Tonette N.

Hill, EDLD 601, 07/26/2012, Personal Leadership Philosophy

Personal Leadership Philosophy Statement School leadership is guiding and leading students, teachers, and parents in the school setting. I believe a great leader must guide people in a direction that is good for the organization. The SEDL website lists six characteristics of good leadership such as being visionary, believing that schools are for learning, valuing human resources, communicating and listening effectively, being proactive, and taking risks. An educational leader should promote collaboration that will ensure that students are in an environment that is conducive for learning. School leaders should make all students a priority and set high expectations for student learners. Leadership is a process that is developed through research and experience. According to The Leadership Challenge, Leadership development is self-development. Leadership is a process in which one must be willing to learn to lead. As a leader, I will drive instruction that is based on the data. Decisions will be made based on the needs of the students and the school. Students are the single most important reason for schools existing and I will make sure students have opportunities to succeed and develop as a community of learners. As a leader, I will give teachers the opportunity to develop and grow into teacher leaders. Promoting the success and developing great teachers is a goal that I will have as a leader. Ensuring that teachers are also a community of learners as well will produce students that are life-long learners. A positive climate is essential to the success of a school. Dr. Kenneth Leithwood concludes that more than ever principals are accountable for improving student achievement and closing the achievement gap. Personally, I believe leadership is developed when the leader encourages collaboration among the staff to develop, share, and move toward a vision. A clear vision is the force that guides planning, instruction, decision-making and direction in a school. Without a vision, a

Tonette N. Hill, EDLD 601, 07/26/2012, Personal Leadership Philosophy

school cannot move toward success. As a leader I want to inspire all stakeholders the vision of the school. This process is not an easy take therefore; I would communicate the vision in all aspects of the school. Leading by example will allow students, teachers and the community the opportunity to know that the school has a guide to drive instruction in the school. As a leader, I do not want to use fear to gain favor as Machiavelli did, but I want to build a culture that is positive for the entire community of users. Roland Barth stated that, Educators who are change agents of their own school become owners, not renters. Change agents are not always popular, but I want to create a school with a shared vision that promotes collaboration, empowerment, and academic success for students, teachers, and the community. I want to own the school that I am going to lead. I dont want to rent it for a short time, leave and rent someplace else. In America, ownership is the American dream, and I want to become an owner of the school that I lead and feel proud to have the opportunity to be the head dreamer of my school. Barth also stated that, If you want to predict the future, create it! As a leader I want to create a culture that invests in the students and staff by providing opportunities for professional development. I believe a leader is successful when a vision is put into action and implemented. Servants embrace the community and teamwork. I want to become a servant leader is honest, forward-looking, inspiring and competent. According to the Leadership Challenge, these attributes are constant over time. According to Robert Greenleaf, serving and being served are reciprocal and that one cannot be had without the other. Robert Greenleaf believes that a leader who is trusted by followers is a servant first. I want to be a true leader that aspires to serve first and to become a true leader. As a leader, I do not want to meet my own personal needs, but meet the needs of the organization to improve student learning, teacher development and community empowerment. School leaders are measure by success of standardized scores and Annual Yearly

Tonette N. Hill, EDLD 601, 07/26/2012, Personal Leadership Philosophy

Progress, but achievement will not develop in these areas if the school leader is not willing to be a selfless leader that embodies a vision and brings the vision to reality. In conclusion, leaders are selfless and they encourage community. Effective leaders are motivated, energized, and driven by a vision. The role of the instructional leader is to facilitate
the success of the students by direct involvement with teachers, parents, and the wider community by creating an environment where all parties understand the investment being made into the educational future of the students. School leadership demands drive, motivation, honesty, integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability, and content mastery. As a school leader, I will emphasize these characteristics to promote the schools vision and to encourage student achievement.