Models of successful principal leadership - Essay Example

Models of successful principal leadership The article by David Gurra “Models of successful principal Leadership” provides us with an example of how a principal can rich successful school leadership. The presented research is grounded on two case studies of Australian schools. Furthermore principal leadership is considered in the light of crucial role for students’ success; i.e. a successful principal is an example to follow. Principal-leader is presented as a person participating in every aspect of school life and in the process of teaching and learning.

This leader should be endowed with sincerity and openness, with a constant desire to participate and enrich school life and educational process. According to the author, “many successful leaders in schools serving highly diverse student populations enact practices to promote school quality, equity and social justice through: building powerful forms of teaching and learning; creating strong communities in school; nurturing the development of educational cultures in families; expanding the amount of students’ social capital valued by the schools” (Gurra p 372).

Therefore this study opens a new horizon for potential researches. For example, it is possible to investigate leadership development among principals. At this stage occurs an idea of possible training programs’ involvement in the process of education and work of current and future principals. Furthermore it is necessary to fill in a research gap of leadership development among teachers. If to widen views on leadership development among teachers it will be possible to foster innovations and to make educational process more diversified and multi-sided.

The author states: “In addition to engaging in a core set of leadership practices, successful leaders must act in ways that acknowledge the accountability-oriented policy context in which almost all work, including the market, decentralization and professional and management accountability” (Gurra p 372). The question: “how a principal can rich successful school leadership?” is very interesting to discuss. This research considers not leadership as the main object of investigation, but educational program itself.

A real leader is considered as an individual who takes part in every aspect and does not miss anything. We understand that a leader should be sincere and open and his main goal should be to take part in school life and educational process. Moreover, we should consider underpinnings of principal leadership, which are oriented not on the leadership qualities of a separate individual, but on the whole educational process. School leadership is a rich topic for discussion and it is necessary to scan it properly for the sake of successful educational process development.

Works cited1. Gurra, D. et. al. “Models of successful principal Leadership”. School Leadership and Management (26) (4) (2006): pp. 371-395.