Ten Steps for Genuine Leadership in Schools

David Fultz, David M. Fultz

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781138223585
• eBook ISBN: 9781315404363
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

This book provides busy educators with insight on genuine processes and decision-making that maximizes student learning and overall academic success. Full of examples, templates, reflective prompts, and suggestions on how to plan for and drive daily practice, Ten Steps for Genuine Leadership in Schools explores the importance of a genuine learning environment, genuine instructional practices, genuine innovative processes, a genuine vision and mission of your school, and genuine relationships between staff, students, parents, and community. Covering specific strategies that can be implemented immediately, this book is a straightforward and honest approach in doing what really matters in the principal's chair to elicit positive student outcomes.

Part I
Introduction

1
What Is Genuine Leadership?

Genuine leadership is not the absence of instructional leadership, but rather its complement.

School Leaders

Before we get into what it means to be a genuine leader, we must first recognize the impact that school leaders have on teachers and students. The leader of the school plays a significant role in creating an environment where students can achieve. Leithwood, Seashore Louis, Anderson, and Walstrom (2004) identify leadership as the pivotal point in improving student learning.

Leadership is widely regarded as a key factor in accounting for difference in the success with which schools foster the learning of their students. Indeed, the contribution of effective leadership is largest when it is needed most: there are virtually no documented instances of troubled schools being turned around in the absence of intervention by talented leaders. While other factors within the school also contribute to such turnarounds, leadership is the catalyst.

(p. 17)

Likewise, Lezotte (1994) identifies the principal as the dominant power that influences student academic success. He states:

When one asks who decides how resources such as time and limited money get allocated, the answer in most schools is, “the principal”. If one asks who decides what and who gets praised and sanctioned, the answer in most schools is, “the principal”. When someone asks who places students in different settings, sets priorities for the future, creates the climate and expectations for the school, and recruits and socializes new teachers, again the answer is, “the principal”. Taken together, these elements constitute a force powerful enough to alter what has been the normal flow of that school.

(p. 22)

Prior and current research into the effectiveness of the school leader has proven fruitful. Much of it demonstrates that the school leader has a positive impact on student success. A significant part of this impact is more directly related to their focus on curriculum and instructional practices (Blase & Blase, 2002; Leithwood & Riehl, 2003; Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005). Another factor is that the school leader has a large impact on setting the direction of the school, developing people, redesigning the culture and structure of the organization, being visible and a good communicator and collaborator (Andrews & Soder, 1987; Cotton, 2003; Leithwood et al., 2004)

There is a plethora of philosophies and data that clearly indicate that the principal has a strong impact (directly and indirectly) on student learning and a strong overall impact (directly) on the climate of the school building. It has been established that their influence is widespread and powerful, with the instructional focus being essential to their success. Although past research has parceled out the term “instructional leader” to describe a “style” or “type” of leader, this allowed other types or styles to also compete for the school leader’s attention. In this current era of educational accountability, the focus of instruction has evolved. The mindful focus on instruction can no longer be viewed as a “type” or “style” of leadership, but rather an essential piece of all leaders’ daily practice of running a school. Instruction must be cognizant in every thought the school leader has, and embedded in every decision the leader makes that affects the school.

Given the inherent and intentional focus on instruction by the school leader, we must consider what other characteristics need to be in place to complement instruction in order to maximize student success. With that instructional focus being the core, the most significant question then becomes, “What type of leader should one be in order to elicit the most positive influence on staff, students, and the school environment as a whole?” I propose it is that of a genuine leader.

Genuine Leadership

Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines genuine as, “Sincere and honest: Actual, real and true: Not false or fake” (2016). Genuine is often identified as a character trait in an individual that presents themselves in a clear, straightforward manner. It is someone who emanates honesty, integrity, and true care and concern for others’ feelings, ideas, and input. Educational leaders who exude genuineness often find teachers drawn to their ideas, passion, and vision for education. Teachers find themselves compelled to follow them and facilitate the attainment of their greater goals and objectives.

James Comer (1995) once said, “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” A genuine leader understands that relations are at the fundamental level of all learning and sustained success. These relationships are not bound by status, rank, or experience but rather by mutual respect, expertise, and heartfelt support for one another. Therefore, the concept of “Genuine Leadership” is the clear and straightforward stew-ardship of education through the tight and loosely coupled relationships between concepts, content, and people that support student success.

Genuine leadership is also not about following any one theory per se, but rather having the flexibility to put together a variety of principles, processes, goals, and necessary actions that create and facilitate positive, sustained student outcomes. These pieces are not thrown together haphazardly but exist within a network built upon the connected relationships between the principal, staff, students, parents, and local community. This environment fluctuates to meld to any given situation.

When administrators engage in a genuine approach to leadership, they cultivate a school climate in which the teachers are impacted by the influence of the collective capacity of the school community, which in turn evokes positive outcomes on student academic success (Seashore Louis, Leithwood, Wahlstrom, & Anderson, 2010). An administrator who utilizes genuine leadership engages in the learning environment, monitors teacher practices, maintains the flow of support and resources to where they are needed, develops innovative processes for learning, and stewards the vision and mission of the school. Genuine leadership is not the absence of instructional leadership, but rather its complement. In a genuine leadership approach, the school leader elicits the greatest impact on student academic success through building school capacity, fostering teacher knowledge development, and supporting teacher-led collaborative learning teams. In this manner, the school leader facilitates the networking of ideas, practices, processes, and supports so that students reap the benefits of efficient and effective exchanges of teaching information, techniques, and best practices.

As the title suggests, there are 10 steps for genuine leadership:

• Step 1: Keep Your Focus on the Child
• Step 2: Share Your Vision, NOT Your Brain
• Step 3: Understand That Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
• Step 4: Education Is a “Contact” Sport
• Step 5: Know What You Have / Know What Need
• Step 6: Building Network Capacity
• Step 7: Know Your Role
• Step 8: Cultivate Student Success
• Step 9: Cultivate Teacher Satisfaction
• Step 10: Treat Others Like You Want to Be Treated

The corresponding chapters go into each step in greater detail.

Moment of Reflection…

What do I believe is genuine about me personally that directly influences my professionalism? How does this influence my leadership abilities and the school environment?

...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• eResources
• PART I: INTRODUCTION
• PART II: 4 PRINCIPLES
• PART III: 3 PROCESSES
• PART IV: 2 GOALS
• PART V: 1 RULE