An instructionally focused school administrator has several roles and responsibilities in ensuring that they are running an effective school. Schools were created to prepare students for the real world and an effective administrator should have that vision in mind. Their vision should match the school and district mission statements. Consequently, effective teachers and administrators will prepare a successful person for the world, especially in today’s tough economic times. An instructionally focused administrator runs their school with competence and with one goal in mind: That all students will succeed. There are several ways I would ensure that all students are acquiring knowledge and succeeding.
A focused administrator has quite a few priorities and goals. I believe their first priority should be that each and every student in the classroom is learning and acquiring the skills to succeed in life and in the classroom. I would make certain that effective learning is taking place by researching what has been working for students in the past. One way of doing that is by looking at their records and seeing what classes they did well in. If a student had an interest in art, then art could be a way to instruct students in other classes. Students know how they learn best and a good administrator will allow that teacher to continue using those teaching methods in their classrooms. However, if I noticed that a student was struggling with a lesson or concept, then I would offer some suggestions to that teacher to help that student. Some suggestions may be something I have tried as a teacher or suggest a conference for that teacher to help them learn some strategies. Students learn through multiple modalities and these confere...
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...ry student is learning in the classroom by using many teaching strategies. My goal would be to help teachers experiment with teaching methods in the classroom. I realize that this is not an easy task for students, teachers, and administrators with the very many budget cuts that schools and districts are faced with. However, if every effort is made to make sure students and teachers are successfully learning, then I have been effective as an administrator. School administrators, teachers, and students are the heart and soul of all schools. If a school does not have effective principals, teachers, students and staff, chances are the school will fall apart. A good instructional leader provides direction and guidance to a school. An effective administrator is a visionary, a collaborator, an advocate, a facilitator, a role model, innovator, researcher, and scholar.
As a leader candidate, I can understand the challenges and multiplicity of complications that administrators must face each day. However, I will not accept any remote possibility that the students must be affected by some flaws of the school organization. We all as leaders, must be strategic with people, time, and money to guide our students towards an academic success.
DEVELOPMENT & IMPLEMENTATION OF A SHARED VISION: Education leaders facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision of learning and growth of all students, (1C) Implementing the Vision connection to my action plan. I collaborate with key stakeholders with the intention of fostering a shared vision, one that is proactive in nature. Proactive interventions, such as the development of a BIP will aid in a shared vision of learning and growth for all students regardless of ability levels. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: Education leaders shape a collaborative culture of teaching and learning informed by professional standards and focused on student and professional growth (2C) Supporting Teachers to Improve Practice (2D) Feedback on Instruction, directly relates to my action plan as I will engage in open collaborative conversations with teachers, administrators, and essential staff members. I will conduct informal classroom observations with the intension of providing feedback, constructing classroom materials, dispersing information. EXTERNAL CONTEXT AND POLICY Education leaders influence political, social, economic, legal and cultural contexts affecting education to improve education policies and practices (6A) Understanding and Communicating Policy correlates with my action plan. I will inform all essential members of the current legal mandates established by federal law, as safeguarding student
What are you hoping teaching and learning looks like in your school and how do you communicate that vision? (Embodying Visionary Leadership) – There are many leaders in schools that often communicate a BIG PICTURE of what schools should look like, but can’t clearly communicate what it looks like for teachers and students. It is important to be able to discuss elements of learning that you are looking for in the classroom. Not only is important to hold this vision, but to help develop it with staff and be able to communicate it clearly. Many new educators walk into schools thinking that “quiet and order” are the expectations for classrooms, so even though they are doing some powerful work in their classrooms that looks quite messy, they are worried that it does not fit in with the vision of their boss. Due to this, many will often try to tailor their work to look like what they think the principal wants because they really don’t know what is expected. Having a vision is important but clearly communicating and developing that with staff is also
The effective teacher exhibits positive expectations for all students. Having positive expectations simply means that the teacher believes in the student and that the student can learn. Students will live up to the expectations you set, and to be effective- your expectations should be positive for all students. The effective teacher establishes good classroom management techniques. Classroom Management is practices and procedures that a teacher uses to maintain an environment in which instruction and learning can occur. Effective teachers manage, ineffective teachers discipline; this book guides you in practicing procedures with your students. The effective teacher designs lessons for student mastery. Mastery simply means a student's demonstration that a concept or skill can be performed at a level of proficiency determined by the teacher. Student success in the subject matter of the class will be the result of how well the teacher designs lessons and checks for mastery. You must know how to get students to do their assignments, pass their tests, and work cooperatively. Wong states that what you do on the first few days of school can determine your success for the rest of the year.
According to Blase, Blase, and Phillips (2010) educational leaders in high preforming schools effectively balance administrative and instructional leadership and provide stability, predictability and support. The current paradigm of educational leadership is management of facility, budget, school safety, and student discipline. Administrators must place more emphasis on methods to balance the responsibility of instructional leadership. It will require effective leadership characterized by their ability to redesign their schools into an effective organization. This can be done by a leader’s willingness to take risk. Risk taking would involve the leaders’ commitment to work collaboratively with teachers to set school wide and classroom goals suited to meet the unique needs of the students. It would require educational leaders to refuse to adopt a manufactured educational program but to make a commitment to their students and teachers to create a learning environment that is unique and relevant. Educational leaders would evaluate teachers on the effectiveness of their instructional practices. Each teacher would be held accountable for data that supports the need for goals developed for their classroom and methods used to track progress, use of instructional strategies, how assessment will be incorporated to drive instruction and monitor learning, and the effective use of assessment
To be a successful teacher one must first understand their own personal classroom management strengths and build from those attributes. Equally important are those areas of concern that could benefit from professional development or active conscious practice. As a future educator I have been exposed to many management styles and strategies throughout the course of the semester in the Creating Positive Learning Environments classroom as a result I can better understand my own personal managerial strengths and areas that also raise concern.
Daisy Li-Morell: I think the most significant pressure that a school administrator facing these days is figuring out how to do more with less. Decreased and a lack of funding is a critical issue facing most principals. Funding is decreasing at the state, federal, and local levels. Schools need to be innovated and do more with less. The lack of funding translates into having less certified staff, non-certified staff, and less educational resources.
This is to ensure that the changes that are occurring within education; I am helping to shape and foster. Therefore, as an educational leader I strive to the notion that my most important constituents are my teachers because they will shape the thoughts and opinions of my students and larger community. With that in mind, I want to create a school environment that fosters high-quality curriculum, cutting edge instruction, and 21st century problem solving and equipment learning. Therefore, I want a school that students, teachers, and the larger community would be proud to send their children. Moreover, the reason that I want to lead is because I understand the power that good educational administrators can have on shaping a school, a community, and maybe even a nation. Likewise, for students competing in a 21st century world; they are going to need to have schools that are innovation centers which fosters creativity, problem- solving, and comprehension. Therefore, I believe that it is my job as an educator to ensure that our students are discovering knowledge for themselves, and developing passions that will push them into the future. Moreover, my experience on our school’s principal advisory committee and school improvement council have given me the experience needed to drive through the reforms that we need to within our school. I have seen reforms up close, and I have the experience of understanding what policies it takes to ensure that these reforms are
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
Principals must provide instructional leadership to facilitate and promote active learning experiences for all students because effective instructional leadership is not something principals achieve by following a checklist or tasks or a step by step program. It can be taught and be learned. (David M.Quinn 2002)
At the heart of this model, is the need for the administrator to develop relationships with the people they supervise. It is important to note that this does not just apply to teachers but the students as well. When people you are given charge over know that you know their situation, care about them as a person, and truly want what is best for them both professionally and personally, you open so many doors to conversations for improvement that could never occur under any other
As an administrative leader, I will seek to encourage, appreciate, and understand my colleagues, faculty, staff, and students. I will set high standards, be the first to adhere to them, and find the tools and knowledge to improve as well as help others to do the same. Through constant assistance, appreciation, and collaboration, I will help our school will be the best place it can be for learning, growing, and giving.
The effectiveness of a classrom teacher depends considerably upon the leadership style and efficacy of the school principal. Principals have a leadership responsibility to lead with passion, committment, and vision to the highest ethical and intellectual standards. The main job of any site principal is to help teachers become better, as stated by Dr. Gentilucci (2017) “There is always room to grow,” and to do so, principals must lead by example. There is little doubt by most experts that school administration, specifically the principal, play a vital role in positively influencing the performance of classroom teachers.
I believe Classroom Management is the main component in the educational setting. I believe if students are in a safe environment, then learning can take place. This doesn’t mean punishing behavior problems but rather a combination of setting the tone in a class, preventing behavior problems with interesting and engaging curriculums and effectively including all students in the classroom so that their needs are met. Having the right environment for all students to learn is my major goal of implementing good classroom management--without it the students would not be able to learn.
With the proper guidance and support, teachers can achieve academic excellence in the classroom. They follow their principal’s vision and share their goals. Teachers also serve as leaders in their classroom. They share their vision and goals with their students promoting positive attitudes in the classroom. Just like it is important for principals to respect and understand what their teachers need, students also need the support, understanding, respect and empathy from their teachers. When teachers demonstrate commitment in the classroom and set high expectations they raise the level of learning in the classroom. Teachers that work with the students and their parents to understand and meet their needs will achieve positive academic outcomes. Students engage in learning with positive attitudes and strive for high achievements. Teachers work together with their leaders to improve their teaching