A History of Public School Leadership, Essay Example

What evidence can you discover in the literature that confirms the eight themes?

Every event has a different interpretation as to meaning, causes and the effects and it is the role of historian to explain why a particular interpretation should be accepted as facts. It is, therefore, right to say that History is a great tool that is used to interpret known facts. Through thorough interpretation of the history, we can learn how certain condition came to be. However an interpretation of history alone cannot offer a specific prediction of how a condition will play out future, rather it assists us in facing the future with thoughtfulness and awareness (Blount, 2008). In this regard, the experience of past successful school leaders, is therefore an important tool which if used properly will provide an insight of how the current education issue can be managed. This paper is a review of the history of schools leadership. In particular the paper highlights the importance of eight themes during the improvement of school. The eight themes includes: school leadership; in-depth knowledge of curriculum, and instruction; system builders; community and social activism; politics; communicators; connections with higher education: professional community; and radicalism as a disposition. Indeed, there is adequate evidence from the literature that confirm that the above themes were crucial in the improvement of the school. To support the argument, the text offers a series of narratives of some of the successful school leaders who lived in the past century, what they stood for and what made theme successful leaders.

Some of the greatest school leaders that worked during the first century of public education in United State that we shall briefly discuss include Ella Young, William Maxwell, Mann and Pierce, Harris and Angelo Petri. Ella Young leadership style focused on teaching method and democratic decision making. Some of the conspicuous themes throughout her teaching career include democratic leadership, community and social activism; in-depth knowledge of curriculum, and system building. She never attested to dominate the independent mind of the teacher.  She was always consulting and hardly direct teachers. As a school leader Young supported the introduction of new subject such as drawing and insisted that teachers should participate in community activities so as to understand the student lives. She believed that school had a role in society and should participate in local politics (Stack, 2004).

William Maxwell is another great school leader of the 1^st century of public education in U.S, Maxwell is known for combing leadership with scholarship and public leadership. Like other great school leaders, Maxwell was against scientific management in school. He believed that the main role of a school was to provide students with the education for them to earn a living.  According to him, the principal role of the school head was a human relation and making judgments that improve the quality of the student, teachers, and the entire community. Maxwell also believed that the ultimate test for education was what the student became in his adulthood.

1. H. Harris is another famous school head who made a significant contribution that improved education in public schools. Harris is remembered as leader who promoted themes such as democratic leadership; politics; communicators; connections with higher education: professional community as well as radicalism as a disposition (Ellis, 2007). During his tenure as an education superintend, Harris fought for the professionalization of school leadership. Harris was very active in regional and state politics. In I953, when Harris made a decision to retire, Henry Long a United State senator offered him support if he would run for office, but he declined. His argument was that the move would contradict all he fought for when he was an educator. By then Harris believed that the move would relinquish all the employment decision in the education sector to partisan politics, which was contrary to his firm stand on professionalizing education. Harris only agreed to stand for an elective post after convincing Senator Long to change his stand. Harris is also known for the crucial role he played in advocating for the importance of school to be involved in community affairs.

In summary, a review of the leaders of the first century reveals the importance role that the eight themes played to improve education. For instance it is clear that most believed that in-depth knowledge of curriculum and instruction in learning and teaching was instrumental. According to the leaders, the educators need more than book knowledge for them to effectively teach (Blount, 2008). For instance, Harris insists that the educator should be able to make education as well as management decisions about the progress of lines, budgets and school systems. Other great school leaders whose success was based on the principle of the eight they include Angelo Petri.  Petri was an elementary and middle school principal, who is remembered for his view of leadership as service that transformed schools into community schools.

The other common observation from these leaders is that they demonstrated as knowledgeable educators, social, political and community activists. It also depicts them as system builders and Democrats with small d.  For instance, most of these leaders brought democracy to schools. Out of the understanding that teachers require democratic space to grow, learn and teach they brought structure that distributed the decision-making power to teachers, students, parent as well as school boards. They were all against structures that promoted single teaching methods.

Furthermore, these school leaders practiced politics beyond the school borders at both local and district level. Leaders such as Harris did not mind crisscrossing the state on behalf of the public schools speaking to anyone who would listen. Besides they used the print media to meet religious and state leaders who they could not approach easily. Beside, although the leaders faced political opposition to their ideals they continued fighting for what they believed was right.

Additionally, the school leaders of 1^st century promoted connection with higher education. The public school leaders regularly met with members of national society and the national association of education with a sole purpose of improving education.  The leaders also appreciated the importance of school being involved in the community affairs. Furthermore, the school leaders of 1^th century recognized the need for a system in education (Ellis 2007). Prior to leaders such as Mann and Pierce there were no teacher training schools or any organized political effort to secure legislative votes. They established schools to train teachers, experiment curriculum and forum to influence sentiment of public schools educators.

Other than supporting evidence, a review of literature also reveals some evidence that disconfirm some theme as less important. Despite some leaders being very successful, there is evidence that they lacked in-depth knowledge of curriculum and instruction among some school leaders. One such instance is the case of Petri.  Despite his remarkable career as an educator and a school administrator, Petri admits that he was not strong in subject matter knowledge and psychology (Ellis, 2007). According to him, the discipline that he learned from his personal experience as a student was very important. This is contrary to the theme of in-depth knowledge of curriculum that insist on the importance of having both curriculum and management knowledge to teach effectively.

Evidence that disconfirm the critical role of the eight themes regards the theme of connection with the higher education. As Blount (2008) notes, the education was fragmented as early as 1920. We learn that the school system had become a hierarchical device, with the teacher at the bottom.  Stake holders such as textbook makers, principal and supervisors concentrate on preparation of skill which they entrust to the teacher at the bottom. Also, Radicalization of the education was also very common in as early as 19^th century.

Furthermore, the finding that when dealing with students from diverse origin introduces considerable diversities to teachers making the individual effort of teachers not sufficient in effectively educating the student contradicts the theme of democratic leadership. Most of the teachers proposed an organizational response to address the environmental uncertainty of working with diverse students.  The proposed organizational response includes systems to promote order, coordinated instructional support, and social, economic support for the student. This is contrary to democratic leadership that allow teacher to practice their own style of teaching (Stack, 2004). Furthermore, the move contradicts the effort against scientific method held by the majority of the early school leaders.

It is conclusive that indeed, there is adequate evidence from the literature that confirm that the above themes were crucial in the improvement of the schools. At the same time there is some evidence that contradicts the significant role that the some themes played in improving the education.

Reference

Blount, J. (2008). History as a way of understanding and motivating. In I. Bogotch, F. Beachum, J. Blount, J. Brooks, & F. English (Eds.), Radicalizing educational leadership: Dimensions of social justice (pp.17–38). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Ellis, J. (2007). American creation. New York: Vintage Books.

Stack, S. (2004). Elsie Ripley Clapp (1879–1965): Her life and the community school. New York: Peter Lang.