MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

My Philosophy of Educational Leadership

-Presented to the Department of Educational Leadership

and Postsecondary Education
University of Northern Iowa
-In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the
Master of Arts in Education
-by
Jakob Elmquist
Universal American School of Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2 May 2015
-Dr. Tim Gilson

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Marilyn Katzenmeyer and Gayle Moller once stated that, Leadership cannot be strong
with a single, heroic leader; rather the leader must consider how to cultivate relationships so that
all teachers, administrators, and parents work together to improve student outcomes
(Awakening the Sleeping Giant, 2009, p. 90). Throughout our course, Orientation to ISSL and
Educational Leadership, the reading and analysis of our texts has aided me in the understanding of

what makes a great leader. Various administrators and colleagues throughout my teaching and
student career have also highlighted certain aspects I would and wouldnt implement in my own
leadership style. While my teaching/leadership philosophy is always adapting, there are a core
set of values that will always remain such as collaboration, flexibility, and communication.
In his book Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way, Robert D. Ramsey (2006) starts out his
introduction by outlining fifty problems a contemporary leader will face in their job and also states there
are much more. The question then arises as to why I have chosen to pursue teaching leadership with so
many apparent obstacles? With so many varying road blocks in this profession, I have many qualities that
Ramsey (2006) categorizes as an effective school leader. I am a strong communicator, I have a passion
for what I do, I am good at making decisions and solving problems, and I am self-confident. The main
reason I chose teaching leadership though is because I believe I can make a positive impact within a
school or content area. I am a hard, dedicated worker that strives to go above expectations to accomplish
the job at hand. I also know that I can effectively work with my colleagues and administrators to
collaborate on improving student outcomes within the school.
The reasons Ive chosen to become a teacher leader are greatly influenced by the skills that I
encompass to positively lead a learning community. The Teacher Leader Model Standards (Teacher
Leadership, 2011) emphasize an array of skills I embody that help to promote this style of community.
Within Domain I of the Teacher Leader Model Standards it stresses collaboration to support educational
development and student learning (Teaching Leadership, 2011). Collaboration is the cornerstone in
ensuring that student learning continues to prosper within the school. As a teacher leader, I know that its

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

my job to build a sense of collegiality, trust, and respect within the school. A leader does that by being an
effective listener and adjusting or strengthening areas based on concerns. They also realize that they need
to be held accountable for what they say theyre going to do. A strong leader is always present and
ensures that questions are being answered, and are promoting meaningful change. Without collaboration,
you dont have a collective mass working towards a shared goal, but a small group of people preaching
shared beliefs.

The forever altering demands of a school is something a teacher leader must adapt to
when promoting a strong community. With the constant changes occurring within education, the
third domain focuses on the importance of providing professional learning opportunities
continued over time. These learning opportunities are relevant to current teaching practices,
create strong curricular connections, and allow for collaboration (Teacher Leadership, 2011).
The flexibility of a teacher leader is crucial in helping to establish professional development for
new goals. In knowing the values and mission of your school, we must provide development for
staff in order to become stronger educators. We must also be the ones to follow up in making
sure they understand how to interpret, incorporate, or implement whats being pushed to
strengthen student achievement.
The most influential aspect on a teacher leader is the community in which theyre
working. Student success is greatly impacted by the combination of school, community, and
family support. Within the sixth domain, teacher leaders take on the responsibility of modeling
family communication skills to their colleagues, sharing their experiences and knowledge of
various cultures, and leading collaboration activities with families (Teacher Leadership, 2011). A
teacher leader needs to be present within the school. They should be present throughout the day,
at sporting events, at fundraisers, etc. Through staying in touch with the school community, the

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

teacher leader demonstrates the values of being well-rounded. They also promote the morale of
the school in working with everyone in and out of the school.
The skills that I encompass aid me in leading a strong, successful learning community.
Although I would deem them very important, I would say there are four aspects I would share
with a school if they were to select me as a teacher leader. First, having a shared mission of
values is important for a teacher leader. I would need to be on the same page of the school with
their values if I am going to be implementing that as a leader. If I feel strongly about something
and the school doesnt, its not a good fit as a leader. Ramsey (2006) puts forth the idea that we
should be using our values as a moral compass to get where we need to be. He further mentions
that, Shared values are what guide a successful school (Ramsey, 2006, p. 164). Having a
strong connection with values will enhance the leadership of the school and community. A
successful director at our school, Gunther Brandt, understood the schools mission well and
implemented it in everything he did. He would remind of us this mission at meetings, and the
school morale soared because of this admiration.
Second, strong communication skills are crucial when attaining a role as a leader within a
school. Ramsey (2006) acknowledges this in his eighth chapter as he points out the importance
of listening. He states, The most successful and admired school leaders think first about what
the other person has to say and then about what they want to say (Ramsey, 2006, p. 112). Being
an effective communicator will allow for a lot of collaboration as well as better problem solving
skills. I would say that communication is probably the most important aspect a teacher leader
must possess in order to be successful. It applies to varying modes of the job and he even later
states that, Top-notch leaders in all fields spend more of their time with people than with paper

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

(Ramsey, 2006, p. 69). Having many face-to-face interactions will build the sense of community
and morale at the school.
Third, being proactive is vital when it comes to planning and being prepared for the day
or week. Ramsey (2006) again points this out within his eighth chapter when thinking like a
leader. He states, The best leaders in all fields are proactive, not merely reactive (Ramsey,
2006, p. 105). As long as youve have accepted that things may change, you can at least have
various things that are already mapped out. In doing this, it will allow for the leader to solve
issues ahead of time. We will be better prepared for what is to come. Just merely being ready
will better align ourselves for the future. One of my favorite politicians, Harvey Milk,
understood this idea as well. He ran as the first openly gay politician in California in hopes of
promoting change for the evolving community he lived in. He recognized the road blocks ahead
of him and triumphed in attaining a role in government.
Finally, being authentic will allow for me to better acquire the job as a leader. As Ive
mentioned, I have many skills that would make a great leader, but I must be myself in order to
prove I can do those jobs. Ramsey states, The best advice for any practicing or prospective
leader is simply: Be yourselfbe true to the best instincts inside you (2006, p. xxii). My
favorite director Ive had while teaching understood this concept well. His personality would
show through in meetings, at events, and everyone loved him because of it. Being true to myself
will guide me in becoming a successful leader. At times I may lose this, but it will important to
remind myself why I have chosen to be a leader in the first place.
In holding true to these standards Ive placed before myself, there are also expectations
that I would have for my colleagues, students and the community. Ive mentioned this numerous
times throughout my essay, but following the schools mission and values is what I would rate

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

over anything else. There is no point in having a mission statement if the school community
isnt following it.
When looking particularly at just teachers, I would expect them to be working
collaboratively and promoting peak performances with students. Ramsey states that, The
nurturing and development of subordinates is the key to organizational excellence (2006, p. 42).
Teachers are a lot like students in that they need encouragement and praise, so as long as the
teachers know theyre appreciated within the school they should excel. The leader does need to
be supervising in making sure that these goals are attained and looking into why they arent if
needed.
Then when looking at students, as a leader I would expect them to be putting forth their
best effort. I know that if I am setting high, but reasonable, expectations than a majority will set
to achieve that. Ramsey (2006) outlines various ways of ensuring this such as family support,
adult role models, and caring school environments. The best way in acquiring great
achievements is to just make myself present in knowing what is taking place in and out of the
school. The school community has to be strong in order to feel safe, educated, and supported.
Lastly when looking at the community as a whole, I would expect them to be supportive
of what is taking place within the school. I understand theyre putting a lot of trust in the leader
to educate and protect their child, but they also need to be accommodating to the choices made in
doing that. The best way for the leader to acquire this trust is to, Become visible beyond the
school, build the home-school partnership, and give the public what it wants (Ramsey, 2006, p.
46). Through following the steps outlined by Ramsey (2006), the community will feel a lot safer
and supportive of what is taking place at school.

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

While the expectations are high for all that will be working with me, the leader, they are
easily attainable with collaboration, flexibility, and communication. Having been looking toward
leadership for a while now, I now understand there are a lot more expectations of a leader. The
various texts weve read in class have allowed me to implement various ideas into my own
teaching, and hopefully in the future my own leadership role. In reflecting upon myself as an
educator, I am excited to be improving upon my field in aspirations of becoming a future teacher
leader.

MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

References
Katzenmeye, Marily, and Gayle Moller. Awakening The Sleeping Giant. Thousand Oaks, Calif.:
Corwin Press, 2009. Print.
Ramsey, Robert D. Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The Way. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press,
2006. Print.
Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium. (2011). Teacher Leader Model Standards.
Retrieved from http://www.teacherleaderstandards.org/downloads/TLS_Brochure_sm.pdf