Three Sources for Educational Leadership, Essay Example

Reasons for the sources

Leadership is a state of ‘doing’ rather than ‘being’, and this is particularly so in education. The problem is as Karen Horney (1963) elaborated that distinction must be made between the ‘ideal self’ and the ‘real self’. Each of us possess images of this ‘ideal self’ that we wish ‘some day’ to be. Concurrently, however, we are oblivious to the ‘real self’: That which we are at the moment.  For this reason, I chose the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) as one of my three sources. Although used almost totally in the executive sense, I see it useful for many fields, education included.

The Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), developed by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, is an instrument that has been devised in order to evaluate one’s personal leadership skills. It believes that leadership is a measurable, learnable, and teachable set of behaviors and consists of a 360-degree leadership assessment tool; in conjunction to self, at least 2 other people rate the one taking the survey. In an educational context, the one taking the survey would be a teacher or prospective teacher, whereas the potential people rating would be, aside from the student himself, principal, colleague(s), perhaps a parent, or perhaps a student, or graduate student. Included too in this inventory is the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Model (Model the Way; Inspire a Shared Vision; Challenge the Process; Enable Others to Act; Encourage the Heart) and the instrument assesses the subject according to these 5 themes. Graphs and other statistical diagrams are used to rate responses of subjects and colleagues and thus to enable subject to become more cognizant of his actual behavior (not as he thinks it to be) and to improve.

Art of war (Sun Tzu) – This is a book that has been extensively referred to for executive leadership, governmental leadership, and leadership of self (in terms of self-discipline). Since profound and relevant in its insights, I think it can equally be extended to educational leadership. Sun Tzu claims that “the art of war is of vital importance to the state” (pt. 1). I think that that his treatise is of vital importance to the educational world too.  Two of the five constant factors that govern the art of war include the Commander who stands for wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness; in the pedagogical world this would be the educator.  The other constant factor is Method and Discipline by which are to be understood “the marshalling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure”  (pt. 10); in a classroom sense, this would refer to the students who the teacher instructs and/ or controls. The Leader is recommended to be aware of these components all the time, so that he and they work as a team motivated for their joint objective(s), and, thereby, ensuring victory. How can this be done? Sun Tzu provides many factors. Here are some:  The leader should be self-disciplined and set for himself a set of rules that are good for himself and for his team. The motivation to abide by these principles should be internal rather than initiating from an external incentive. In all cases action must succeed planning, for without it, a leader loses respect of his team, is bound to be ineffective, and does not gain his objectives. When in a difficult situation (e.g.. classroom management problem), or before concluding any major decision, ascertain that you know all the facts of the situation or potential outcome of your plan.

Journal ‘Leadership Excellence” – the journal has prominent researchers writing for it (such as R. Nisbett) and addresses a variety of issues all pertinent to the classroom instructor, principal, or anyone associated with classroom/ school management. I find the articles relevant and practical rather than theoretical, such as the one by Chenoweth on how how-performing, high-poverty schools can demonstrate stratagems for improved teaching, relevant research, and applications that cross the spectrum touching all concerns and crossing the racially and economic divide. Its motto is: Learn, teach. Lead. That is what it seems to do, and that is what attract me.

Sources

“Educational Leadership” http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership.aspx

LPI the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) www.lpionline.com

Sun Tzu (2002) The art of war. New York : Writers Club.