Philosophy Behind the Leadership Position in a Learning Organization

regard this. You have served for years as an assistant to the Principal at a local high give instruction. Recently, the shallow has arrest plagued with administrative troubles affecting the sidereal day to day operations of the tutor, the quality of education for students, and teacher stimulatement. As someone with long-standing experience in that trail, you have been forced to the highest loss bullockinghip position at that enlighten. quality of your role in the attractionship of a erudition disposal includes insurance indemnity increment, decision making, professional knowledge, and the monitor of organizational mount.This paper will key verboten and examine the relevant leadership skills and strategies necessary to develop a successful, stentorian accomplishment organization. The philosophy behind the leadership position in a encyclopedism organization has emerged in recent years as a concern for p arnts, teachers and policy-makers alike. Changes ess ential be implemented in the current supervisory impact, as the role of leadership in a school lay has progressed from the principal as an instructional leader, to the principal as a transactional leader and, most recently, to the role of transformational leader.High performing leaders have a personal vision for their school and the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop, provide and implement a overlap vision that is supported by the larger organization and the school fellowship (Anonymous author, 2001). Numerous studies on the topic have revealed the importance of leadership skills and strategies of the school leader. These studies clearly indicate that improved education for students requires improved leadership and supervisory skills.The leader in a learning organization moldiness develop and administer policies that provide a safe school environment and piddle operational plans and processes to accomplish strategic goals. Research indicates that a necessary side of policy development is the intertwining of the daily operations of the school to school and student learning goals (Anonymous author, 2001). Additionally, the major sources of fiscal and nonphysical resources for the school including business and conjunction resources mustiness be analyzed and identified (Anonymous author, 2001).The financial and material assets must be managed, as easy as capital goods and services, allocating resources according to govern or school priorities (Anonymous author, 2001). Policy development includes an efficient calculate intend process that is driven by district and school priorities and involves the rung and community. A strong leadership quality is the ability to identify and organize resources to accomplish curricular and instructional goals (Anonymous author, 2001).Research indicates that the process of planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating a district budget must be analyzed, and techniques and organizational skills necess ary to lead and manage a complex and diverse organization must be demonstrated (Anonymous author, 2001). Furthermore, policy development includes the planning and scheduling of ones own and others work so that resources argon used appropriately, and short- and long-term priorities and goals are met (Anonymous author, 2001).Policy development lies at the posterior for a successful learning institution where the needs and goals of students, teachers and the community are met. Research indicates that the decision a leader in a learning organization makes has a strong influence on what will or will not occur in classrooms throughout the country. The leader must take a results oriented approach, and frame, analyze, and resolve problems victimization appropriate problem solving techniques and decision making skills (Anonymous author, 2001).In this way, good decisions can be made by viewing events and problems from aggregate perspectives, and through the use of multiple sources of data t o inform decisions. Additionally, decisions must be made based on the moral and ethical implications of policy options and political strategies (Anonymous author, 2001). Research indicates that the leader must recognize situations that require forcefulness and self-confidence in making decisions and specify authority and responsibility clearly and appropriately to accomplish organization goals (Anonymous author, 2001).Finally, ratiocinative demonstrations and making high quality, timely decisions must be based on the best available information. According to Marks and Printy (2003), the decision making tasks to be accomplished encompass those of supervision and paygrade of instruction, of staff development activities, of plan development knowledge and activities, of group development knowledge and activities, of action research, of development of a positive school climate, and of the creation of links between school and community.Technical skills include goal setting, assessment and planning, instructional observation, research and evaluation whereas, interpersonal skills are those of communication, motivation, decision making, problem solving, and conflict management (Marks & Printy, 2003). In allege to meet the rapidly changing needs of our students, teachers must be given the authority to make appropriate instructional decisions. Therefore, the basis for school leadership must include teachers and parents, as well as the principal, in the role of problem finding and problem identification (Marks & Printy, 2003).Youngs and King (2002) express that a prominent way in which leaders shape school conditions and teaching practices is through their beliefs and actions regarding teacher professional development. Individual teacher competence is necessary for sound classroom practice, and that teachers must be able to meld knowledge of students, subject matter, and teaching context in planning out units and lessons and assessing student work (Youngs & King, 2002).The studies discussed by Youngs and King examine the relationship of susceptibility to instructional quality and student achievement, finding that hard-hitting school leaders can sustain high levels of capacity by building trust, creating structures that promote teacher learning, assist in the implementation of general reforms. Their involve results excessively suggest that during transitions in school leadership, incoming leaders must be cognizant of shared norms and values among their faculties before initiating new practices into the curriculum, instruction, or school organization (Youngs & King, 2002).Other research on the topic indicates that speaking with teachers in and outside of instructional conferences was the cornerstone of effective leadership (Blase, 1999). organisational leaders in a school setting use five chief(a) talking strategies with teachers to promote reflection 1) making suggestions 2) giving feedback 3) modeling 4) using inquiry and soliciting adv ice and opinions and 5) giving praise (Blase, 1999). Another important aspect of effective leadership is the promotion of teachers professional development with respect to teaching methods and collegiate interaction about teaching and learning (Blase, 1999).According the to Blase study, effective instructional leaders used six teacher development strategies 1) accenting the study of teaching and learning 2) supporting collaboration efforts among educators 3) developing coaching relationships among educators 4) encouraging and supporting redesign of programs 5) applying the principles of adult learning, growth, and development to all phases of staff development and 6) implementing action research to inform instructional decision making. The study results found that school leaders that were effective provided former staff development opportunities to address emergent instructional needs.These opportunities resulted in innovation and creativity, variety in teaching, risk taking and po sitive responses to student diversity as well as effects on motivation, efficacy and self-esteem (Blase, 1999). Monitoring of Organizational Progress Finally, a core leadership skill of a learning organization is the continual monitoring of the schools progress. The studies discussed by Youngs and King (2002) reach the conclusion that school leaders can affect achievement indirectly by establishing a mission or set of goals and building school-wide commitment to them.As a result, high student achievement can be associated with higher levels of school professional community and program coherence (Youngs & King, 2002). Along with monitoring the schools goals and mission, leaders must continue to facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision and strategic plan for the school that places student and faculty learning at the center (Anonymous author, 2001). The leader of a learning organization must align instructional objectives and curricular goals with the shared v ision and articulate the districts or schools vision, mission and priorities to the community (Anonymous author, 2001).The learning organization must be understood as a political system, relating the vision, mission, and goals to the welfare of students, and its leader must articulate and reinforce that vision in written and spoken communications. In this way, a positive school culture for learning is created, along with conditions that compound the staffs desire and willingness to focus energy on achieving educational excellence (Anonymous author, 2001). Finally, the leader must model professionalism, collaboration and continuous learning in order to successfully monitor the organizations progress.Learning to become a leader of an learning organization is a complex, multidimensional task. If school leaders believe that growth in student learning is the primary goal of schooling, then it is a task worth learning. In todays rapidly changing world that government agency becoming a le ader of leaders by learning and running(a) with teachers, students, and parents to improve instructional quality. Goal setting and problem solving become site-based, collective collaborative activities.The leadership of the principal is pivotal in ensuring that the process is informed of all school issues, especially those that relate to student instruction. As indicated by the literature available, policy development, decision making, professional development and progress monitoring are all key areas for leadership. If these areas are enhanced by strong leadership qualities, the future of the educational system will bide very bright. Additional studies on the leadership skills and strategies necessary to effectively lead a learning organization will assist in find the next steps of our future leaders.