Leadership and the Art of Change Movement - Essay Example

Comprehension Exam Question ED.d  Leadership and the Art of Change Movement The changing societal patterns are increasingly putting more stress to the educational institutions to become the torchbearers of the reformatory movement. Thus, the level of responsibility entrusted on the shoulder of the educational leaders is also countering rapid changes. Educational Leaders need now to operate in a more complex sphere with the collaborative effort of his subordinate team. Huge amount of responsibility entrusted on the educational leaders to cite newer solutions to the ever-growing nature of social problems have led them to take to newer roles. In the previous days the educational leaders use to operate on an autocratic tone. However, the present demand of the changing societies has made them shift from autocratic to democratic roles. Democratic leadership roles of an educational leader require them to arrive at collective decisions through acting on a collaborative sphere with huge number of stakeholders to the issue. The act of taking decisions based on a collaborative sphere helps the educational leader in organizing newer communities. Thus the activities of the educational leader are not only restricted in developing the level of education but in also transforming the economic and social face of the community. While acting in the parameter of democratic leadership the educational leader needs to have a patient ear to the issues cited by the different stakeholders. Further, the educational leader must also try to concentrate on the persons who are failing to voice their issues. (English & Anderson, 68-69) Collaborative leadership takes place when the educational leader welcomes the views of the multiple stakeholders to render a holistic approach to the problem. In conducting policy building exercises the educational leaders operating in a collaborative environment are required to take into consideration the viewpoint of different legislators and regulatory authorities. This helps to not only create an interest of the government stakeholders but also helps to create a neutral outlook to the solutions cited and policies created. Educational leaders must also actively cooperate to develop the condition of government schools for it would help develop the lower strata of the society who do not have access to proper schooling. Educational leadership functions on a complex set of values where both individualism and joint understandings operate on the same plane. The democratic leadership itself fosters a level of strong binding among the different stakeholders so that they can perform effectively on a collaborative sphere, however with individual opinions. Further, the educational leader must strive to dilute his position to a certain extent to help other stakeholders like parents gain a say in changing the educational environment. The educational leader needs to be a good communicator who must have the knowledge in rightly communicating the decisions and policy measures taken to different stakeholders in the community (English & Anderson, 68-69, 74-78). The role of educational leadership is found to counter a radical change in the pattern of rendering educational governance in countries like Australia. The governance of the public institutions in context of Australia traditionally operated on a very centralized environment. Central authorities took decisions regarding the distribution of resources among the educational institutions. Moreover, the distribution of both academic and nonacademic staffs among the educational institutions depended greatly on the activities of the centralized systems. However, with the rise of modern educational reforms demanding wide level of decentralization the control over the educational institutions has countered a radical change. Wider practices of decentralization have enabled the shift from centralized bureaucratic control to granting autonomy to the school authority to take independent decisions. In a similar manner educational practices in New Zealand have shown wider changes. During the period of late 1980s vast number of educational reforms made it possible to grant greater autonomy to schools on issues of self management and self governance. The current level of educational reform movements in New Zealand is triggering the development of effective educational leadership roles in the new millennium. The schools are being rendered the autonomy to elect principals. Policy changes in the educational environment have made it mandatory for the principals to act as managers who would actively promote and enhance the educational system of the community. Thus both in New Zealand and Australia the concept of collaborative leadership are gaining rapid exposure with good amount of support rendered by educational and jurisdiction centers. These centers are working for the development of educational leaders through conducting training and providing for other support services. Further, in New Zealand the schools were rendered further autonomy through the creation of separate bodies as trustees to whom the school leader would be accountable (Wiseman, 158-182). Educational leadership is not restricted to fulfilling administrative actions only. Rather it is an integrated set of management and administrative actions. Further, the role of educational leadership is also not restricted to the hands of the upper management authority. The modern approach to educational leadership encourages the growing participation of the teachers and educational instructors in taking active participation in the change activities initiated by the educational head. Again, the teachers or the lower level management body can also take leadership decisions, which must be supported by the upper management of the educational institutions (Abahumna, 484-491). Educational leadership roles in educational organizations also demand a good amount of risk taking without which any change endeavor is possible. The teachers working in educational institutions are given a greater role to perform in the modern practice of educational leadership. Teachers for their increased interaction with the student community are observed as the active ingredients of the reform movement. In the modern concept of educational leadership the teachers are observed as team leaders for their active roles in building a team of students who would belong to the future knowledge society. Teachers are also observed as educational revolutionaries who participate in decisions involving changes in course and style of teaching. Further, experienced teachers are also given the positions as head of departments where they not only facilitate in bringing educational reform but also help in development of the teachers belonging to the department. As educational leaders they can take active roles in recruiting, training and motivating the teaching force to perform effectively in the changing environment (Abahumna, 484-491). The government functionaries of many countries have become major stakeholders in the educational process and have laid down some central rules and regulations within which the educational institutions perform. Thus, decisions pertaining to the cultural setting in the schools and colleges depending on organizational philosophy are taken by the educational head in collaboration of senior teachers and other external stakeholders both government and private (Bush, 2; Bush, 391-392). Modern collaborative approach to educational leadership has given birth to the concept of “school based management”. The concept of “school based management” promotes a greater area to the stakeholders like parents, communities and instructors to take active participation in decision-making activities. (Wong & Chenge, 32) The principals act as the leaders of such decision-making groups but he is required to take a collaborative approach in formulating decisions. However, the pattern of involvement of the teachers in such decision-making units varies along different communities. The level of involvement of teachers was far greater in areas concerning teaching activities than in times when decision was required to be taken for management and administrative works. Further, the level of informal relationship between the principal and the teaching staff also governed the teachers’ participation. A friendly relationship with the principal helped the teachers to gain further access to managerial decision making which was pretty less where principals acted as bureaucrats (Wong & Chenge, 32-33). Organizations that Foster Learning Leadership role in an educational organization thus endeavors to foster a complex and highly motivated knowledge environment created through the mental potential of the organizational staff. Educational leaders must encourage the roles of other subordinate teams and middle and lower management while designing a set of core values and ideologies through which the organization can perform effectively. Fostering a collaborative environment in the task of designing the organizational philosophy and values helps in motivating and creating a better understanding between the upper and lower management. In acting as key drivers to foster organizational change the educational leaders must look forward to rightly implement their ideas of vision. The educational leaders must not only aim to create a captivating vision for the future but must be open to changes in it depending on the needs of the changing environment. (Young, 235-236) Thus, the educational leaders must bear the characteristic of sharing their ownership of vision with other people in the organization and thus work towards a common goal. Collaborative educational leadership also entails development of communication flow from the upper strata of universities and educational heads to the teaching population about policy and procedural changes. Further, a positive characteristic of an educational leader would divulge in the creation of better opportunities for promoting professional development of the teaching base through the conducting of teaching programs. Positive educational leadership also encourages the growth of broader networks wherein large number of professors and teachers can interact to arrive at decisive approaches for betterment of the educational environment. (Young, 235-236; Duignan, 21-24). Educational leaders are required to appreciate the understanding that their organizations are mainly centered on human development. Furthermore, the educational leaders must visualize the staffs as the key resources of the organization. Educational leaders must also act as good communicators through which they can easily interrelate with the various educational staffs to achieve common goals. They should have an open ear to the various suggestions placed by different people both from the external and internal organizational environment. Effective educational leadership also demands that the educational leaders must anticipate future changes to make essential changes in the organizational culture and values. The educational leader needs to be courageous enough to make significant changes in the educational structure, which demands considerable risks. The educational leader must not stop to think of endangering his position but must proactively proceed to adapt to the changing needs for organizational betterment (Silins, Zarins, & Mulford, 26-27). The social groundings of the modern era have placed a lot of expectations on the shoulders of the teaching community. Teachers are not only restricted in participating in proper teaching activities but are required to act as role models to the student community. Furthermore, the teachers are also required to have a say on many community decisions to help in formation of a knowledge society. The government of many countries is largely incorporating the teachers to take active role in bringing about reforms in the educational process for cultivating a knowledge environment. Thus, the educational leaders to carry out the large volume of expanded responsibilities must bear a feature to be more knowledgeable and qualified to sustain the growing demands of the knowledge society The educational leaders must actively participate in recognizing the persons who bear innovative traits in bringing about structural and cultural changes and must aptly operate to reward such people. In recognizing the true innovative traits of the individual the educational leader must also work forward to reinforce the shared vision of such person for organizational success. Educational leaders must actively encourage the continual process of organizing training and accruing of knowledge resources to help the organizational staff in coming out with new ideas, which in turn would cultivate a knowledge environment. The educational leader must conduct periodic reviews of the operational policies and visions laid down to impart efficacy in such (Silins, Zarins, & Mulford, 26-27; Mooney & Mausbach, 148-149, 151, 153-154). A successful and effective educational leader must be readily accountable for his activities in imparting a knowledge atmosphere in the educational organization. Different types of specialty schools require the educational leader to become more accountable to his operations. Thus, he must be a dedicated player in rightly strategizing his plans of action while incorporating the views of others to help in organizational betterment. An effective educational leader must rightly look forward in creating an open environment wherein people from various communities whether low or high income can enjoy the fruits of knowledge. Thus, educational leaders in this context must not only aim at strengthening the value systems but must readily incorporate ideas to encourage the poor parents to come forward in educating their children. The educational leaders must be tuned with high levels of energy and enthusiastic traits, which helps in spreading a motivational environment throughout the organization. Educational leaders who are referred to as the drivers of the change process must act forward depending on moral grounds. The educational leader must endeavor to bridge the gap between the performance parameters of the different students in the institution by rightly identifying the factors, which leads to such discrepancies. Finally, educational leaders must perform in a pervasive manner in anticipating the views of different functional groups within the organization. The educational leader must endeavor to bind the entire organization through cohesion. Actively encouraging the role of interpersonal relationships within the organization helps in rightly catering to the binding process. The social accountability of the educational leader is further enhanced through the adoption of newer educational and assessment norms. New accreditation practices welcomed by the educational leader triggered many controversies for it needed the education and examination curriculum to be altered. Students were also required to pass in such examination conducted by the accreditation bodies in a significant manner to help the institution be registered under it. Though in the initial front the teachers complained of undue stress rendered due to the induction of the new curriculum yet in the modern context the teachers have agreed to the help rendered by such. Induction of the new curriculum helped in drawing steady comparison between the performance parameters of the different students and as well as of the teaching criteria of different schools. Uniformity in evaluation criteria and courseware of the accreditation system helped the parents to get a clear picture of the level of education imparted in the institutions and thus also contributed in augmenting the accountability of such (English & Anderson, 16; Duke, 185-186). The educational leaders must actively participate in rightly recognizing the persons who bear innovative traits in bringing about structural and cultural changes and must aptly operate to reward such people. The individual the educational leader must also work forward to reinforce the shared vision of those people for organizational success (Silins, Zarins, & Mulford, 26-27). Educational leaders must actively encourage the continual process of organizing training and maintaining provision of knowledge resources. This would help the organizational staff in generating new ideas, which in turn would cultivate a knowledge environment. The educational leader must conduct periodic reviews of the operational policies and visions laid down to impart efficacy in such. References 1. English, Fenwick W. & Gary L. Anderson. The Sage handbook of educational leadership: advances in theory, research, and practice. SAGE, 2005. 2. Wiseman, Alexander W. Educational leadership: global contexts and international comparisons. Emerald Group Publishing, 2009. 3. Abahuma, Asefa, “The Level of Teachers’ Participation in Decision Making Process at Higher Educational Institutions: A Case of Adama University”, International Journal of Educational Administration, (2010), 2.3, pp. 483-494. 4. Bush, Tony, Leadership and Management Development in Education, Sage Publications Ltd., 2008 5. Bush, Tony. “Educational leadership and management: theory, policy, and practice”, South African Journal of Education, (2007), 27.3, pp. 391–406 6. Wong, Cheung-Kam & K. M. Chenge. Educational leadership and change: an international perspective. Hong Kong University Press, 1995. 7. Young, Michelle D. Handbook of research on the education of school leaders. Taylor & Francis, 2009. 8. Duignan, Patrick. Educational Leadership: Key Challenges and Ethical Tensions. Cambridge University Press, 2007. 9. Silins, Halia, Zarins, Silja, & Bill Mulford, “What characteristics and processes define a school as a learning organisation? Is this a useful concept to apply to schools?” International Education Journal, (2002), 3.1, pp. 24-32. 10. Mooney, J. Nancy & Ann T. Mausbach. Align the design: a blueprint for school improvement. ASCD, 2008. 11. Duke, L. Daniel. Educational leadership in an age of accountability: the Virginia experience. SUNY Press, 2003. Read More