My Philosophy of Education Leadership

A Research Paper Present to The Department of Education Leadership, Counseling, And Postsecondary Education University of Northern Iowa

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Education/or Advanced Studies Certificate

By Jessica R. Cameron May 2011 Dr. Nicholas J. Pace, Ed.D

Whitaker (2003) stated, As school leaders, we must recognize that no matter what programs we introduce or seek to strengthen, our most important work is to improve people in our schools (p. 12). This task is not one that can be done by anyone or be taken lightly. The education of individuals cannot be run like a business. A school system touches the lives, positively or negatively, of people every day. The job of an educator is to promote positive relationships and active learning. As an educator I strive to meet these expectations. In doing this I must be aware of my own beliefs of the educational system and reasons for actively taking part in the system. The following paper will discuss why I became an educator, my beliefs about education, and why I entered the educational leadership program, which will be discussed in turn. Why I became an educator As an educator, I strive to create a learning environment that is safe, active, and exciting. My goal is to ensure every student has the tools and capabilities to succeed in all aspects of life, learning, living, and working. Life is a continuous learning process. I became an educator to help ensure the students of tomorrow reach their full potential and are able to take an active part in the learning process. Whitaker (2003) believed effective people are able to build relationships. Through this relationship building others are fervent to follow. I believe through education I am able to model healthy relationship patterns and mold my students into productive citizens of the 21st century. I am a zealous educator, who entered the profession to share my love of learning and ensure the students, who cross my path, receive an education specifically designed for their needs and future.

My beliefs about education ` I believe the fundamental goal of teaching and education is to foster learning. I believe

this can be done in many different ways. I do not believe lecture and textbooks are the only resources for acquiring information. Every person who enters the learning environment brings their own past, thoughts, and emotions with them. I believe teachers who do not respect this and utilize such a tool are doing a disservice to themselves, but also their students. Another resource I believe all educators should take advantage of the abundance of stakeholders who are willing to serve the school system. Stakeholders can range from parents, media, community/services agencies, and community members. Wilmore (2006) stated, As a collaborative school team, we should plan ways to solicit and involve multiple stakeholders from families and the entire community to become involved and invested in the progress of our schools toward our collaboratively developed vision of excellence (p.70). I believe a school must incorporate the stakeholders to ensure each students is receiving a great education; simply not a mediocre one. I believe the students should take an active part in their learning and take ownership in the process. I believe the teacher should take a facilitators role by allowing the student to explore each concept through their previous learning experiences. Why I entered the educational leadership program I entered the educational leadership program not only to further my education, but to hold more leverage when facing the critical issues concerning the 21st Century school environment. Although there are many critical issues facing the educational system, there are three issues I am prepared to address immediately. These three issues are the high turn-over rate of educators, the lack of real world, practical, student related curriculum, and the dropout rate of students in public

schools. I believe that engaging students in real-life curriculum is critical, but is very hard to do without experienced teachers, which leads to a higher dropout rate. Wilmore (2002) stated, When learning is authentic and relevant, student will become engaged in the process (p. 37). I want to be able to share my knowledge and collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure my students are receiving an authentic education and are actively engaged in the process. I strongly believe that creating such a curriculum will lower the dropout rate. In my current school district 710 students dropped out in the 2007-2008 school year (DMPS Community Report). I believe these statistics have a direct correlation with the previously discussed issues. In order to incorporate engaging curriculum, I will need teachers who are willing to sustain a career in education and students who are prepared to beat the odds. In order to create this type of culture and climate, I need to be prepared to create an inviting morale. Ramsey (2006) stated: You know you have high morale when people like to come to school, show up fresh every morning, laugh and have fun together, care about the image of the organization, tackle even harder tasks willingly, show pride in the school, and even go the extra mile to achieve established goals (p. 35). I entered this program unaware of the steps needed to accomplish such a task, but as I further my education I am becoming confident in my ability to create such an environment. In conclusion, I want to reiterate the importance of utilizing all stakeholders and being aware of your students background and culture to ensure the learning of all students. As educators, we need to allow our students to think outside of the box and begin to take control of their education. I have come to the realization that anyone can become an educator, but it takes true leader to surpass the regiment of the daily curriculum to ensure the learning of all stakeholders.

References DesMoines Pulic Schools. DMPS Community Report. Spring 2009. May 4, 2009 http://www.dmps.k12.ia.us/whatnews/DMPS%20Newletter/Spring_Newlsetter_2009.pdf. Wilmore, E. (2002) Principal leadership. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin. Ramsey, R. (2006) Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The Way. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin. Whitaker, T. (2003) What Great Principals Do Differently. Larchmont, New York: Eye on Education, Inc.