A Culture of Professionalism and Mutual Trust - Assignment Example

?Being a Leader Leadership is important in any setting and in the primary school setting there must be someone to create the opportunity to guide teachers and students to become as successful as possible. Currently, this researcher is a Senior leader in a primary school in Sheffield, UK. I am also responsible for teaching. In my current role, I ensure that all teachers have an opportunity for continued learning and I am available for challenges that they may face throughout the day. My role is to supervise teaching staff and support staff and to give guidance and support at all levels. The most important aspect of leadership in education, in my opinion, is to make sure that those employees that are supervised are comfortable with the leadership style and area able to work within it. My Approach to Leadership I believe that my approach to leadership comes closest to participatory because I want employees to have a say in the decision making process as well as to have an interest in what we are doing. In primary school as in any other aspect of education, teachers must have a way to express themselves and to make sure that they are doing what is necessary to help students progress in their studies. I enjoy having teams at work that can come together to share knowledge as well as to design activities so that we are all doing similar things in the classroom. Although we have guidelines that we must meet, we can still help students have fun with the curriculum and we can teach in a way that encourages inclusion rather than exclusion. Kahai, Sosik and Avolio (2006) suggest that participative leaders are able to steer their employees towards positive growth and to strive for solving problems instead of creating more problems. Employees understand that they are part of the solution and feel they do not have to carry out the problem on their own. When employees know that they are supported in their opinions, whether they are positive or negative, they are more open to finding solutions, because they are able to have their opinions heard. Kahai, Sosick and Avolio also state that the organizational climate will be more positive because problem solving methods allow a basis for employees to feel that their “higher order needs” are met (p. 126) and they will meet the requirements of the task because they feel valued. The Organization’s Values James and Connelly (2009) suggest that an organization’s culture is difficult to describe and to predict. They state that an organization’s culture will consist of a variety of “beliefs, symbols, values and assumptions” (391) and it will be dependent on what the individual organization believes is important to run the organization. In a primary school, the organizational climate is as good as the principle that sets the stage for what is needed in their school. In the public school where I work, the organizational climate is one of very positive reinforcement from the principal. The principal sets the leadership for the school and our principal encourages staff to come to them with problems and with other ideas for the school. As a leader within that structure, it is up to me to make sure that I keep in mind what the principal wants and to assist the teachers that I work with in my team to do what is required of us as a team. I believe that my school has strong values and that we put the needs of the students first. I see that there are a variety of ethical considerations that many people within the school have that are important to discuss. Many of the initiatives that our school has come from the National Challenge. This challenge states that by this year, 2011, at least 30% of children should be able to “gain five or more GCSEs A*-C, including both English and mathematics” (Storey, 2011). In order for students to do this, they must have effective leadership in the classroom as well as in the school. The primary school will begin the focus of the national challenge because students must have the skills they need by the time the move to secondary school. Students must be lead through their courses through the information they receive from their teachers, and these teachers must be able to create a learning environment for these children that works towards their necessary skills. 1.1 Impact of the Organization’s Culture and Values on Leadership A school’s leadership is only as good as the principle allows it to be. When everyone is on the same page in their relationship to the teachers and students, there is the ability to lead as required. In a report by Barber, Whelan and Clark (n.d.) a study was done on the practices of the best schools in terms of their leadership. The report stated that: there are statistically significant empirical and qualitatively robust associations between heads’[head teachers] educational values, qualities, and their strategic actions and improvement in school conditions leading to improvements in student outcomes (p. 5). To me, this means that those people who are in leadership positions must remember that what they do will impact the improvement for children in the future. It will not be dependent on whether they were a strong or poor leader, but it will be reflective of how they chose to use their knowledge to assist students in learning. When all leaders are working together as they do in my school, everyone can be sure that the children are reaching their potential and that they are being guided to the information they need. We can also be sure that the teachers are impacted because they are obtaining the salary that is a fair wage and they are happy in their jobs. Teachers do their best for the school when they know that their ideas and concerns are being heard. In this respect, they are also able to gain more opportunity to teach in their classroom when the leadership is solid. 1.2 Legal, Regulatory and Ethical Requirements and their Impact on Leadership It is imperative that all school leaders must follow legal, regulatory and ethical requirements in their leadership. These regulatory requirements are not only with the school, but they are also with the professional organizations that we may belong to or that are specific to our needs. The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) (2009) sets the standards for teachers who are registered in England. The GTCE has several regulations that are important to this discussion in terms of the code for conduct. All registered teachers must keep the following eight principles of conduct and practice: 1. Put the wellbeing, development and progress of children and young people first 2. Take responsibility for maintaining the quality of their teaching practice 3. Help children and young people to become confident and successful learners 4. Demonstrate respect for diversity and promote equality 5. Strive to establish productive partnerships with parents and carers 6. Work as part of a whole-school team 7. Co-operate with other professional colleagues 8. Demonstrate honesty and integrity and uphold public trust and confidence (GTCE, 2009, p. 6) In looking at these eight principles, it is important to understand that as a leader, each of these impacts leadership. The first three principles speak to the teachers’ responsibility to take care of the student needs first. There are several ways that this happens. First, the teacher must act as a leader in her classroom in order to make sure that students are getting the skills that the curriculum provides. Next, the teacher must take care of their own professional development. By staying active in classes or workshops to help their work, they can insure that they are keeping in line with the skills and requirements of these principles, and giving students up-to-date information in teaching. The next two principles (4 and 5) insure that leadership takes an active role in working with parents and/or carers and develops teams to work together. These three principles impact leadership in making sure those teachers are competent and understand how to cooperate in work teams. These two also speak to diversity which is a very important aspect of leadership. Leaders must understand that they are going to work with a variety of people of different ethnicities, different ideas, and different races. They may find this in the course of their classroom or in the course of their workshops or classes as they continue their professional development. The last two principles speak to honesty and integrity as well as getting along with their colleagues. Leaders must strive to be honest and to have integrity in their dealings because these things keep them from legal concerns. The National Union of Teachers has a Code of Ethics that they expect members to follow. This code explains exactly what teachers are supposed to do and what they should not do when it comes to colleagues and/or children. This is another governing body that impacts leadership in that it provides teachers with those aspects of conduct that they should not do, and that will put them in jeopardy with the law. Codes of ethics and professional codes help the leader to understand their boundaries and help them become better teachers. 1.3 Current and Emerging Social Concerns One of the most important issues that is current but is also emerging is the competence of the children to be able to read, write and do math. Many of the initiatives that have started for primary grades are to insure that all children have access to education regardless of their race, colour or disability. This is certainly one of the many issues that we as teachers must understand so that we can make sure that our students are learning and doing well. Special education needs are still important to the future of children and how we are going to work with them in order to make sure that their educational needs are met. Many children are still coming to school hungry and this makes it difficult for them to learn. This is a concern that will continue to be a challenge in the future and is something that we need to address. Many schools are providing school dinners so that children and their families are getting at least one good meal a day. These social concerns are particularly important to leadership because they are things that we must be concerned about if we are going to meet the needs of all students. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows that basic needs for food and shelter must be met before a person is motivated to move to other needs. In order for children to have the best influence in learning, they have to have good food and have their needs met. 2.1 Relationship between Management and Leader I have a very good relationship with the management at our school. I have given many ideas that have been implemented and some of my work ideas have gone to the board of education so that they would see what we are doing at my school. I have an opportunity to bring together my team in many of these situations. I think that management really attempts to make sure that our needs are met as teachers and as Senior teachers so that we can do a better job for the students. As management with my teachers, I also believe that I am fair, and a good leader for them, according to their evaluations of me. I think this is also a part of developing a culture of professionalism, mutual trust, respect and support within the team. I attempt to ensure that all of the teachers that are on my team are heard and that their basic needs as teachers are met. I often help them with making choices about professional development opportunities that would be good for them to pursue as well as any additional college credits they may be considering. I think a leader must be able to evaluate the team individually and to help them understand what they need to keep within the standards of teaching. A leader must have a clear focus in leading a team so that they can lead the team in the direction that the school wants and that the regulations and ethical considerations point out. I want the team to be able to meet any changing needs of the school and of the school district so that they are able to also understand the direction of the school and the district. When they have this direction in mind as they continue to teach, we have a more cohesive unit. I spend time on a weekly basis talking to my team and my principle about the school’s direction. I want to be sure that we are always moving forward in what the goals are for the children as well as for teachers. The only way that I can do this is to attend meetings with the principle as well as any faculty meetings. We also have to meet with parents to be sure that parents understand what we are attempting to do for their children. 2.2 Evaluate Leadership Styles There are several leadership styles that I feel are very important. Bennis’ idea of the differences between managers and leaders is very important. Some of the things that he states are: 1. The manager administers; the leader innovates 2. The manager is a copy; the leader is an original. 3. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. 4. The manager imitates; the leader originates (Bennis, 2009, p. 42). These are only four of what he says but I think his book and his ideas of leadership are very insightful. I have used his comments to inspire myself and my teams. I think that we have to understand that there are vast differences between managers and leaders and we cannot expect that an individual who is a manager can also be a leader. Previously, I have also mentioned the transformational leader. I believe that leaders must be transformational if they are going to help others be ready for the future. As an example, education is going to need to change in the way that we teach children as computers become more of a part of the system and as children come to classrooms already more advanced in some ways. They need to be encouraged to think out of the box and move forward in their thinking about life in general. They will not be able to be held inside boxes for too much longer. A transformational leader is generating a greater awareness of why the goals that people have developed are important and their purpose. I believe that this is an important step to helping people understand their own leadership style. 2.3 Leadership Styles in Different Situations There are many different ways that people lead and there may be a variety of styles that they must use depending on what it is that they are doing. As an example, there are times in my leadership where I can use the transformational style, but at other times I have to be more authoritative. I think that sometimes a leader can be democratic in the way that they lead but at other times they are going to have to come back to the authoritarian style if they want to make sure that people do what they need to do to get a job done. Also, I think the laissez-faire style is not a good style for education because it assumes that the individual will not be responsible to take charge inside a group. I know that the laissez-faire style would not work in my school because most people are more task oriented than laid back as this style suggests. I also think that tit is more important to support and delegate with people than it is to tell them what to do. Sometimes though, if you are in a critical situation you will have to take command and control the situation as a leader. I think of this when I think about school shootings that have happened around the world. If the teachers were not in a position to take command and control of the situation with their students, more people may have died in these situations. There are times when leaders must make sure that they give clear directions and they help those who are better at following know what to do next in any situation. I think that when you encourage people, they are more apt to follow a leader than they are if you are always demanding in a negative way and telling them what o do. 3.1 Develop a Culture of Professionalism, etc. I believe that in any organizational culture, it is important for the leader to create a culture of professionalism, mutual trust, respect, and support or people do not do what you ask them to do. I have seen other leaders in my school try to make their teachers in their team do something and this has led to resentment and anger from the teachers. Teachers can be very compassionate people and they need the leader to understand who they are. When I am working with my team, the way that I encourage professionalism is to treat everyone with respect. When I do this, they automatically trust me to have their best interest at heart. I support them in our meetings as well as in front of the principle if necessary. I also feel that I have carried myself as a professional which to me means that I treat people the way that I want to be treated. Otherwise, people have a tendency to pull away from a leader. 3.2 Impact of a Leader’s Clear Focus When a leader is leading a team with a clear focus, they are able to gain control of a group. People expect that the leader will have a clear focus and be able to bring the group back to that focus if they move away from the main objective. I think that it is important to support the team in their various ideas, but it is also important to keep the focus. Without focus, the group can fall a part. 3.3 How Leader Supports and Develops Understanding In my team, I always start each year out with the objectives of the school and what is expected of us as a team. I believe this sets the stage for old and new teachers to stay on track throughout the school year. During meetings, I refer back to our goals and I ask the teachers and other staff on my team to come up with their own goals around the goals of the school. This usually works very well because it also institutes a commitment from each person on the team to do their best. 3.4 Leadership Styles and their Adaptation When I am in a meeting with my teachers, I always am nurturing but also authoritarian sometimes. I think this is necessary so that teachers understand they have a strong leader they can rely on. As our team comes together throughout the year, I make sure that I listen to everyone’s opinions, ideas and their needs. I attempt to make sure that I am always fair with them and that I keep an open door policy that allows them to come to me whenever they need my help. References Barber, M., Whelan, F. and Clark, M. (n.d.) Capturing the leadership premium: How the world’s top school systems are building leadership capacity for the future. McKinsey and Company. [14 June 2011]. Available from http://www.mckinsey.com/clientservice/Social_Sector/our_practices/Education/Knowledge_Highlights/~/media/Reports/SSO/schoolleadership_final.ashx Bennis, W. (2009). On becoming a leader. PA: Perseus Books. Changing Minds. (2011). Participative leadership. [10 June 2011]. Available from http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/participative_leadership.htm General Teaching Council for England. (2009). Teachers code of conduct and practice for registered teachers. [14 June 2011]. Available from http://www.gtce.org.uk/teachers/thecode/ James, C. and Connolly, M. (2009). An analysis of the relationship between the organizational culture and the performance of staff work groups in schools and the development of an explanatory model. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 12 (4). 389-407. doi: 10.1080/13603120902980804 Kahai, S.S., Sosik, J.J., and Avolio, B.J. (2006 online). Effects of leadership style and problem structure on work group process and outcomes in an electronic meeting system environment (online). Personnel Psychology, 50 (1) 121-146. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.1997.tb00903.x National Union of Teachers. (NUT) (2011). NUT Code of Professional Ethics. [14 June 2011]. Available from http://www.teachers.org.uk/files/active/0/NUT-Code-of-Professional-Ethics.pdf Storey, V. (2011). The National Challenge. Sheffield City Council. [14 June 2011]. Available from http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/our-schools/school-performance/nationalchallenge Read More