Leadership for Learning, Essay Example

The article by Wagner (2001) goes in depth about his beliefs on various positions in education and the issues educators and those in a position of leadership feel are important in the classroom and beyond. These educational positions are important for students in order to excel after high school and are important for teachers to understand as they attempt to meet new federal and state mandated guidelines while attempting to maintain the content already included in the core curriculum of each respective subject.

Wagner (2001) believes there is a difference between the attitudes of teachers and educational leaders in the fact that teachers are predisposed not to have a desire to change due to training, past career attitudes, and working conditions. Educational leaders, on the other hand, attempt to change the educational paradigm and are impatient at times because teachers often appear reluctant to accept these changes. The important note for educational leaders to remember is that teachers do not necessarily resist change, but they resist the ‘fad of the moment’ when there is no action taken to put this ‘fad’ into place and apply the principles of these decisions to applications that will actually work for all students in the classroom.

It is important for educators and educational leaders alike to realize and understand that the bottom line in all of this is the future of our children. They are the reason we teach and they should be the priority in all laws and policies that are implemented in the educational community. Once we realize and take action in this regard, everyone will win.

Reference

Wagner, T. (2001). Leadership for learning: An action theory of school change. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(5), 378.