As an Educational Leader it is my responsibility to keep children at the forefront of all goal setting and decision making. Children are the reason that we decided to become educators. If nothing else, we all share a common love of children. Sometimes in education, we become caught up in all the politics that come with working in a school system. If doing what is best for all children is a common belief held by all, then finding winning solutions to hard problems, becomes a little bit easier.
As an Educational Leader it is important for me to be visible to my students, parents, and community members. Being a good communicator is a trait that a leader must possess. Students, staff and parents should feel free to speak with me and share ideas. My office will be a place with an open door policy. It will not be seen as a place of punishment or source of sadness. Rather it will be seen as a place to celebrate successes and place where any problem can be solved.
It is my firm belief that schools need to be a positive, fun place for children, teachers, and community members; a place that people are happy to enter and proud to be a part of. As Educational Leaders we are in the “relationship building” business. We encompass a huge amount of power by keeping these relationships positive. Each member of the school community needs to feel like they are a valued part of the school family. By asking for opinions, delegating responsibilities, celebrating successes and showing appreciation for hard work, a leader starts to develop a team. When people feel like they are a part of something they have a personal invested interest in achieving what is best for their team.
This being said, it is an Educational Leaders responsibility to work with their team to set a clear vision and goal for their school. Common language needs to be set and used to show what we are trying to achieve as a school community. Not only must we set our goals but we must pave the path to get there. The team needs to collaborate and decide on the path we will take to achieve these goals. Once the goal is met we must celebrate this achievement and decide on what we could improve next.
An Educational Leader has the responsibility to hire good teachers and nurture the growth of teachers once they are hired. New teachers need support to become great confident teachers, and veteran teachers need support to change with the times to stay great. Educational Leaders need to embrace the good that can come out of teacher observation and continue to do them on a regular basis.
Educational Leaders have the unique job of setting the tone for a school. Daily, we hold the educational lives of children in our hands. Children are the reason we are here and the reason that we strive daily to become better at our craft. Finally, as an Educational Leader I strive to be a positive, ethical, honest example for the people whose lives I touch daily. I am a firm believer that we lead by example. In me, my students, staff, members of the community, and families, will find a leader who delivers on what she sets out to do, someone they know they can talk to and someone who is undoubtedly here for the betterment of the school, to support teachers, and for the educational success of all students.