“Leadership is about setting a direction. It’s about creating a vision, empowering and inspiring people to want to achieve the vision, and enabling them to do so with energy and speed through an effective strategy. In its most basic sense, leadership is about mobilizing a group of people to jump into a better future.”
– John Kotter Philosophy of Education
My philosophy is that all children are capable of learning. It is our responsibility as educators to get to know the whole child to provide opportunities that meet his/her academic, social and emotional needs. Finding the best instructional strategies is essential in engaging all students in the learning process. Building teacher efficacy is of the utmost importance as it is strongly correlated with student achievement and growth. I am committed to building a positive school culture by valuing stakeholder input, being visible in the community, earning trust, modeling expectations, and encouraging a growth mindset. Philosophy of Leadership My philosophy tends to be closely aligned to servant leadership. I believe in building relationships rooted in trust, respect, and compassion. I believe in empowering members of the learning community to be innovative, take risks, and be decision-makers. Upholding an open-door policy is of utmost importance in providing stakeholders a "voice" in the school community. The following actions steps really guide my leadership style: • Build relationships and trust with transparency and clear communication • Inspire and empower others • Listen attentively • Team approach/use "we" statements • Encourage others to have a growth mindset • Commit to continued personal and professional growth Vision for Learning As a principal, it is my responsibility to set high expectations for all students and to help hold all staff members accountable for setting and achieving ambitious academic goals for all students. I believe in a growth mindset that teaches students they can learn anything they want to with effort, motivation and perseverance. To that end, I want to grow our school community to embrace a growth mindset with the belief that all children can be successful. I agree with John Hattie's Visible Learning Meta-Analysis stating that collective teacher efficacy has the largest effect size on student achievement. When teachers have a "growth mindset" and believe that they can make a difference for a child, they usually do. Children have no control over the hand they are dealt. As a school, we are the "wild card" that can positively change the trajectory of students' lives forever. Creativity is the key to student engagement and that makes kids want to come to school because they care about things they enjoy. I want the learning environment to be one that creates experiences and memorable moments for students because implementing creative instruction methods naturally leads to personal and professional satisfaction as well as student growth. Students learn best when they can see clear connections between what they are learning and their actual life experiences. Vision for Teachers Without great teachers, a school lacks the keystone of greatness. Therefore, it is critical that I know exactly what to look for when hiring teachers. It is equally as important to provide teachers with meaningful staff development to support teaching and learning in the classroom. I am looking for teachers who have a passion for knowledge, passion for teaching, and most importantly, a passion for kids. A great teacher must be able to relay information effectively to students with diverse abilities. Compassion for children is a must. When empathy and compassion are present, along with knowledge of the subject and creativity, the learning environment is enhanced. Other things I would look for include enthusiasm, the willingness to take risks, a vision for technology integration, sound understanding of effective pedagogy, and instructional strategies that will cultivate essential skills (i.e. collaboration, communication). When thinking about PD for teachers, my first step will be to send out a teacher survey to gather feedback on what teachers need. Most importantly, PD must be motivating and relevant to what they teach. Vision for Curriculum, Instruction, & Student Assessment All students deserve access to a high quality, engaging curriculum that teaches them to think, create, and problem solve in order to prepare them for the global demands of the 21st Century. The Tennessee Academic Standards are our road map for what students need to know and be able to do at each grade level. The school leader conducts formative and summative assessments in measuring teacher effectiveness in order to ensure that rigorous, relevant, and appropriate instruction and learning experiences are delivered to all students. Vision for Professional Growth As I aspire to be a principal, it is important that I consider my own personal strengths as well as areas I would like to strengthen. My greatest strength is building relationship with stakeholders and making them feel a part of the school community. As a trusted leader, I work hard to listen intently, demonstrating care, competence, and character in my interactions with others. It is so important that I monitor my reactions to challenging situations because I realize my reaction affects others' view of me and the situation. It is equally important that I set personal goals to strengthen my ability to lead a school. When thinking of my personal growth, professional learning communities immediately comes to mind because teachers and administrators sit together to seek and share learning and then act on what we learn. Teachers need to see me grappling with the data and discussing our students together. In order for me to be an effective leader, I too must attend professional development sessions to stay abreast of the strategies and new ideals that are shown to teachers each day. When the principal and the teachers are all on the same page, the school can achieve more. |