programs and in service professional development of school superintendents, principals, and other leaders” (Hale & Moorman, 2003, p.3).
In every institution the type of leadership style is important for a successful environment. In order to establish a successful school environment to compete globally, the leader should comprehend the basic leadership theories and styles (Glickman et al., 2010). The cultures at schools are important to the success of the students and overall of the school, but also can be very difficult to establish and maintain without the proper leadership knowledge (Waite, 1995). In United States many schools could be place in the categories of conventional, congenial, or collegial, because the strategies used for their leadership (Glickman et al., 2010).The chosen school could be classified according to different criteria and could be determine in which area their leadership pertains more. In order to analyzed and classify the leadership, it was imperative to observed the way the leader make decisions, the approached with the stakeholders, how the instruction is delivered, and how they realized their job (Marshall, 2005). In this analysis will be identify the category that this school will be, the school climate, the type of supervision and leadership.
Standard 1 of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards (2011) describe the priority of the school leader as, “effective school leaders demonstrate that the student learning is their top priority through leadership actions that build and support a learning organization focus on student success”. Our number one priority and focus is and always should be our students. They are the reason behind our professions. It is the faculty the ones who should be supported by the administrators. The leaders should celebrate their success, encourage them, support their assertive instructional decisions, and motivate them each day to create the right conditions for learning. The principals must plan to project growth the most accurate possible, employing all the help that they could get for this challenging task. Students should not be affected because qualified teachers are not available. Strategic schools use the resources at had to relocate, and alleviate the human resources problems.
David T. Conley, Ph.D. a. The. Education - Leadership -. Vol. 66 No.
What does leadership mean in the context of educational leadership? Many definitions of leadership in education co-exist, attesting to the complexity and multi-faceted phenomena of the concept (Elwell & Elikofer, 2013). Leadership is one of the most observed and least understood organizational and psychological areas of study. Despite volumes of research and numerous theories, no one theory of leadership emerged as the sole predictor of the success of educational leaders. The current body of knowledge about leadership consists of narrow definitions of leader effectiveness that are disconnected from their context (Latham, 2014). Educational leadership influences and affects every dimension of the educational process from the
Touching lives and affecting the outcome of so many futures a teacher is the epitome of a leader. Just as a leader has his or her own style, a teacher’s way of motivating his/her students, also plays an important role for a students success. Spending more time children then most parents do, a teacher is crucial in shaping with children of the future. If teachers are poor leaders then children suffer. When they shine as leaders, children blossom and the universe is wide open. As a teacher must fine tune their leadership skills and find the best style of teaching for the students who they are teaching. The intrinsic characteristics of a teacher can be categorized into a few main teaching styles or leadership styles. Directing, participating, delegating, and combined styles are the main forms of teaching and leading. The qualities associated with these styles are necessary to any teacher. The purpose ...
In Nigeria, not everyone has the opportunity to quality education. Throughout life I have had several disruptions on my educational path. I attended school until my father’s business went bankrupt, combined with the local terror in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Afterwards, Family and I began a series of migrations in search of a better life, In the process, we migrated to several different countries with different education
Ghana News Agency (2003), Educationist laments poor supervision in basic schools [Internet], Ghana News, Available from: , [Accessed 11 March 2011].
Dr Dennis Francis Commonwealth Education Trust Week 1 and 2 “Teacher training or education is something that can be managed by others; Teacher development is something that can be done only by and for oneself” Wallace, 1991.
... It is imperative student obtain knowledge to compete in this society and global world. Effective administrators and educators must update skills and design quality instruction, which will engage all students to gain knowledge. There is a definite need to transform leadership in American school as well as teachers alter the paradigm in the teaching and learning arena.
Education is a very important aspect in the life of a child. The level of success a student has in the classroom is greatly influenced by their teachers. Students, as well as their parents, depend on the teachers to guide them through their education. But who guides a teacher to perform successfully in the classroom? Principals and teachers play an important role in schools. A good relationship among school leaders and teachers is necessary and play an important role in making improvements in the school. Leadership refers to the “process in which one person successfully exerts influence over others to reach desired objectives”. (Okoji, 2015) Good leadership involves honesty, vision, confidence and commitment. It is the ability to inspire a
York-Barr, J. & K. Duke (2004) what do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of educational research 74(3), 255-316.
In schools everyday are many people influencing and taking the important role in education and supervision. In these roles are collaborating, teachers, principal, students, and educational supervisors, all these are the main basics of this process (Annan & Ryba, 2013). In an immediate setting, with a more encompass culture is guide by educators, principals, and other staff that supports the student’s success in a daily basis. In any school the culture is really important, but could be hard to establish and maintain (Moccozet, et al., 2009). In establishing a successful school it is pertain that all the staff have the knowledge about the different styles while leading, the main three are congenial, collegial, and conventional (Glickman, et al., 2010). Every school is classify by the leadership style and the decisions that are made, the instruction, the interactions with the stakeholders, or how the administration is done. Furthermore, will be analyze the supervision styles, the culture and the platform that will be follow.