Models of Educational Leadership

Capitol University

Cagayan de Oro City

Subject : School Leadership

Topic:      Models of Educational Leadership

(by Linda D. Saab)

Dear Dr. Olga,

          I learned that the key to being effective manager is leadership  and management is working with and through others  for the improvement and development of school’s vision and mission. Managerial leadership is to  influence and to enthusiastically innovate things for the improvement or solution of the existing problems. With the acceleration in the implementation of R.A. 9155 the school leader is also a good manager empowered to maximize the use of  the potentials and capabilities of  internal and external stakeholders  for the realization of  desired common goals with corresponding  authority, responsibility and accountability .

          I also learned that in transformational leadership , school head is an instrument to effect change by  influencing teachers who have undesirable attitudes towards work or displays waning passion towards teaching  to move on or change their perspective into a desirable one. They have a heart for the improved performance of the children  contaminating others in the school and in the society as a whole.

          One’s the teacher  has a transformed perspective ,she could have the participative leadership.  She has the ear to listen and accept others point of view in  decision-making process for the school effectiveness. In most cases, if teachers and  parents are respected to be part in planning and decision making then they have  that co-ownership to help find means for the solution of the problems being presented.

          I learned that interpersonal intelligence is the key to effective leadership. A leader with unquestioned personality could easily relate or approach to internal and external stake holders for the support and cooperation in order to achieve the desired goal. It’s not enough for a leader to have positive personal attributes but also to have intelligence in leading   and  handle feedback  .The success is not an effort of one but as a team. Teachers need to work as a team and open for certainty of consultation to others.

          I also learned that  transactional leadership is to establish political strategy . The principal possess the authority arising from the position as formal leaders in the institution. They also hold powers in the form of rewards like promotion and references. An exchange may secure benefits from both parties but it does not engage staff beyond immediate gains. Teachers in the organization exchange something for the benefit of them. It does not produce long-term commitment to the vision . As leaders I will always be there in good and bad times.

          In the postmodern I learned that the leaders share her ideas and consult others to have participation and ended with shared leadership. Leader has also a background knowledge of their culture and its diverse cultural meanings to be able to relate their needs and expectations.

          A school head is a role model and possess positive attributes to influence people in the workplace with equal opportunities, justice understanding, teamwork and commitment. She has to demonstrate between principle and practice also the managerial and moral. Sergiovanni (1991) argues that both moral and managerial leadership are required to develop a learning community.

          Instructional leadership focuses on the direction to influence, rather than nature and source. It is concerned with teaching and learning .School head has to model the teaching strategies and monitor the implementation that teachers have  targeted and have  impact on  students learning. This could also be possible by having conference, promoting teacher’s professional growth and fostering teacher reflection for  improvement  instructions  .

          In contingent leadership it exposes that there is ‘no single best type’ or “one size fits all ” stance. The important  is how leaders respond to the  problems, how  to continuously read and evaluate the situation and learn how to adopt the behavior to it.   From time to time leaders have to reflect to be able to assess the situation carefully rather that relying on the standard.

          I realized that there is no single best style in leadership. What is important is to recognize the strength  of teachers and maximize their potentials. To  evaluate and analyze  how to combat their weakness. To be open to others suggestions and take the risk to solve the problem at the same time promoting peaceful environment conducive to effective learning.

          As principal, I will challenge myself to keep on reading and internalizing what I learned so that I will become an instrument to make things happen rather than wait  for the things to happen.

Your student,

Linda