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| Home : Ecological Module : Teaching Roles : Educational Leader | ||
Teacher as Educational LeaderAny teacher can take a child to the classroom, but not every teacher can make him learn. He will not work joyously unless he feels that liberty is his, whether he is busy or at rest; he must feel the flush of victory and the heart-sinking of disappointment before he takes with a will the tasks distasteful to him and resolves to dance his way bravely through a dull routine of textbooks. - Helen Keller
The teacher as Educational Leader is a role of paradox and presumes a sense of humility, of clarity, of flexibility. The research on leadership has brought recognition that being able to assume different roles, to fit the leadership style to the time, place, task, ability of followers, is the most crucial skill. We cannot validate the model of one personality type being best at bossing, but rather the greatest potential for leadership is show in the ability to delegate, to step away and to have implicit faith in human nature combined with recognition of the best hat for the situation show the greatest potential. This is referred to as situational leadership (Hershey & Blanchard, 1988). Some of the reasons we give when resisting this role:
Many of us have not seen ourselves as leaders and are uncertain of ability We donāt want to boss our students and do not realize there is a series of roles in leadership which need not be similar in any way to bossing Most teachers do not receive information about this role The role takes a great deal of flexibility and practice before approaching proficiency, and many donāt wish to experience the sense of failure that acquisition of such complex skills might require Letting go, or delegating is very difficult, especially when paired with a sense of perfection Giving students permission to try and to fail is very risky, especially when teachers feel that they are measured by student achievement on one test Many of us fear the unknown which is represented by letting go We have a great deal of confusion about the distinction between bossing and leading Many teachers distrust leadership and are ambivalent about accepting the idea that their role as teacher even approaches such dimensions Some of us believe that delegating authority may weaken the teaching role or make it impossible to regain control of the classroom Few of us, even in graduate school, had an opportunity to work in this role and learn the fine points through modeling and practice Competition continues to be valued and used for grading, making a cooperative model seem less attractive and uncertain Ginger was facing her first day in the high school Chapter One program. She had heard plenty of horror stories about the students and their feelings about remedial math. In particular, she had been warned about a student whoās father was on the school board. The student had been expelled the year before for substance abuse and the parents had sued the school. The other students were already at work when Jim sauntered into class. His body language was very specific. He wanted no part of math class. "I'm never going to need this stuff, Jim stated loudly. When I get out of this dump, Iām hiring an accountant to do my math." Ginger cringed. She could feel the turmoil in her stomach beginning. "Mr. Smith," she began, "Let's discuss this out here so that we donāt cheat the other students of their concentration." She walked to the sink area and stood waiting. Jim took out his comb, combed his hair and chewed a minute (he was famous for his chaw). Then he swaggered toward the teacher. In a low voice she asked, "Jim, what are you planning to do when you get out of school?" "Me? Ha! With my dad's connections, I'm going to the Air Force Academy." Ginger smiled. She had the answer. "Great, Jim," she responded. I just happen to have a sample copy of the ASVAB test that is given to students to let the Armed Services know what their math abilities are. Pilots have to earned a high score on the math section to be considered for training. Let's go get it now and you can look it over. Once Jim had attempted the test, he seemed chagrined and disappointed. Ginger followed up immediately with an individualized program, using the computer system for tracking and placement. Jim was a whiz on the computer. Over the year he made significant gains in math through learning to program the computer. Ginger used alternate teaching methods and Jim's own impetus to keep him moving toward flight school and high math achievement.
True leader:
The teacher
as Inducer/Persuader takes on the educational leadership role of high
task commitment and high relationship. While respecting student freedom
to learn, and projecting an impression of unique possibilities yet untried,
the teacher is very explicit, provides a strong sense of organization
and provides guidelines for expectations and outcomes. The students, in
their turn, feel valued as learners; they sense a largeness of dimension
yet understand how to direct their energies. Little is taken for granted
with respect to expertise. Steps for success are described, practiced
and evaluated. Reciprocity is created; commitment is demanded.
aware of and interested in studentsā world respects studentās autonomy acknowledges studentās unique subjectivity affirms studentās innate powers aware of whole person, not just the mind accepts diversity and levels of development within class sensitivity to communication breakdown joyfully incites to learning personally enjoys teaching playful yet demanding in approach to teaching/learning appreciates being useful cultivates largeness and breadth of spirit
creates positive first impressions explains and thus expands boundaries of classroom, through appropriate facial expression, gestures, body movements sets atmosphere for reciprocity moves onto studentsā wave length inspires student to believe in their abilities tactfully broaches and discusses communication problems accepts previous knowledge and experience of students as a given creates exercises and assignments which help students connect with their previous knowledge and experience creates assignments which interweave cognitive and affective levels initiates students into "flow" activities involving relaxed concentration learns to help students to sustain interest by creating contrasting activities and assignments creates activities and assignments which balance use of skills with new challenges uses appropriate humor to induce learning: avoids misuse of humor shares own thinking and learning process with students becomes attuned to rhythms of students to adapt leadership styles as needed
appreciates teacherās concern and respect learns to trust in teacher personally relates to teacher gains confidence in self and abilities is attentive and receptive becomes activated and finds satisfaction in responding rather than controling learns the value of relaxed concentration through "flow" activity sees learning as enjoyable and playful rather than boring or anxiety-ridden begins to view habitual world in new ways and recognize its value connects previous knowledge and experience with new world of subject matter sees broader aspects of subject reads/studies out of interest and for understanding begins to make personal investment in learning appreciates humor in classroom becomes more aware of other class members begins move toward intrinsic motivation in learning from Reinsmith (1992) pp. 44-47 is better than a thousand pavilions in paradise - Abu Yazid l-Bastami
This role
creates new awareness, a new consciousness of the possibilities of education
on the part of the student. The student is encouraged to take a pivotal
involvement in the activities of learning and human growth. The teacher
is prepared to move into a more intimate relationship with the student
- one in which they engage each other face to face with equal energies.
affirms studentās metaself accepts moving from known to unknown confronts student with new world of learning disturbs studentās complacency creates cognitive conflict in student creates a positive tension in the classroom provokes student to question assumptions, attitudes, unquestioned values catalyzes student to move into more relativistic state asks, but doesnāt answer questions; raises rather than solves problems emphasizes that students ponder questions rather than seek easy answers holds students in firm regard while sounding them out acutely aware of questioningās impact on student introduces students to thinking beyond informational or basic knowledge level
designs questions which challenge students to think and handle new concepts designs questions which challenge students to question assumptions, values provides patterning of questioning which students can internalize senses when cognitive conflict can be too great able to gauge emotional impact of questioning on individuals assigns reading materials which move students into new territory creates exercises and evaluative procedures that are provocative, challenging
becomes familiar with questions which require thought and reflection learns to question attitudes and values expects questions which move one to broader levels of perception learns to internalize questioning process learns to hypothesize and raise new questions begins to question others learns to view questioning as essential to learning and knowing is more at ease harboring questions that donāt have immediate answers is more activated to move from know to unknown; learns to connect old knowledge with new learns to enjoy challenging reading materials achieves a new awareness of learning process eager to take more responsibility for learning completes move toward intrinsic motivation in learning increases respect for teacher from Reinsmith (1992) pp. 66-67 He acts it as life before he apprehends it as truth. -Emerson I would like to beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday, far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. - - Rainer Marie Rilke It's
not how much you do, but how much love you put into the action -
Mother Teresa
This teaching
role gives clarity to the understanding that the student has reached the
point of being a willing and competent learner, that the role of the teacher
can be advanced to a sense of collegiality in looking together for answers,
moving to recognize paradoxes, to quest for deeper meaning, to validate
questioning as an advanced state of self education.
initiates discourse and shared inquiry both directs and participates reduces psychological size shifts energy flow from self to group listens attentively inspires personal response creates mutuality and cooperation keeps materials flexible and open ended thoroughly knowledgeable in subject area aware of diversity of class members
able to induce group interaction employs own knowledge indirectly in interests of group discussion employs questions oriented toward shared inquiry allows adequate ćwait timeä when questioning makes use of student remarks to move discussion on helps group distinguish between real and apparent misunderstanding employs exercises in skills of empathy creates opportunities for students to take positions different from their own gives students practice in clarification and precise usage of terms opens student to richness and subtleties of discourse moves group to function on both cognitive and emotional levels probes learning materials in more detail moves group members to see dialogue as communal knowledge sharing increases own awareness of each studentās unique subjectivity works on reducing own biases in regard to students helps group to recognize and deal with diversity in backgrounds and values
takes equal responsibility for success of discourse comes alive as a person through relationships practices higher learning skills via discussion converses form adequate knowledge base sees discourse as natural way of learning able to state own position clearly able to clarify and distinguish among terms learns to examine subject material and issues in more detail becomes aware of both cognitive and affective aspects of learning learns to identify with positions of other class members comes to view learning as open ended process appreciates communal aspect of learning from Reinsmith (1992) pp. 96-97 Characteristics of the Low Task, Low Relationship Role
non-invasive and indirect responsive to studentās initiative corroborates studentās new view of learning moves into studentās line of vision flows with studentās energies allows student to struggle adjusts to studentās learning style continually aware of studentās experience draws student out confirms value of life-experience of student holds high expectation for student
assists students in diagnosing learning needs asks leading questions to draw out knowledge already existing in student assists student in laying out educational plans and learning objectives inductive - moves from particular to general from concrete to abstract able to create and sustain group learning activities knows when to structure and when to allow free play able to provide and encourage critical feedback able to delegate and shift control to students moves students toward collaborative rather than competitive learning creates exercises that foster communication and mutual support creates exercises in small group dynamics creates learning activities that involve students in higher learning skills
becomes fully activated and makes new demands on self as learner experiences a need to learn able to follow own line of vision with assistance from teacher able to diagnose own learning needs able to tap into past experiences and apply to present circumstances able to create general educational goals as well as specific learning objectives uses higher learning skills: analysis, problem-solving, application, synthesis able to evaluate own learning able to fuse internal needs with institutional requirements moves toward personal meaning orientation able to work productively in small groups sees fellow students as resources for mutual learning appreciates diversity of group members able to disagree articulately with other group members contributes toward consensus within the group able to summarize and critique reading materials able to connect ideas in different reading materials able to create new synthesis from disparate ideas able to constructively criticize ideas and presentations of others at ease in presence of ambiguity and open-endedness views learning as on-going from Reinsmith (1992) pp. 129-30 The power base for the educational leadership role comes from the full repertoire of teacher powers. The ability to be an effective educational leader rests on the ability to make good choices... combining the proper role for teaching with type of task and amount of commitment to task with student motivation. all
ignorance toboggans into know
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| E-mail J'Anne Ellsworth at Janne.Ellsworth@nau.edu | ||
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Course Created by J'Anne Ellsworth & Center for Technology Enhanced Learning Copyright
© 2001 Northern Arizona University |
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for completing this reading!