S CHO O L LE ADE RS HI P

An Open Letter to Principals: 5

Leadership Strategies for the New Year
A UG US T 8 , 2 0 11

ByEricSheninger,SeniorFellowattheInternationalCenterforLeadershipinEducation

AsthecalendarturnstoAugust,schoolleadersacrossthecountryare
meticulouslyplanningfortheupcomingyear.Thisprocesshasbecomemore
difficultasmountingchallengessuchasbudgetcutsandwhatseemslikea
relentlessattackontheprofessionofeducationhavetakentheirtollonstaff
morale.Withthisbeingsaid,qualityleadershipbecomesevenmoreessential
inordertocultivateaschoolculturewhoseprimaryfocusisonthelearningand
achievementofeachandeverystudent.
Herearesomeofmyleadershipstrategiesformakingchangeduringchallengingtimes.Pleasefeelfreeto
shareanyotherideasinthecommentssectionbelow.

Strategy1:MakeNoExcuses
Successinthisendeavorreliesonustotakeanoexcuseattitude.Askyourselfthis:WhatamIpreparedto
dotoimproveallfacetsofmyschool?HowwillIaccomplishmorewithless?Thinkandreflectupontheways
toaccomplishthegoalsyousetasopposedtothechallenges,roadblocks,andpushbackyouwillexperience.
Theseareallcommoncomplicationsthatariseduringthechangeprocessandshouldnotbeusedasexcuses
nottopushforward.
Wemustbethepillarsofourrespectiveinstitutionsandfocusonsolutionsratherthanproblems.Succumbing
tothenegativerhetoric,abidingbythestatusquo,andhavingabunkermentalitywilldonothingtoinitiate
neededchangesinourbuildingtoimproveteachingandlearning.
Eachdayweareaffordedanopportunitytomakeapositivedifferenceinthelivesofourstudentsthroughour
roleaseducationleaders.Ourpassionforhelpingallstudentslearnandassistingstaffintheirgrowthshould
bethedrivingmotivationalforcetomakeourschoolsthebesttheycanbe,regardlessoftheobstacles.
Everythingischangingtheworld,learners,jobmarket,technology,accesstoinformationthesadreality
thoughisthatschoolsarenot.Weneedtobecatalyststodrivethischange!
Tip:Meetwithyouradministrativeteamandteacherleaderspriortothestartoftheschoolyeartoidentify
issueswhereexcusesroutinelyarise.Begintomapoutcollectiveresponsesfocusingonpositivesolutionsto
theseproblems.

Strategy2:ModelaVisionforExcellence

Beginbyarticulatingaclearvisiontoyourstaff.Theconsensushastobethateverystudentcanandshould
learn.Gettingyourentirestafftoembracethisconceptisattheheartofeffectiveleadership.Iprefertouse
theword"embrace"ratherthan"buyin"amorecommonlyusedwordsynonymouswithchangeefforts.We
shouldnotbetryingtosellourstaffsonpedagogicaltechniquesandotherinitiativesthatwillbetterprepare
ourstudentsforsuccessoncetheygraduate.
Inordertopromotetheembracingofnewideas,strategies,andtechniquesweneedtocollaborativelywork
withstafftotransformtraditionalclassroomenvironmentsintovibrantlearningcommunitieswhereallstudents
areauthenticallyengaged.
Tip:Engageyourstaffinabrainstormingsessionduringthefirstfacultymeetinginordertodevelopa
collectivevisiononhowtotransformtheschoolforthebettermentofallstudents.

Strategy3:Embrace21stCenturyPedagogyandCurriculum
Avisionbeginswithtalk,butwillonlybecomerealitywithaction.Associetyevolvesduetoadvancesin
technology,weasprincipalsmustensurethatinstructionfollowssuitorweruntheriskofourschools
becomingirrelevant.ByirrelevantIamreferringtoourabilitytopreparestudentswiththeskillstothink
critically,solveproblems,demonstratelearningthroughcreation,andcompeteinaglobalsociety.
Asinstructionalleaders,itisourprimaryresponsibilitytoobserveandevaluateinstruction.Withthiscomes
theresponsibilitytoensurethatteachersareprovidedthefreedomtotakerisks,knowledgeofeffective
practices,resourcestomakeithappen,andflexibilitytoincorporateinnovativeteachingstrategies.Withthese
parametersinplace,principalsmustthenbeabletoconsistentlyidentify,foster,support,andpromote21st
centurypedagogy.
Inherentwithinthisshiftistheneedtoreevaluatethecurriculumastherealtimewebandinformationage
presentnewchallengestoinstructionandstudentengagement.Thetimeisnowtolaythefoundationto
ensurethatourstudentsevolveintocriticalconsumersofcontent,understandtheimportanceofdigital
citizenship,aswellaspossesstheabilitytocreate,analyze,andinterpretanarrayofmediamessages.
Tip:Starttheyearoffbygatheringkeystakeholderstocollaborativelyreviseyourcurriculumtoemphasize
essentialskillsnecessaryfortoday'slearnerstoexcelbeyondyourwalls.

Strategy4:BreatheLifeIntoProfessionalDevelopment
Mostteacherscringewhentheyhearthewords"professionaldevelopment"andrightfullyso.Thetraditional
modelutilizedbymanyschoolsforceseducatorsintostructuredsilosbasedsolelyondistrictandschool
goalswhileignoringstaffinterestsandpassions.PDcanbeinspiringandfunwhenpeoplearefreetofollow
theseinterestsanddeveloptheirownsupportcommunities.
Tip:Ifyouthirstforaninnovativeculturefocusedonstudentachievement,begintheprocessoftransitioning
toProfessionalLearningCommunities(PLC's)(http://www.allthingsplc.info/about/aboutPLC.php).Totakeita
stepfurther,modelandencourageyourstafftoformtheirownPersonalLearningNetwork(PLN).Thenstep
back,giveupsomecontrol,andwatchyourstaffthriveastheirpassionfuelsatransformationoftheteaching
andlearningcultureatyourschool.

Strategy5:StayConnected
Principalsneedsupportherearesomeresourcestohelpyoustayconnectedtoothersmakingchange:

APrincipal'sReflections(http://esheninger.blogspot.com/)Myblog
ConnectedPrincipals(http://www.connectedprincipals.com/)Communityandresourcesforprincipals
BurlingtonHighSchoolPrincipal'sBlog(http://www.patrickmlarkin.com/)PatrickLarkin'sBlog
#cpchat(http://tweetchat.com/room/cpchat)ConnectedprincipalschatonTwitter
#edchat(http://tweetchat.com/room/edchat)EducatorchatonTwitter
WhatisEdchat?(http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/2009/07/30/whatisedchat/)
Administrators(http://www.edutopia.org/groups/administrators)DiscussiongrouponEdutopia
EducatorsPLN(http://edupln.ning.com/)
FutureofEducation(http://www.futureofeducation.com/)SteveHargadon'sinterviewserieswithleading
educators
Edcamp(http://edcamp.wikispaces.com/)aseriesof"unconferences"aroundtheworld
Changebeginswithanoexcusementality.Don'twasteonemoreminuteponderingwhatcouldbe.Thereisa
revolutiongoingonrightnowinlearning,anditisuptoustoleadtheway.Pleaseshareanyleadership
strategiesthataremakingadifferenceinyourbuilding.

Source:www.edutopia.org/blog/principalsleadershipericsheninger
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