Structured External Assignment
EDD 7204
Presented to Dr. Connie Kiefer
Lisa Marvel
April, 2009
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii
Philosophy of Leadership ........................................................................................................... 1
My Leadership Style ................................................................................................................... 3
A Vision for My Future Leadership Style: Section One: Vision 1.0 ......................................... 4
The Vision For My Future Leadership Style: Section Two ........................................................ 5
Standard 1.1: Develop a Vision ............................................................................................. 5
Standard 1.2: Articulate a Vision ........................................................................................... 7
Standard 1.3: Implement a Vision ....................................................................................... 10
Standard 1.4: Steward a Vision ............................................................................................ 12
Standard 1.5: Promote Community Involvement in the Vision ........................................... 14
References ..................................................................................................................................... 16
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Philosophy of Leadership
My personal philosophy of leadership which revolves around public
education is that, within the public school, leaders have a great influence on the
district’s achievements and failures. With that said, I now deduce that leaders can
be found in places other than just the district office. When I first wrote my
philosophy, leadership revolved around only those who worked out of the central
office. It is now evident to me that true leadership is evident throughout public
school buildings in a variety of places. One can witness leadership among
custodial, cafeteria, secretarial, administrative and teaching staff. Having read
passages from Soder, Bennis and Goldsmith, Kouzes and Posner, and Kotter, it is
my philosophy that today’s true leaders frequently take risks and encourage other
staff members to also be risk-takers as they promote the belief that learning comes
from making mistakes. In my classroom, I live by this philosophy. On any given
day, one can observe students learning from mistakes. We like to say that
mistakes authenticate learning. Throughout text assigned readings, it is apparent
that leaders have a clear vision and with that vision in mind, they secure a mission
which ensures that the vision aspires toward reality. It is my belief that in an
organization with real leadership, all members of the organization are aware of
the vision and mission. It was not until after I began reading the text books and
completing class assignments that I truly came to realize just how important the
vision is to all stakeholders in an organization. Honestly, I was not aware of the
vision or the mission for my school. I began to inquire about our vision and
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mission, and today, the school vision and the mission is posted in each and every
classroom as well as throughout our hallways. This may be a small start toward
future success but at least everyone in our building is clearly aware of where we
are striving. As I continue to read more about leadership, I am becoming more
aware of how leaders are the empowering force that provides others with the
necessary motivation and desire to commit to the organization’s vision and
mission. As quoted by Bill Gates, “As we look to the next century, leaders will
be those who empower others.” Leaders encourage self-reflection, promote
change, and have the ability to see beyond the now and continually focus on the
big picture. According to Bass, leaders help followers see the big picture and how
they connect to the leader, organization, each other and the overarching goal.
With sincere conviction, I believe that leaders instill a sense of trust with their
colleagues and possess genuine integrity while exhibiting high moral and ethical
standards. Indisputably, leaders set the standards and expectations for all others
within the organization. Having had the opportunity to reread and revise my
philosophy, I can more clearly see that no matter where a leader is located within
an organization, his/her commitment to the organization is essential and valuable
to future success. Without leadership, organizations are like a lost vessel floating
aimlessly in the dark, empty, endless ocean without a captain. In order for the
organization in which I work, a public school, to accomplish our vision and
mission, true leadership is crucial. All members of our organization must know,
understand and support our vision. This can evolve through professional
development, mentoring, coaching, and providing opportunities for achieving
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personal growth. Undoubtedly, I will continue to amend my philosophy of
leadership as I continue to grow professionally and personally through
experiences and course content. I already find it amazing to review my former
philosophy and see the growth that has already taken place over a short period of
time. I am anxious to see the growth that I will acquire as I continue to climb the
stairs of the Doctoral Program.
My Leadership Style
At this time in my career, my leadership style is based somewhat on the
Trait Theory but mostly centers around the Transformational Theory. In support
of the Trait Theory, I too believe the assumptions that people are born with
inherited traits and that some traits are particularly suited to leadership. It seems
realistic to me that people who make good leaders have the right combination of
traits. Some traits that I believe that I possess are that I am able to adapt to
situations, am dependable, energetic, persistent, tolerant of stress, ambitious,
cooperative and willing to assume responsibility (Stogdill, 1974.) Like those who
operate from the Transformational Theory, I am not afraid of change; in fact, I
embrace it. I think that change keeps me motivated and inspired. Undoubtedly
change often fosters the road less traveled and many times is not the easiest route,
yet, in many cases, change is essential for growth to occur. While doing research
on the Transformational Theory, I became privy to information of which I was
previously unaware. I was without knowledge of the Transformational
Leadership Theory; yet, it completely describes my beliefs about leadership.
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From the research, I discovered that leadership occurs when one or more persons
engage with others and everyone involved is raised to higher levels of motivation
and morality. I find this process to be incredible! Every organization will benefit
when all members, leaders and followers, are working toward a shared vision; and
if along the road to success, all members of an organization can reach higher
levels of personal achievement, than everyone profits! In education, many staff
members undeniably foster a transformational theory. Members of the
organization rarely function simply based on what they will receive after their
work is completed. Our goal is student success at all costs!
A Vision for My Future Leadership Style: Section One: Vision 1.0
If I could revamp my work environment to a perfect atmosphere, everyone
in our organization would feel valued and clearly know and understand the
school’s vision and mission. The mission of our school is to develop well-rounded
adolescents with superior academic skills and targeted career interests prepared
for the transition to high school. Our vision states that Laurel Middle School shall
be a supportive, goal-oriented, learning community of high expectations that
prepares students for career-focused success in high school and an ever-changing
society. For our school to even begin to set this plan into motion, there are a
number of modifications that must take place. In an ideal setting, first, we would
need to create a solid moral and ethical foundation where genuine trust would
exist between all members of the school district. Our district would operate with
more ease if everyone encompassed shared principles and members from all
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departments were included in the decision making process. Our new work
environment would prosper mostly under the Transformational Leadership
Theory. All parties involved would be able to distinguish between immediate
activities and the big picture; thus allowing each individual to plainly recognize
the value of his/her roles and the significance in accomplishing the goals. Being
able to visibly see the importance of each task would help staff members become
self-motivated. Over time, workers would move from a more Transactional
Theory to a Transformational method. Day to day activities would bring selffulfillment, self-actualization and self-worth. On any given day we would
observe members of the district involved in innovative thinking using their
creative imaginations as they readily put forth their best efforts. In an ideal
setting, all members of our school would possess an internal compass of where
they are going and why, obtain an inspirational vision, incorporate shared values
and goals, see the big picture, and be readily motivated to do the right thing.
The Vision For My Future Leadership Style: Section Two
Standard 1.1: Develop a Vision
The vision at Laurel Middle School is that LMS shall be a supportive,
goal-oriented, learning community of high expectations that prepares students for
career-focused success in high school and an ever changing society. The mission
at LMS is to develop well-rounded adolescents with superior academic skills and
targeted career interests prepared for the transition to high school. If I could
change five features at my workplace, I would first have all students in grades six
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through eight utilizing the Connected Math Program which is the state of
Delaware’s recommended curriculum for mathematics. Giving all students’
access to Connected Math will be easily attainable once district leaders have been
convinced that this curriculum is the best for all students. Since this goal is the
easiest to attain, I want to pursue it first so that members of the school district and
community members will experience success in a rather short time. Currently,
only one class in grade six uses the Connected Math Curriculum; but at the
beginning of the year, all sixth grade students were using the Every Day Math
curriculum. In grades seven and eight, students who are not in Pre-Algebra or
Algebra currently use the Connected Math Curriculum.
Next, community members, including parents and guardians, would be
encouraged to be a part of our day to day process. Members from the community
would be welcomed in our building on a daily basis and would become part of
various committees to ensure their voice is a part of our decision making process.
Furthermore, our building desperately needs an attendance policy in place that
promotes the need for all students to regularly attend classes. To continue, I
would start the implementation process of school uniforms for students in grades
K through 12 which would also include staff members. In addition, I believe that
we need additional technology, resources, and professional development.
Teachers could benefit from a Smart Board in each classroom. . Providing
students the best curriculum in mathematics, encouraging community
involvement, developing an attendance policy, cultivating a positive dress code
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(uniforms), and increasing technological resources while providing professional
development will facilitate our ability to reach toward our vision and our mission.
Standard 1.2: Articulate a Vision
In order for us to prepare our students for high school, it is essential that
students have an effective math curriculum. According to Jenkins (1995) math
placement has one of the largest standardized effects on school commitment.
When students are in a challenging math curriculum, they are more likely to be
committed to school and attend on a regular basis. In a study by Balfanz, Herzog,
and Mac Iver, failing math had a 21% yield of future non-graduates. Also, they
found that of the sixth grade students in their study who failed math and had bad
behavior, 87% failed to graduate. The Connected Math Curriculum is
recommended by the state of Delaware and is a very rigorous curriculum. The
curriculum offers real life situations that are challenging; yet, students often find
success as they manipulate through the lessons working in small groups. The
program offers applications, connections and Extensions to core problems.
Students who are functioning below the standard find success through the
Application questions while students meeting the standards are challenged with
the Connection questions. The Extension questions are taxing for even those
students who are achieving above the standard in mathematics. It is essential that
all students in grades six through eight have a rigorous math curriculum.
Our community has a great deal to offer our district. Often times, we hear
that they feel omitted from the educational process unless there is an open house,
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a musical performance or the district wants money. When we need their help in
maintaining daily routines such as attendance or discipline issues, they often
approach the building with negative connotations. They come in to the building
defensive and ready to react. If we are proactive and have community members
feel more like a part of the team with the same goal (vision and mission), it may
make them a bit more eager and willing to offer assistance when we need their
help. Providing parents, guardians and other members of the community access
and admittance to committees and truly hearing their voice, including them in
decision making, making them feel a part of the educational process and
genuinely respecting their ideas and concerns will benefit everyone involved.
Student success is everyone’s ultimate goal and with community involvement,
that goal is more attainable.
Attendance is one of the most overt indicators of a student’s engagement
in school (Lehr, Sinclair, d& Christenson, 2004). Excessive school absence is a
major educational and social problem in the United States and has been listed
repeatedly by school administrators as the number one administrative problem in
the daily operation of schools (Weitzman, et al., 1986). Data from our middle
school from September through December 2008, confirmed that out of 172 eighth
grade students, 62 of those students had a total of 495 absences; all absences
recorded included four or more days. The data does not include any absences of
students who were absent one, two or three days. Of the recorded absences, 272.5
were unexcused. Data also showed that out of 157 seventh grade students, there
were 72 students with a total of 546 absences and of those absences, 341 were
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considered unexcused. There is an obvious crisis with respect to attendance in
our building. Designing an attendance policy where students are expected and
required to adhere to will facilitate students understanding the importance of
attending school on a regular basis.
I am a firm believer that students, especially at the middle level, are very
concerned about their appearance. In today’s society, keeping up with the Jones’
is almost impossible. Today’s fashions are costly and often inappropriate for
school. My daughter attends a school in which uniforms are mandated and
discipline issues are minimal. On the other hand, academics are the number one
priority. Two of our neighboring districts have recently implemented uniforms
throughout their entire district. Studies from those schools have shown a decrease
in discipline referrals. Students have more time to focus their attention on
academics and school related activities and focus less on their clothing. In
addition, the amount of money that a family can save when buying school
uniforms instead of the over-priced, name brand articles is unbelievable. I think
that the apprehensiveness of our parents now is fear of the unknown.
Finally, our school genuinely needs more technology in order to offer our
students the best possible education. Our students need to be able to compete and
succeed in the global economy. Teachers and students would enhance learning if
we could provide Smart Boards for each classroom. Teachers currently have
projectors and Elmo’s on carts. Merely providing technology will not be
sufficient; teachers will need professional development to assist them in learning
how to best effectively utilize their new tools for supreme learning. As teachers
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begin to feel comfortable using technology as a part of their daily teaching and
become experts, those teachers can assist other teachers with implementation.
Standard 1.3: Implement a Vision
My enthusiasm utilizing the Connected Math Program is contagious.
Attending every CMP professional development for eighth grade over the past
two years has allowed me to gain confidence in the program. I have already
gotten one sixth grade teacher to implement the curriculum in her classroom as a
pilot this year. As that one teacher took the risk to try out the curriculum, I made
my classroom an open door so that she could easily observe eighth grade students
as they participate in the curriculum’s lessons. Now, her excitement is contagious
and she has been able to influence the originally reluctant teachers. Books for the
2009-2010 school year have already been ordered for all students in grades six,
seven and eight! In addition, four days in June have been allocated for math
teachers in grades six through eight to meet so that they can begin establishing a
pacing guide for each grade level for next year.
Since I am not an expert in community involvement, I must seek
assistance from other staff members. A committee of interested staff members
will be created to foster community involvement. As I have read throughout this
course in Kouzes and Posner, I must first show trust in other staff members and
allow them to have ownership in making and implementing decisions.
Currently, I am working on studying our attendance policy with a
specialist from the District Office. Together, we are analyzing the data and trying
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to create a proposal for a plan of action. We know that we must elicit help from
other members in our district; our hope is to have community input on this
significant problem within our district. We will present our findings to building
leaders and staff and hope that there is a considerable number of volunteers ready
to help assist in trying to improve our attendance concerns.
School uniforms are a hot topic for me. I am one hundred percent
convinced that if our district would take that little step outside of the norm and
question students, staff members, parents, and community members, they may
find that there are supporters of implementing school uniforms. Data can readily
be gathered from Southern Delaware School of the Arts, Delmar School District
as well as from the Woodbridge School District. This data would help antagonists
see the true benefits of school uniforms that neighboring districts have already
observed. Getting prices from local stores ahead of time and presenting our
parents/guardians with a summary of just how inexpensive uniforms really are
may also help facilitate our desire to add school uniforms to our dress code
policy.
During October of 2008, I attended the Teachers Teaching with
Technology (T-3) conference in Wilmington, DE. At the conference, I was able to
attend a plethora of seminars regarding teaching with the latest technology.
During one of the seminars, I was exposed to the Smart Board. Immediately upon
my return to school, I informed the administrators that I “needed” one of those
Smart Boards. Through a partnership with Salisbury University and the Numbers
2 Grant, I will be able to use monies that I will earn after completing my project
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with Salisbury University. After I have had enough training and professional
development and have had the opportunity to learn the basics of the Smart Board,
I will share my enthusiasm with others in my building and teach them how to use
the Smart Board and hopefully we will be able to write a grant to get additional
Smart Boards for other teachers. I truly believe that if community members
witnessed our students interacting and learning with the latest technology, they
would be overwhelmingly excited and inspired. When we asked for additional
monies to purchase more technology, community members would be more
willing to support our desire.
Standard 1.4: Steward a Vision
It may be necessary for me to obtain district test scores in math from the
past two years from local districts who currently utilize the Connected Math
Curriculum in grades six through eight to assist other staff members, math
specialists, and curriculum advisors in appreciating the differences in using CMP
in all three grades. Since we are prepared to purchase math text books, now is the
perfect time to obtain additional CMP books for students in grades seven and
eight and buy books for the rest of the sixth grade students for next year.
Parents, students, and other community members must be included in the sharing
of data regarding the Connected Math Program, attendance issues/concerns,
uniforms and the idea of investing in additional technological resources
supplemented with professional development. Outside input is imperative so that
all stakeholders have a vested interest and input in decision making. Sharing data
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with community members, including parents, guardians, students, teachers and
other members of the community will allow a variety of different perspectives to
be included within all aspects of proposed changes.
The data already obtained regarding attendance is overwhelming. Since
many people are probably unaware of the outstanding number of absences within
our middle school, it is clearly imperative that we share that data with as many
people as possible. A committee of students, parents, teachers, and other
members of the community will be assigned the task of formulating a new
attendance policy proposal. Students must attend school regularly in order to
reach maximum potential. The current policy is definitely not working; therefore,
a new policy must be designed and implemented in a timely manner. There will
be attendance policies that are currently in place and successful in other schools
available for the committee to view in an effort to help with the process. Members
must keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to improve student attendance.
Many parents and students are reluctant to even entertain the idea of
having school uniforms. A proposal will be drafted in order to get conversations
started. First, parents and community members will need to know where they
would be able to purchase uniforms. They need to know immediately that they
can buy uniforms from stores such as Roses, JCPenney, WalMart, Lands End, Old
Navy, and Target. They will also need to see a break down of prices from each
store for items such as shirts, pants, sweaters, skorts and belts. There will also be
average prices for jeans and tops from local stores such as Aeropostle, PacSun,
Hollister, American Eagle, and other popular stores. Parents will be able to see
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price comparisons immediately. Included in the policy will also be discipline data
from local schools that are currently enforcing a dress code policy which
mandates school uniforms.
Finally, parents and community members must see first hand the kinds of
technology that I would like to add to our classrooms. During an upcoming
school board meeting, a few trained teachers and students will make a short
presentation of the capabilities of the Smart Board. I am confident that once
people see exactly what the technology can do, they will be more than interested
in using monies to purchase additional technology. I think it is also necessary for
community members to know up front that professional development will
immediately follow the purchase of the Smart Boards so that teachers can begin
maximizing instruction immediately.
Standard 1.5: Promote Community Involvement in the Vision
Throughout the entire process, the community has been included in my
mission. Students, parents, guardians, and other community members have been
involved in the decision making process regarding adapting the Connected Math
Curriculum for students in grades six, seven, and eight. Committees were
established to develop a proposal for a new attendance policy, school uniforms,
and adding additional technology and providing teachers with necessary
professional development. I feel that it is of the utmost importance to keep all
members of our team informed and engaged at all times. Our mission of develop
well-rounded adolescents with superior academic skills and targeted career
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interests prepared for the transition to high school can only be attainable if we
have a united, trusting team striving for the same overarching goal. Our mission
to be a supportive, goal-oriented learning community of high expectations that
prepares students for career focused success in high school and an ever-changing
society will be more easily reachable if LMS provides all students in grades six
through eight with a rigorous math curriculum, involves community members,
adopts a more structured attendance policy, implements school uniforms, and
purchases additional technology supported with professional development for
teachers.
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References
Balfanz, R., Herzog, L., & Mac Iver, D. (2007). Preventing student disengagement and
keeping students on the graduation path in urban middle-grades schools; early
identification and effective interventions. Educational Psychologist, 42(4), 223235.
Bass, B. M. (1990). From transactional to transformational leadership: Learning to
share the vision. Organizational Dynamics, (Winter): 19-31.
Bennis, W., & Goldsmith, J. (2003). Learning to Lead: A workbook on becoming a
leader (3rd ed.) New York: Basic Books.
Homrig, M. A., (2001). Transformational Leadership. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from
http://leadership.au.af.mil/documents/homrig.htm.
Jenkins, P.H. (1995, July). School delinquency and school commitment. Sociology of
Education. 68(3), 221-239.
Kotter, J. P., (1996). Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. M., (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed.) San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Lehr, C. A., Sinclair, M. F. & Christenson, S. L. (2004). Addressing student engagement
and truancy prevention during the elementary school years: a replication study of
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the check & connect model. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk,
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McCall, M. W. Jr. & Lombardo, M. M. (1983). Off the track: Why and how successful
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Soder, R., (2001). The Language of Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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