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Educational Leadership PlatformCourtney HuffSpring 2011Great administrators are like great chefs. They both spend an inordinate amount of time preparing, planning, and visioning, before they even begin to cook or implement. During this time, they keep their focus on the outcomes and the clients. They continuously re-adjust, refocus, and re-evaluate their plans and efforts. - Neila A. ConnorsPhilosophy of EducationIn his book, Schools Cannot Do It Alone, Jamie Vollmer states:For the first time in history, our security, our prosperity, and the health of our nation depend upon our ability to unfold the full creative potential of every child. Not just the easy ones, not just the top twenty five percent of the class (4).

Purpose of EducationI believe:One of the most important jobs in creating a successful, thriving society is to educate our students and families.Learning is lifelong and never-ending.Schools along with families play vital roles in creating community thinkers, leaders, and workers, without these we have a society dependent upon the welfare and criminal justice system.Importance of Schools to Society

I first watched this video at the Professional Learning Communities Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. From that point on, I have used it over and over againPhilosophy of LeadershipIn his book, Leadership and Sustainability, Michael Fullan states:In a nutshell, we need a critical mass of leaders at all levels of the system who are explicitly cognizant of and committed to pursuing in practice the implementation of the eight elements of sustainability (29). The elements are:Public service with a moral purposeCommitment to changing context at all levelsLateral capacity building through networksIntelligent accountability and vertical relationshipsDeep learningDual commitment to short-term and long-term resultsCyclical energizingThe long lever of leadership

Leading with a Moral PurposeAs an educational leader, I will Ensure all students will learn and grow to their fullest potential failure is no longer an option.Treat everyone with respect, care, and responsiveness.Create learning environments that are safe, healthy, and positive.

Commitment to ChangeLeading a school in the 21st century, I understand that:Change takes time and much effort I will encourage and celebrate the small successes along the way. New beliefs can be easily implemented and supported when a community of learning is created.

Managing Complex ChangeSource: Ambrose, Adapted from Villa and Thousand (1995)

Networking is a MUST!In order to be an effective leader, it is necessary for me to:Learn from others who are in a similar role as me through a variety of resources.Encourage and support teachers to observe and collaborate with each other in regards to student learning (Professional Learning Communities.)Research powerful networks in relation to the mission and vision of my school district.Accountability: A Balanced ApproachAs a leader, this statement from Fullan provides me with insight in terms of balancing accountability practices effectively: Too much intrusion demotivates people; too little permits drift or worse (20).Self reflections along with outside observations and evaluations need to be balanced and used to promote best practices.

Deep LearningLeaders continuously facilitate and participate in learning in order to improve as a school team, here are some critical points to keep in mind:The power of failing intelligently You must learn to fail intelligently. Failing is one of the greatest arts in the world. One fails forward towards success. Thomas EdisonUsing data to constantly monitor student learning, asking key questions to analyze and respond toCreating a culture of inquiry amongst students, staff, and the community

Short Term and Long Term ResultsLeading a school involves:Having a vision and missionCreating SMART goals/objectives in relation to the schools missionUsing the school improvement plan to provide focused professional development that positively affects student achievementSetting short term goals to build trust and positive environment for staffCyclical EnergizingFrom a leadership perspective, it is important to keep in mind the power of energy. I will: Facilitate practices that involve the staff in working smarter, not harder Sustain momentum when goals are met and promote continuous learningModel the power of positive energy versus negative energy

Levering Leadership PracticesThe eighth element of sustainability combines the first seven and in order to create sustainability leadership must be enhanced on all levels. I believe it is necessary to seek out and encourage leaders amongst:TeachersParentsCommunity MembersBusinesses

Vision of LearnersThe only source of knowledge is experience. Albert EinsteinChildren learn through a variety of experiences and at different rates.They need to be in an environment that is positive, engaging, safe, and responsive. Children thrive in classrooms and communities that promote creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Technology is integrated into daily practices.Leading and Learning By ExampleWe embrace explicitly the proposition that effective practice and popular practice are very likely two different things. - Douglas ReevesIn order to promote my beliefs of best practices for teaching students, I need to model those practices for my staff in a variety of ways. Staff MeetingsDay-to-day conversations and interactionsCommunications via e-mail, newsletters, etc.

Why Learning for All?In his book, Schools Cannot Do It Alone, Jamie Vollmer states: If we are serious about preparing all children to succeed in the 21st century, then our schools must change. We cant keep doing the same thing weve always done and expect to get a different result. The time has come to replace the rigid selecting and sorting process with a flexible approach to teaching and learning that is designed to produce one result: student success (155).Vision for TeachersDont tell me you believe all kids can learn tell me what youre doing about the kids who arent learning. - Richard DuFour taken from the book, Pyramid Response to Intervention by Buffum, Mattos, and Weber Teachers need to be given time to reflect on the following questions:What exactly do we expect students to learn?How will we know if they learned it? How will we respond when some students dont learn?How will we respond when some students have already learned?

How do we impact culture?Begin by focusing on changing BEHAVIORS.Attitudes follow behavior. That means people accept new beliefs as a result of changing their behavior. (Fullan)Behaviors and emotions change before beliefs so we need to act in a new way before we get insights and feelings related to new beliefs.Supporting the Work of TeachersCreate sufficient time for teachers to collaborate:the failure of leaders to provide sufficient time is almost certainly fatal to reform efforts (45).Provide effective feedback and monitoring for teachers:Previous research on monitoring practices suggests that leaders must provide monitoring that focuses on adult actions (not merely on student test scores), that is frequent, and that is constructive (45).(from Transforming Professional Development into Student Resutls by Douglas Reeves)Professional Learning with StaffIn his book, Transforming Professional Development into Student Results, Douglas Reeves states:Compelling evidence suggests that teachers, schools leaders, and students are much better served when professional learning is focused on the deep and consistent implementation of a few things (53).Professional learning needs to be :Focused, not frantic or scatteredTransformed from a vision to implementationPracticed, over and over againdeliberately

Focus on Leadershipleaders must be the architects of systems and schedules that lead to professional learning (Reeves, 70). Effective leaders must ask themselves:Are the teaching practices, curriculum, and assessment strategies we are using working to improve student learning?Are the learning targets clear and common for the content, frequency, and review of formative assessments?How can I create more teacher leaders in my building?

Vision for a School

This keynote speaker from Dallas, TX puts the purpose of school into perspective. Believe!Leading a 21st Century SchoolLeadership Making happen that in which you believe. Roland BarthProviding focus for staff and students on:Implementing teamwork, technology, and thinking in the daily practices of the core areas of reading, writing and mathematicsCreating an environment that is positive, safe, and welcoming to the communityShowcasing evidence of student achievement through a variety of measures proving all students can learn

Moving Visions into ImplementationUse the eight sustainability elements from Fullans model along with positive influences and experiences to put visions into actions. Just as chefs would follow the steps of a recipe - effective leaders remember to focus on the outcome and client - making adjustments along the way.Keep in mind that the process of improving teaching and learning is never-ending and leaders will always need visions and action plans.ResourcesReeves, Douglas B. Transforming Professional Development into Student Results. Alexandria: ASCD, 2010. Print.Connors, Neila A. If You Don't Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students. Nashville: Incentive Publications, 2000. Print. Fullan, Michael. Leadership and Sustainability. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press, 2005. Print. Vollmer, Jamie. Schools Cannot Do It Alone. Fairfield: Enlightenment Press, 2010. Print. Buffum, Austin, Mike Mattos, and Chris Weber. Pyramid Response to Intervention. Bloomington: Solution Tree, 2009. Print. Mattos, Mike, dir. Time Bomb Ticking. 2009. Web. 18 Aug. 2009. "Dallas Keynote Speaker." 5 Sept. 2008. Web. 18 Mar. 2011. .