Megan Dirks
Leadership Model
Decemeber 6, 2012
Principalship I
Execution of
Program
Students
Relationships
Shared Vision
The above model illustrates my personal view on the components necessary to be a
school leader in today’s schools. You will notice that four separate triangles form one larger
triangle. This is intentional and suggests that each component is equal and necessary to
comprising the bigger idea of improving life chances for all students. The following
discussion will describe the importance of each component. The relationships between
each component and their connection to the bigger picture will be defined, as well.
Relationships
The Relationships component stands at the base of the larger triangle because it is
foundational to the workings of the school. This component has much to do with creating
and maintaining a positive school climate for students and staff members. The following
pieces make up this component:
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Positive Culture
Participatory Culture
Shared Leadership
Purposeful Community
Culture is directly linked to the quality of school climate and can be shaped to
achieve desired outcomes. Marzano found that principals have a 0.25 positive impact on
student achievement. As leaders of the school, principals have the ability to create a culture
that leads to student achievement. In other words, effective and positive cultures promote
professionalism and passion that drives the school in the direction of achievement,
fostering effort and productivity.
Culture also focuses the school on what’s important as it presents norms and values.
With the culture being directly linked to the school’s vision and mission, it supports
successful change and collaborative activities and moves everyone toward a common
purpose. Shaw dedicates an entire chapter in his book Taking Charge; Leading with Passion
and Purpose in the Principalship to discussing the importance of creating a participatory
culture within your school. This type of collaborative culture builds common purpose and
makes explicit the values that underpin relationships and the workings of the school.
The presence of a positive, participatory culture allows for shared leadership to
occur with ease. Marzano found through meta-analysis that 21 responsibilities characterize
the job of an effective school leader. Unfortunately, it is rare for one individual to possess
all 21. Collins also reminds us that to go from good to great, leaders must surround
themselves with the right people to do the job. Therefore, creating a team of individuals to
lead is something a school leader should be willing to do. This can only be done well,
though, if a positive school environment exists.
A purposeful community must also exist if an inclusive environment is to be
reached. This requires that all stakeholders are included - students, staff, family members,
and the larger community– and that they believe they can effect the organization. This is
what Marzano calls collective efficacy. It is important that school leaders remember to tap
into the community well and to not restrict themselves to the resources bound by their
school walls. The larger educational community should not be forgotten, either.
All of these pieces are put together by relationships. Without trust built through
relationships and a genuine desire to get to know your staff, students, and the community,
an inclusive and positive environment cannot exist.
Shared Vision
The Shared Vision component completes the base of the larger triangle because it,
too, is foundational to the workings of the school. This particular component is important
because a shared vision allows everyone to know where the school is going and to work
toward that always. It allows everyone to have ownership over their role and the school’s
success. With this being said, the following pieces comprise the Shared Vision component:
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Shared Vision
Mission and Goals
Moral Purpose
Shared Values
A school’s vision describes what is important to the school and its stakeholders.
Inherently, the school’s mission and goals go hand-in-hand with the vision that exists. As
was suggested above, a shared vision is important because it allows stakeholders to know
exactly where the school is going and why. It involves merging individual’s personal visions
with non-negotiatbles set by the leader. This provides investment from everyone. Personal
visions are not identical but each represents the whole vision from a different point of view
Ultimately, each person shares responsibility for the whole, not just for his piece.
Fullan says that finding moral purpose in education is necessary for making a
difference in the life chances of students. For the school leader, this means knowing
students well, building capacity, using data to drive decisions, supporting teachers as
learners and modeling what you value. Leaders should encourage and foster participation
and diversity, support coherence in planning and pedagogy, make decisions and take
actions embedded in the agreed-upon purpose, and speak out about that purpose and
moral issues.
When a shared vision, mission, goals, purpose and values are present, making
decisions and implementing programs can be done with ease. Goals can be created that
align with the shared vision; the school’s mission can be carried out almost effortlessly in
day-to-day activities; students and teachers experience achievement; and stakeholders
work together to reach desired outcomes. As a school leader, creating a shared vision is
imperative for these pieces to fall in place.
Execution of Program
The Execution of Program component rests atop the base that was created by the
aforementioned components. This piece of the leadership model involves implementing
systems and programs that lead to student success and that put the vision and culture to
work. Specifically, the following pieces comprise the Execution of Program component:
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Curriculum
Instructional Best Practice
Pedagogy
Data-Driven Continuous Improvement
Systems
As was stated before, the Execution of Program component stands on the foundation
that was created by the Relationships and Shared Vision components. This is because it is
difficult and sometimes meaningless to implement programs and work toward goals that
are not shared. In other words, the presence of a positive relationship and shared vision
make executing programs meaningful, purposeful, and coherent
The Execution of Program component is also supported directly by the Students
component. This is intentional because the knowledge we have of our students drives
decisions made about program implementation and modification. In other words, knowing
your students well is necessary in creating focused programs.
The school leader must believe that the curriculum is a guide that allows us to
design, plan, and reflect on improving the learning experience for students. Therefore, a
school leader must approach curriculum by asking two fundamental questions: 1) how do
students learn; and 2) is it appropriate for my students? They must be an active participant
in the creation of and dialogue about curriculum within the building. They should also
bring a critical and moral eye to decide if it supports the purposes of the school and the
learning of the individual.
School leaders should also support teachers in improving their craft and pedagogy.
This can be done through finding time and resources for teachers to professionally develop
themselves using collaboration and reflection. The participatory culture focused on in the
Relationships component connects well here. It is also important to note the importance of
the school leader knowing her colleagues well enough to guide this capacity-building
process.
One of the most important decision-making tools a school leader should possess is
data. All decisions should be based on data from a variety of sources: student achievement
data, behavioral reports, attendance reports, walk-through evaluations, research, etc. Data
helps guide the school improvement process, monitor progress toward goals and vision,
and inform decisions that lead to long-term results Therefore, it is important to include
data-driven decision making in this component of my model.
Lastly, the Execution of Program component involves systems. The school leader
should ensure that systems are in place that promote a safe and orderly environment. They
should also possess, model, and encourage systems-thinking habits school wide so that
stakeholders become problem solvers. This can promote ownership in the organization as
well as prevent procedural issues.
Ultimately, this component reminds school leaders to be instructional leaders. From
the work of Leithwood, Wilma Smith and Richard Andrews identified four roles of an
instructional leader: resource provider, instructional resource, communicator, and visible.
School leaders must provide time and resources to build capacity amongst staff;
pedagogical knowledge and support; guidance and understanding of viable curriculumdesign; communicate expectations and progress; and be an active part of decision-making,
professional development, and overall systems processes.
Students
The Students component is deliberately positioned at the center of the model
because students are at the center of all decisions made in the three other triangles. This
piece in particular is involves:
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Knowing students well
Student-centered decisions making
Knowing students well involves having data on their progress, knowing their social
needs, and connecting with their family and the community. Shaw describes knowing
students well as “knowing students’ social, emotional, physical, and intellectual/academic
needs.” This requires developing and nurturing meaningful relationships with each student
and their family members.
As was stated before, data plays an important role in decision-making. As it relates
to students, the school leader should be aware of how each student in the building is
learning, behaving, and progressing. This all comes from data provided by the teacher but
also by school-wide data reports. RTI programs, gifted programs, and other academic
support initiatives rely on data to get students where they need to be achievement-wise.
The school leader should encourage data-driven decision making from all staff members as
it relates to student achievement.
The school leader should also encourage and model positive and lasting relationship
building with students. In order to know the students extraordinarily well, you have to take
the time to literally get to know them. This involves conversations with the student, with
their family members, understanding the community they live in, etc. Students should be
treated as individuals and as humans, not as test scores.
Ultimately, knowing the student well will drive many decisions made by the school
leader. Without students at the forefront of these decisions, our purpose as educators is
null.
The Big Picture
The four components of my leadership model illustrate what I believe will improve
the life chances of students. Ultimately, this is the big picture or the central reason why
possessing the characteristics discussed here is so important. A leader must promote and
nurture a positive, inclusive environment for students and teachers to thrive in. A shared
vision will guide the school toward appropriate goals and provide investment by
stakeholders. Executing a program that supports participation, viable curriculum design,
community building, and order will put the vision and culture to work. And at the center of
it all are the students. Our moral purpose as educators is to improve the life chances of all
students. This model demonstrates how I intend to accomplish that purpose.
Works Used
Shaw, Paul L. Taking Charge: Leading with Passion and Purpose in the
Principalship. New York: Teachers College, 2012. Print.
Marzano, Robert J., Timothy Waters, and Brian A. McNulty. School Leadership That Works:
From Research to Results. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 2005. Print.