School Culture- School Reform and Effective Leadership

There are some factors, one is school culture, that can either support or sabotage school reform efforts. Teachers, students and the school community both influence and are influenced by school culture. School culture refers to the belief systems, values and meanings embedded in the history of the school. I think of culture as the unspoken rules of the organization. School culture reflects local community culture and their beliefs and values also. When discussing school reform and improvement Fullen says that factors affecting implementation, "form a system of variables that interact to determine success or failure" (Fullen, pg. 67).

A positive school culture that includes specific norms can be a bridge to implementation of school reform efforts. In the Journal of Staff Development, the Insight article on Culture states, "(But) without a culture that supports and values (these) structural changes, (these) reforms can fail" (pg. 15). There are then, specific and particular norms that facilitate school reform efforts including a shared vision; collegiality; high expectations of staff and students; trust; support; recognition; a caring environment; celebration; and humor. (SELD-School Context, pg. 8)
Encouraging these norms is important in leading a change movement. These factors are also ones that I have heard over and over as part of not only school culture, but also effective leadership. They are repeated often in the readings, as well as, in the interview I did and in class discussions.

So as I also reflect on effective leadership, I conclude that successful school reform and effective leadership are closely related topics. I find that effective leadership is also multidimensional, including both management and leadership tasks, and these considerations alone make effective leadership a daunting task. Anyone who feels that this kind of leadership is a one-man show, is in for a lot of work and struggle. I have come to understand that an effective leader must have an effective group working with them. This group of teachers and other staff members must be motivated to share the vision. I see the picture as teachers in collaborative teams and learning communities.

This year we virtually implemented online teams and learning communities and recently have won the best practices award for the school. This was a group effort. It would not have happened if the teachers had not been willing and ready to step in and share the vision. Next year we are planning to add differentiation online as well as, the school within a school concept. Technology is part of this picture as we use technology on a daily basis for delivery. This does not mean that we have the latest and greatest technology. As we move forward we will be looking at ways to improve our technology use in the classroom, especially by students. None of this would be possible if we did not have a group of dedicated staff members with skills to lead their own teams and collaborate to innovate.

In the Secrets to Great Groups, Warren Bennis says, "Behind every Great Man ( I am adding Great Woman also) is a Great Group, an effective partnership" (Bennis, pg. 1). Therefore, effective leaders need to be team builders, adding yet another important dimension to leadership. In reflection of the studies we have done, I have also conlcuded that effective leaders are thoughtful about the work that they do. Effective leaders motiviate others to employ the same thoughtful processes as they move forward together to create learning environments.

Effective Leadership

In the few short weeks since classes have started at JHU, my ideas about leadership have become more thoughtful and focused. I have had the opportunity to study and reflect on multiple theories and ideas presented in Fullen, Burrello and other resources. I believe, after reviewing these resources and thinking about my own leadership style, that I bring my own values, beliefs, experiences and personna to any situation and then these factors influence how I lead. I also believe that I can affect my own style by being thoughtful about what I do and how I perform based on what I know about best practices in leadership. Those practices are the ideas that are commonly viewed as the most effective in leading school organizations from sources that I have studied.

I believe that effective leaders in schools strive to develop a dynamic, learner-centered environment where there is collaboration among stakeholders. Teachers in this environment work in teams and strive to create dialogue with students and parents about learning with support from the administrator. These teams allow teachers to be creative in completing tasks.
The administrator is available for regular dialogue with parents and the community and is highly visible both in the school and community. The administrator is able to deal with daily tasks
through shared leadership and decision-making. I also believe that istructional leadership is part of how an administrator is able to have a reflective dialogue with teachers about technology high expectations for achievement.

A principal in this environment would need to have excellent communication skills and feel comfortable in open dialogue with diverse audiences in the school and community. At the same time this leader would need to be able to listen with understanding and ask thoughtful questions to gain important information. This leader needs to let go and share the leadership with teachers and others so that everyone has a stake in the way the school is operating. This characteristic will also allow the principal to accomplish the daily tasks of school operation. Coming in to a situation the principal needs to develop and share core beliefs and the vision that they bring to the situation so that a dialogue can begin with all stakeholders.
Most importantly to me, the leader needs to be genuine in dealing with situations and people in the school so that trust can be built and teachers, students, parents and community members can feel comfortable that the leader is honest and trustworthy.

I believe that if you were to visit my building (online) now, you would know from the information that I have shared here, that it is my building. Whenever a decision is to be made that affects staff we meet to decide as a team. Grade levels work in teams and learning communities. We still experience challenges, however, we approach them with dialogue and shared decision-making. I also wanted to add that the principles remain the same for me, whether we are talking about a virtual or a traditional building environment. Core beliefs, vision, effective leadership characteristics, qualities of an effective leader are similar. What changes in a virtual environment is the technology skill and knowledge of the administrator needed to lead virtually!