Running head: LEADERSHIP PLATFORM

Educational Leadership Platform

Alex Bushell
EEA 535: Dimensions of Educational Leadership
July 14, 2014
M. Ed in Leadership

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Introduction
Since I can remember, teaching has been a career I have always been passionate
about. I am not sure if it is the school environment I enjoy so much or the hope of
making a difference to even one child. Over the last three years of teaching a plethora of
classes and ages, the experiences have brought some of my greatest challenges and joys.
As an educator, I feel convicted to ensuring the children in my classroom are recognized
and valued and provided with an education through both commitment and dedication.
The idea of being an educational leader is still new to me, but the more I reflect on it the
more I see myself as someone who withholds expertise in a particular area of education.
I would like to gain knowledge and experience to guide and assist others in improvement
and best practice. Of course this could change over time, however, I also believe strongly
in lifelong learning and self-improvement and feel furthering my education and taking on
new challenges to be both beneficial and rewarding.

There are several researchers who provide insight to my leadership beliefs,

especially Roland Barth and Michael Fullan for their emphasis on relationships and
emotional connections in schools and advocacy for creating trust. I find it difficult to
describe my leadership style as my role is primarily in my classroom, but if I were to
infer I believe I would adopt affiliative and democratic leadership styles (Benincasa,
2012). Affiliative--because I consistently try to think compassionately and feel strongly
about making connections and building relationships; democratic--because I prefer
collaboration and making decisions as a group.

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Vision and Mission
My mission--To fully give of myself passionately and empathetically--that the children in
my care recognize my authentic desire for their happiness and success.

My vision--I am committed to seeing that all students under my care realize their value
and their worth--to have them recognize the gifts they possess and the possibilities in
which they hold.

While reflecting on my mission and vision statements, I recognize they both

contain a focus of compassion, nurturance, as well as mentorship. I also notice an
emphasis on building relationships and making connections with my students. As it
relates to where I see education, I feel education is more than teaching basic skills--it
should go beyond the confinement of the classroom. Education today is focusing more
on the whole child as opposed the academic child; teaching them to be curious, creative
and innovative. When comparing with my mission and vision, education presently is
instilling in students the skills they need to seek knowledge and to become critical
thinkers and problem solvers. It is working towards motivating students to recognize
their unique abilities as valuable and to use them, not only to contribute to society, but to
discover what is they are passionate about and what motivates them to seek opportunities
and further extend their learning. As education is constantly changing and improving to
better meet the needs of the twenty-first century I believe educators, administrators,
researchers, etc. are working towards revising and building on the current design to
adhere to how education is evolving through avenues such as Inspiring Education

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(Government of Alberta, 2014). With this movement, support for teachers by educating
them training is inevitable.

The students who will be graduating from a school I seek to lead will be
passionate and innovative and will strive for consistent self-improvement. They will
understand the value of education, building relationships and helping others and will
recognize their talents and abilities and be motivated to use them to contribute to society
as well as to gain personal fulfillment. My students will know there are tools and
avenues to doing great things and will be able to identify and utilize them in ways to
experience both attainment and success. They will also recognize the importance of
building relationships in all aspects of life and will work toward the benefit of the group.
As individuals, they will strive to put their best effort forward and to engage in their full
potential. My students will be well equipped to enter the workforce or commit to
attaining post-secondary education should they choose. They will understand the
importance of community and will discover ways to contribute in meaningful and
altruistic ways.

My expectations of teachers would be for them to demonstrate an undeniable

level of professionalism, dedication and a commitment to lifelong learning. Maintaining
positive and respectful relationships among coworkers through healthy communication
and a willingness to collaborate is inviolable. Teachers will need to demonstrate the
ability to treat others, including their co-workers, with dignity and be able to appreciate
and embrace differences in a constructive way. Teachers will also need to demonstrate
their dedication to the profession of teaching and commit to whatever might support or

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improve their teaching practice. Educating the child is the main goal and with that,
having the best their best interest at heart. While there are challenges faced as educators,
benefiting students and providing them with engaging lessons and welcoming
environments should never be neglected.

As a leader, it is my responsibility to set clear standards for those on staff which

are both challenging and clear. I see myself as being very understanding and
compassionate, but I know the importance of being firm on expectations as well. The
team I wish to be a part of is a respectful and efficient one who shares a common goal
and who is committed to working towards the means of reaching this goal; knowing all
efforts and contributions are to benefit the students. It is also my role to be the first to set
the example in which I wish my staff to see as a guideline and a testimony for the vision
and mission of the school I am leading.

Leadership Beliefs
In service of the vision for the students who will be graduating from my school,
there are three beliefs I have which will guide my leadership actions. It is vital that
anything possible that can be done to support a child has been or at least attempted. In
other words, upon challenges faced as educators, it is important to ensure advocacy for
the child always occurs as positive adult relationships can greatly influence the outcome
of the childs welfare. Wentzel (1997) supports the notion that when students perceived
caring behaviour from teachers, motivational outcomes would occur even despite levels
of psychological distress and antecedent beliefs and when students previous motivation
and achievement were considered. Research suggests the effectiveness of any learning

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environment for young childrens development is largely determined by human
interactions (Morrison, 2004). As a teacher, I feel strongly towards building relationships
and possibly acting as a childs sole positive role model. This notion would transform
when adopting a leadership role as well.

Another non-negotiable is the expectation that students and teachers be committed

to lifelong learning. While I understand and accept all learners have different styles,
levels and interests, I would expect both students and teachers to utilize their talents to
the best of their abilities as well as strive towards personal growth and self-improvement.
As there is really no way of knowing what the future looks like (Robinson, 2007)
students and teachers alike need to be equipped with the skills and innovativeness to be
both creative and resilient (Government of Alberta, 2014).

Lastly, ensuring respect and building healthy relationships is vital in the school I
wish to lead. Barth (2006) proposes strengthening relationships among educators
improves practice. This would be the basis of building strong collaboration and
productivity among teachers, which would then be modeled for students. When Barth
(2006) states the nature of relationships among the adults within a school has a greater
influence on the character and quality of that school and on student accomplishment than
anything else he illustrates the vitality of building healthy relationship on the foundation
of respect as being of utmost importance to the well being of a school.

Description of an Effective School

In terms of the school I wish to lead, I envision one that is welcoming and
inclusive as well as emphasizes building relationships. As Inspiring Education states we

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are changing the way we think, because the world is changing (Government of Alberta,
2014). Students need to be encouraged and guided in recognizing and activating their
talents and strengths and be given opportunities to utilize these skills. I believe in a
culture of compassion and commitment in which all students are given opportunities to
thrive and all teachers are motivated and given resources to dedicate to their craft. Barth
(2006) describes a culture of collegiality in which colleagues work and collaborate
together in professional learning communities. He provides indicators to illustrate what
constitutes such a desirable work environment, which includes talking with one another
about practice, sharing their craft knowledge and rooting for one anothers success. All
relationships within the school environment are dependant on the relationships among the
educators. If the relationships between administrators and teachers are trusting,
generous, helpful, and cooperative, then the relationships between teachers and students,
between students and students, and between teachers and parents are likely to be trusting,
generous, helpful, and cooperative (Barth, 2007). I find great value in the school
environment in which Barth describes and recognize the imperativeness of implementing
a culture based on respect and a common vision.

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References
Barth, R. S. (2006). Improving relationships within the schoolhouse. Educational
Leadership, 63(6), 8-13. Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/mar06/vol63/num06/Improving-Relationships-Within-theSchoolhouse.aspx
Benincasa, R. (2012). 6 leadership styles and when you should use them. Retrieved from
http://www.fastcompany.com/1838481/6-leadership-styles-and-when-you-shoulduse-them
Government of Alberta. (2014). Inspiring education. Retrieved from
https://inspiring.education.alberta.ca/
Morrison, K. L. (2004). Positive adult/child interactions: Strategies that support
childrens healthy development. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 32(2), 23-18.
Retrieved from
http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/pdf/Positive_Adult_Child_Interact
ions__Strategies_That_Support_Childrens_Healthy_Development_by_Kathryn_L
_Morrison_Vol_32_No_2_p_19_281.pdf

Robinson, K. (2007, January 7). Sir Ken Robinson - Do schools kill creativity?
[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Wentzel, K. R. (1997). Student motivation in middle school: The role of perceived
pedagogical caring. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(3), 411-419.
doi:10.1037/0022-0663.89.3.411

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