Running Head: LEADER OF LEARNING

Principals Role as a Leader of Learning -Critical Element Paper #4 Presented to the Department of Educational Leadership and Postsecondary Education University of Northern Iowa -In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Advanced Studies Certificate -by Ella M. Cowherd Weeks Middle School Des Moines, IA (April 9, 2014) -Advisor: Dr. Charles McNulty

LEADER OF LEARNING Principals Role as a Leader of Learning Understanding the role of a principal as a leader of learning is an extremely important concept because in an academic setting, everything hinges on learning. Students must learn the educational requirements in order to advance academically; teachers must constantly improve to stay abreast of pedagogy; administrators must network with other leaders, understand researchbased educational advancements, and review information to ensure their staff receives appropriate professional development to work toward the schools vision and achieve desired goals. Leader of Learning in Literature There were numerous dialogues of leaders of learning in literature focusing on business and education. Educational literature discussed the idea that learning occurs in formal and informal settings at all levels throughout a persons life span, which in turn describes the concept of lifelong learning. The formal setting is the school environment at all levels of academia; and the informal setting comprises of everywhere else a person goes including home, work, and social gatherings (Garcia, 2004, p. 29). Being a leader of learning one must choose to learn, and in choosing, one must guide others toward a similar goal while providing opportunities for subordinates to develop a desire to strive toward self-improvement through lifelong learning. Though leaders cannot force subordinates to become lifelong learners, they can lead by example by researching, reviewing, and communicating appropriate information to all employees thereby ensuring subordinates learn what is required for successful job performance. In the process, the leader can inspire others by being a role model for subordinates to emulate.

LEADER OF LEARNING Literature detailed many descriptions of the leaders role as a leader of learning. Some of the roles leaders are expected to play include analysing; questioning; processing; co-producing; collaborating; directing; facilitating; articulating team thoughts into central directions; building relationship with all members of the school community and providing professional development, resources and feedback (Peters & Le Cornu, 2004, p. 5). True leaders of learning must satisfy the requirements of their position as leader, but must also find the time to be learners themselves by participating in opportunities for personal improvement, such as professional development, continuing education, or any activity that allows them to become better at their job or assist others in improving. Maria Garcia, in the June 2004 issue of Adult Learning described it best when she wrote: Some of us are fortunate enough to have access to complex means of learning, but having access is not enough. We must also seize the opportunity to learn and embrace it, which implies a great deal of commitment. Learning doesn't just occur, we choose to learn. (p. 28) In the process of learning, as leaders we improve our ability to not only to lead others but also to influence them to accept more responsibility toward improving the academic environment by providing feedback and suggestions to assist teachers within the classrooms. It follows that leaders must have the time, knowledge, and the consultative skills needed to provide teachers in all the relevant grade levels and subject areas with valid, useful advice about their instructional practices (Leithwood & Seashore-Louis, 2012, p. 6). Leaders of learning should be willing to accept influence from all stakeholders including staff, parents, community members, and district personnel by providing constructive opportunities for them to have input in school-wide decision-making (Leithwood & Seashore-Louis, 2012, p. 54).

LEADER OF LEARNING Skills, Knowledge, and Dispositions Principals Require as Leaders of Learning Skills, knowledge, and dispositions required for leaders of learning vary depending on the individual position, but there are also certain general skills that are important for anyone in a leadership position. Leaders require followers. Thus leaders need to discover, learn and develop the competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes that encourage others to follow. Followers in such schools sometimes become leaders and leaders on occasions assume the role of followers (Precey & Entrena,, 2011, p. 71). This does not mean that the roles are completely separate, but one can decide to accept either role separately or in combination depending on the specific situation. In addition, teacherslike all leadersmust have knowledge of themselves, their stakeholders (in this case, students), and their community, and they must understand how they can lead and collaborate with a wide variety of people (Wetzler, 2010, p. 29). ISSL 2 of the Iowa Standards for School Leaders outlines the knowledge, skills, and dispositions principals require as leaders of learning in order to build a culture of learning. ISSL 2 reads that an educational leader must promote the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development (School Administrators of Iowa, 2007, p. 1). This does not mean the leader must be eloquent, managing everything, or being the most important individual at all times, but the leader must be able to promote success of others while ensuring that everyone works to improve the learning environment. An educational leader must be able to influence others to take responsibility to help achieve specific results within the organization (DuFour & Marzano, 2011, p. 3).

LEADER OF LEARNING ISSL Requirements as Leaders of Learning Each of our standards is necessary to ensure leaders have multiple skill sets in relation to the organizational goals. Standard one requires that the leader of learning ensure that the organization has a vision and that all members are working toward their specified goals necessary to reach this vision. The leader ensures all staff members understand the learning goals and periodically examine how well their students are achieving these objectives. A leader of learning does not stop with the staff, but ensures that all students, parents, community members, and other stakeholders realize the schools vision and understands how school members plan to achieve their goal. By articulating this information to all stakeholders, the educational leader may gain support from outside sources to help the school reach its objective. Assistance could occur in many forms, such as parents ensuring students complete homework; businesses volunteering to be partners with the school; or helping the school build a better reputation in the community. All these things could create a place where people want to send their children to learn because they realize that the staff at the school care about children and want all their students to achieve. Standard two dictates that a leader of learning develops an instructional program where all students and staff have the opportunity to learn. The leader of learning oversees management of the organization as explained in Standard three. This leader has knowledge of issues related to all aspects of the building including the structure and everything in it; is committed to accepting responsibility for the success or defects within the organization; and is determined to provide positive opportunities for improvement while curtailing any potential problems that could possibly distract personnel from working toward the school vision.

LEADER OF LEARNING Leaders of learning must be willing to collaborate with all stakeholders as explained in ISSL four, in order to understand the diverse needs and interests within the community while convincing community members to support the schools by providing assistance in whatever way possible to help our students know that they have people who are counting on them to succeed. In reaching out to community members and establishing positive relationships, leaders of learning are visible, actively involved, and showing families and students that they matter and through developing partnerships with everyone, students have support to help them achieve their academic goals, which is the overall vision of the schools. The standard I believe is the most important for a leader of learning is standard five, ethical leadership. A leader of learning must be committed to ensuring every student receives a free, appropriate, public education while upholding the values and principles outlined for the school without compromising personal beliefs or standards. The leader must lead by example, ensure subordinates are promoting academic success, and accept responsibility for all actions within the academic environment. While the leader of learning is fulfilling all responsibilities necessary through the abovementioned standards, the educator must also network within the larger arena of standard six, political leadership. The leader of learning must be able to represent, advocate for, and campaign for the school through interactions with the school board, state government, and if necessary, all aspects of our democratic society. Actions as an Aspiring Leader of Learning No leaders of learning ever face exactly the same situations or tasks. Actions as an aspiring leader will always vary depending on the situation, but no leader will be successful in every instance. The best one can do is to face each situation as a challenge to the intellect, body, and spirit by striving to ensure the outcome helps achieve the schools vision without conflicting

LEADER OF LEARNING with ones ethical beliefs. The leader of learning must examine, research, and observe in order to develop a leadership style that best fits the organizational needs and within this development, work collaboratively with those who supported that style and vision, both within the school and outside in the community at large (Enomoto & Matsuoka, 2007, p. 27). How I will build on These Actions Looking back at all aspects of being a leader of learning is a little overwhelming, but looking forward I must only try to be true to myself in how I lead, follow, learn, and interact with others to achieve whatever objective I face. I cannot say whether I will only face objectives I can achieve, but I will always strive for greatness whether I face small obstacles, or insurmountable odds. In every situation, I will consider how things affect others but I will not neglect the vision to soothe feelings of those involved in my decision making process. I must always remember that helping to influence young minds by educating, mentoring, and supporting their successes while acknowledging failures and working toward transforming them into academic achievements is my goal. I will always show children that everyone is good at something and by utilizing those positives to improve oneself one will mature and learn to overcome any obstacle in order to become a lifelong learner who also strives to achieve any goal desired.

LEADER OF LEARNING References DuFour, R., & Marzano, R. J. (2011). Leaders of Learning: How District, School, and Classroom Leaders Improve Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Enomoto, E., & Matsuoka, J. (2007, December). Becoming Dean: Selection and Socialization Processes of an Academic Leader. Journal Of Research On Leadership Education, 2(3), 131. Garca, M. R. (2004). The Role of Leadership in Lifelong Learning. Adult Learning, 15(3/4), 2829. Peters, J., & Le Cornu, R. (2004, September). Leaders in transition: living with paradoxes. British educational research association annual conference, University of Manchester, England. Retrieved from http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00003783.htm Precey, R., & Entrena, M. (2011). Developing the Leaders We Want to Follow: lessons from an International Leadership Development programme. Contemporary Management Quarterly, 270-83. School Administrators of Iowa. (2007, November). Iowa Standards for School Leaders. Retrieved from http://www.sai-iowa.org/iowa-standards.cfm Wetzler, J. (2010). Developing Teachers as Leaders. Change, 42(6), 25-32. doi:10.1080/00091383.2010.523403