How to Be Successful Educational Leader in Private Schools - Research Paper Example

Introduction: In the world of today, people are constantly exposed to the daily news that do not stimulate or encourage the growth of the mind. Instead, these news articles or substances play a role in deterring an individual from having hope and success in their future life. This is mainly because the information presented is negative, and on most occasions this information is discouraging to individuals. Having a dream or a vision is an essential process that can create a positive outcome to an individual’s desire to achieve success. Barrett-Baxendale and Burton (2009) explains that ability to learn new things is good for the brain, and has the capability of making an individual to focus on their ambitions and goals in life. Furthermore, new ideas are only imparted when an individual reads the right books, associates with highly visionary friends, and watches movies of programs that have the capability of ensuring that they manage to learn new skills, ideas, and concepts. It is such kind of programs that facilitate the growth of an individual’s vision and dreams. Stam, Knippenberg and Wisse (2013) explains that when properly applied or centered, a vision or a dream will allow an individual to have the ability of gaining a new insight and creating a new way of life around them. Barrett-Baxendale and Burton (2009) explains that a dream or a vision is an idea that an individual may have for himself that would entail or help him to build a future that surrounds the idea under consideration. Clarity of such a dream would help an individual to achieve their goals, and become prosperous as well as successful in their endeavors. A dream that is clear has the capability of opening the mind to unlimited options and endless possibilities concerning the future plans of an individual. On this basis, having a vision or a dream is a very important factor that determines the success of an individual’s life (Graham, 2006). The same person feels much more valuable when he or she is able to achieve their dreams or visions. When an individual does not have a dream or a vision, then chances are high that he or she won’t achieve success in the society. This is because they do not have any motivating factor that motivates them to work hard, and hence achieve success (Graham, 2006). On this basis, failure to have a dream and working on it, is a sure way of failing in life. As an individual, my dream is to be a leader in a private educational school. My main dream and vision is to own a private school, and work hard in it, for purposes of ensuring that it offers high quality education to students (Stam, Knippenberg and Wisse, 2013). Furthermore, my dream is to own a school that has the capability of attracting highly qualified teachers to work in it. This would be impossible to achieve if my school does not have the best facilities and good learning as well as teaching conditions. This would only be possible if I manage to acquire the appropriate skills of managing private schools and institutions. Some of the essential skills required for managing a school include good communication skills, good inter-personal skills, good education, as well the love of children. These are the skills and ability under my possession, and I believe with proper utilization of these abilities, I will gain the capability of successfully managing my school, and being an education leader in the provision of education services (Stam, Knippenberg and Wisse, 2013). In as much as it would be a difficult feat to achieve, I am a highly motivated individual, and my desire for success is great. Due to this motivation, it is within my belief that creating and managing my own private elementary school is an achievable ambition. For purposes of achieving success, and proper marketing of the school, the school motto will be, “Achieving Honor through Quality Education”. Educational Leadership in an Elementary School: Stam, Knippenberg and Wisse (2013) explains that at no other time in history have people been more aware of the importance of education improving the welfare of children, than in the current century. Many years back, people did not value education, and women were highly discriminated upon when it came to accessing educational services. However, with the rise of the civil rights movements all over the world, and the enactment of legislations that prohibit discrimination in the provision of services, these discriminative educational tendencies were able to be abolished. On this basis, both girls as well as boys are given an equal opportunity to access educational services (Bryman and Lilley, 2009). To achieve leadership in the education sector, there is a need of developing a school program would carter for the needs of boys as well as the needs of girls. Equal opportunities within the learning environment must be availed for purposes of ensuring that both girls and boys are able to access the necessary facilities that would ensure they achieve success in their learni9ng process. Caldwell (2006) explains that this concept of affording equal opportunities should not only be applicable to boys and girls, but it should also be applicable to every child who has problems relating to learning disability. This is a concept referred to as inclusive education. In the view of Stam, Knippenberg and Wisse (2013), for anybody to achieve success in education leadership, he or she has to have knowledge on the current trends that shape the education sector. Inclusive education is a current trend in the education sector, aimed at ensuring that every child, irrespective of their physical and social status, are able to get equal opportunities when it comes to accessing education. On this basis, as a leader in the education sector, there is a need of developing education programs that would carter for these children with special needs in my elementary school. Through this action, I would manage to build a positive brand name for my school. This is essential in ensuring that my school grows as more parents would bring their children to my school. It is important to understand that the more children my school has, the better chances that the school under consideration will manage to be a leader in the provision of educational services (Coleman, 2006). In as much as there would be a need of attracting more students within the school set up, it is important to denote that I won’t compromise the availability of resources, for purposes getting more students. I would ensure that there is an adequate resource to carter for the students admitted. This would ensure that the quality of education provided by the school is high. Other issues that emerge concerning the quality of education revolve around the role of religion in the provision of education. Religious institutions advocate for the provision of religious education services to students, for purposes of ensuring that they are able to be brought up as God fearing students, with high morals. However, it is important to understand that in as much as religion plays a significant role in the moral development of a child, it is important to ensure that when providing education is religious studies, the programs should be taught in a manner that does not infringe upon the religious rights and believes of the students under consideration (Bryman and Lilley, 2009). Promoting one religion at the expense of another is unethical, and this might lead to the downfall of the school, since religious beliefs are a very sensitive part of individuals. Furthermore, to achieve leadership in my elementary school, I will have to partner with the surrounding community. In partnering with the community, the school will have to develop social responsibility programs such as giving out scholarships to needy students from the community, planting of trees and engaging in other environmental conservation measures, as well as involving some members of the community in the decision making process. This is by allowing some experienced elders from the community to be part of the board of governors. It is important to understand that in as much as I would be the manager of the school; there is a need of employing a group of highly experienced managers, to sit as board of governors. This people will be responsible for developing policies that the school needs to follow. On this basis, allowing some members of the local community an opportunity to serve as members of the board of governors would make the community to have a sense of ownership of the school (Purinton, 2013). On this note, the community would cooperate with the school in ensuring that the school provides high quality education, hence being one of the best schools in the country. Furthermore, to achieve success as an educational leader, there is a need of employing highly qualified teachers, who are skillful in the various subjects that they are employed to teach. It is important to understand that without highly skilled teachers, then chances of achieving educational leadership will be minimal (Stam, Knippenberg and Wisse, 2013). In any organization, employees play an integral part in whether the organization would achieve success or fail to achieve success in its objectives. Based on this knowledge therefore, it is my desire to be able to employ highly qualified and skilled teachers in my elementary school. To attract these teachers, there is a need of providing good remuneration, as well as teaching facilities and resources. This would motivate my teachers into working hard, and further on attract more teachers in applying for teaching roles in my school. Bryman and Lilley (2009) manages to explain that lack of highly qualified teachers is always a factor that affects the performance of a school. This is the main reason as to why public schools normally perform poorly. They lack qualified teachers who prefer to work in private schools, because of poor remuneration and poor working conditions that are normally associated with public schools. However, in a bid to attain educational leadership, there are a number of challenges that I would likely face. One major challenge that will be encountered is on issue regarding financing. Opening and operating a private elementary school is a very expensive affair. There is a need of obtaining license from the government, land to build, and building of classrooms where students would have to sit. All this are capital intensive, and they require money. Getting these sources of finance would prove difficult, mainly because banking organizations would be reluctant to lend money, without any tangible security. Donations from family members and friends won’t be sufficient enough to raise the necessary capital required for purposes of starting the elementary school. However, to overcome this challenge, it is my intention to look for charity organizations that want to improve the quality of education in the country, and ones which are willing to finance my initiatives. I would have to write a proposal, seeking for funds or loans from such organizations, and involve them in the managerial process of my organization. Chances are high that with a good proposal, I would be able to get financing from these organizations. Another challenge will emanate in getting highly qualified and skilled teachers and subordinate staff for my organization. This is because skilled teachers are always in demand, and because of the emergence of many private elementary schools, there is a competition for these teachers. As a start up, it would be difficult to attract qualified and skilled teachers in my organization. To address this challenge, there will be a need of coming up with a much better remuneration that will attract good teachers in my organization (Purinton, 2013). Furthermore, I will have to look for educated teachers, and provide on job training to them. It is my sincere belief that through this training, these teachers would acquire the necessary skills needed for effectively teaching students enrolled in my elementary school. Another challenge to be encountered is on issue of inclusive education. Just as noted earlier, inclusive education is a current trend in educational practice, and schools are required to develop programs that would ensure student with learning disabilities are integrated with normal students. This would be a great challenge because it would be very difficult for these children to learn effectively when they are mixed with normal students. On this basis, there would be a need of teachers putting more efforts in order to help students with learning disability to understand the various concepts taught in class. This would force the school to invest more money and resources on these students and teachers tasked with helping these students with their academic endeavors. To address this challenge, the management of the school will have to cooperate with the parents of these children for purposes of ensuring that they provide the necessary support and resources that the school needs (Coleman, 2006). Furthermore, chances are high that conflict will emerge between my students and teachers. These conflicts might emerge when students are failing to follow instructions, and teachers are forced to punish the students. Furthermore, teachers might also be on the wrong. This is when they use inappropriate teaching and punishment techniques, such as use of corporal punishments, and giving students assignments that is above their capability (Haydon, 2007). To address this conflict that emanates between teachers and students, there is a need of coming up with a disciplinary committee that comprises of a representative of parents, representative of teachers and representatives of management. Their tasks would be to hear adverse cases of the conflict, and come up with a solution of solving the conflict under consideration (Levacic, 2005). Time management will also be an issue when managing an elementary school. It is important to understand that poor time management can result to the failure of the school to achieve success in meeting its objectives. Teachers will have to observe time when going to class, and when finishing their lessons. Students will also have to observe time when attending classes and school (Levacic, 2005). To properly manage time, there will be a need of appointing a prefect who will be responsible for ringing bells, as a sign of reminding the teachers and students on time. Furthermore, being flexible with teachers will be a motivational policy that the organization will have to pursue. When a teaching staff is flexible, then chances are high that they would be able to accommodate the different abilities of their students, and develop a teaching program that would serve the interests of these students. Conclusion: In conclusion, to achieve my objective, in becoming a leader in the education sector, there is a need of ensuring that I work very hard. Without hard work, chances are high that I may fail to achieve my objectives. As noted earlier, one of my major obstacles is to obtain funds for purposes of financing my academic project. It would be difficult to convince sponsors in funding my school, if I as a person I am able to exhibit characteristics of laziness. Furthermore, I would need cooperation from the government, the community, teachers, parents and students in order to achieve success in my endeavors. This cooperation will only be obtained if I am able to develop a good working relationship with these people. References: Barrett-Baxendale, D., & Burton, D. (2009). Twenty-first-century headteacher: pedagogue, visionary leader or both?. School Leadership & Management, 29(2), 91-107. Bryman, A., & Lilley, S. (2009). Leadership Researchers on Leadership in Higher Education. Leadership, 5(3), 331-346. Caldwell, B. (2006). Re-imagining educational leadership. London: Sage Publications. Coleman, M. (2006). Editorial: Educational Leadership and Diversity. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 34(2), 147-149. Graham, H. (2006). The vision. Don Mills, Ont.: MIRA. Haydon, G. (2007). Values for educational leadership. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications. Levacic, R. (2005). Educational Leadership as a Causal Factor: Methodological Issues in Research on Leadership 'Effects'. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 33(2), 197-210. Purinton, T. (2013). Is instructional leadership possible? What leadership in other knowledge professions tells us about contemporary constructs of school leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 16(3), 279-300. Stam, D., Knippenberg, D. V., & Wisse, B. (2010). Focusing on followers: The role of regulatory focus and possible selves in visionary leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(3), 457-468. Read More