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Running Head: TRANSFORMED

A Transformed Leader
Johnna S. Cheek
The University of North Carolina Greensboro

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TRANSFORMED
A Transformed Leader
Becoming a school leader equipped to transform the educational landscape, requires I

first undergo a personal transformation. It was not until I heard Ann B. Clark, Superintendent of
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, discuss the importance of educational leaders being both
prepared and ready for their roles that I realized the difference between the two (personal
communication, March 19, 2016). Without the knowledge that leads to preparedness and the
broad range of experiences and strong professional network required for readiness, I am unlikely
to make a significant impact on the lives of the students I serve. New to this leadership journey,
I now realize that the Education Specialist Program has helped better prepare me to make
positive changes in the lived experiences of the children and families in my community, but
continuing to use what I have learned is essential to become ready for district-level leadership.
The greatest gift I have received from the last two years of study has been learning to recognize
and then use my influence to shape my work by harnessing my innate leadership skills with
knowledge and experiences that will positively impact children. Bennis (2009) articulates this
progression best: Leadership is first being, then doing (p. 134).
Approach to Leadership
Recognizing the need to question, seek answers, act, and reflect summarizes how my
approach to leadership has changed over the past two years. While always one to seek answers
and act on behalf of others, coursework focusing on my personal leadership style, issues of social
justice, and effective leadership have challenged me to question and reflect on not only
education, but society as a whole more than ever before. I am much more cognizant of how
positionality, privilege, poverty, and race not only impact my view of the world and my words

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and actions, but also how these dimensions shape the educational experiences of the students I
serve. Increased leadership responsibilities during this same time frame provided opportunities
to explore these ideas at different grade tiers and in schools with different needs. From simple
decisions about how the educational environment will look, to more complex choices regarding
curriculum and personnel, I have become increasingly aware of how the privileges and
limitations afforded by [my] group positions impact not only my own work, but the world
around me (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2012, p. 143). I am much more cognizant of the responsibility
to consider how educational decisions and leadership impact the lives of others, the importance
of having a comprehensive plan for improving the educational environment that I can articulate,
and using authentic data sources to guide the work of our schools as we attend to the physical,
social, emotional, and academic needs of students.
Impacting Others
As I embarked on my leadership journey, I was very concerned about my ability to be an
effective instructional leader. As the lead teacher in the building, I deliberated how my limited
classroom experience would be perceived and how my lack of knowledge and experience would
impact my ability to help the adults in the building grow. Great mentors and literature on
leadership helped me to realize that being a successful leader is about much more than knowing
curriculum. Fullan (2014) points out that rather than being an expert on instruction, the lead
learner in the building is responsible for developing the group by lead[ing] the schools
teachers in a process of learning to improve their teaching, while learning alongside them about
what works and what doesnt (p. 55). Rather than focusing on my personal instructional
background, I now work to create experiences that empower teachers to share best practices,

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explore alternative approaches, take risks with innovative ideas, and reflect on the teaching and
learning occurring in their classrooms. Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan, and Switzler
(2008) confirm that my influence on instructional matters is much more likely to occur from
these powerful experiences that challenge long-established views and practices than any
attempts at verbal persuasion or sharing my personal experiences (p. 51).
My responsibilities for creating a positive learning environment are not confined to
influencing instructional decisions in the classroom. Attending to the physical environment and
the rules, procedures, and rituals in our schools is also important. A clean building, an inviting
front entrance, and well-maintained equipment and supplies communicate important messages
about our commitment to the community we serve. The things we celebrate, the rules we
enforce, and the daily routines we follow provide clear indicators of our beliefs and values.
Levinson (2011) encourages leaders to think critically about customs that have been perpetuated
through the agency-based practices and decisions of many people (p. 11) and serve to oppress
students. As I have become more aware of the multitude of messages conveyed to our students
and families through everyday experiences, I am learning to challenge practices that serve to
reproduce the status quo (Levinson, 2011, p. 114) in order to maximize opportunities and
outcomes for students. For example, I am much more likely to recognize, and question, the
racial make-up of AP classes, assignment of only males to weight lifting class, cheerleading
tryout fliers that specify females, and classroom seating practices that appear to devalue
contributions of students of particular races or gender. My work as an educational leader must
be guided by an overall vision to not only lead our school and students in setting and achieving

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academic goals, but to serve the more fundamental rights of students by advocating for others, an
ally who acts to end oppression in all aspects of social life (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2012, p. 158).
Having a Plan
In my leadership journey, I have been fortunate to have many great personal and
professional role models and mentors. From my grandmother who taught me the value of hard
work, to the sometimes recalcitrant principal who hired me as an assistant and insisted I know
the why behind my decisions, I often find lessons learned through experience mirrored in the
literature on leadership. One such lesson is the need to have a plan. As simple as it may sound,
it was only in the last few months that I realized how extremely important it is to not only have a
plan, but to be able to talk it into existence (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2012, p. 179). During my
yearlong internship in district leadership, I completed several interviews with individuals who
serve in a variety of leadership roles. Without exception, all of the individuals referenced the
importance of not only having a strategic plan to guide their work, but the importance of
communicating plans with stakeholders and working collaboratively to monitor and evaluate
progress towards achieving the stated goals. Unfortunately, in many of the interviews conducted,
the lack of a strategic plan was referenced repeatedly as one barrier to improving the educational
program in our district. Never did the importance of a plan become more evident than when I
became a school-level leader myself.
Not long after walking into a principalship mid-year, I realized that all of my previous
educational experience had involved implementing other peoples plans. Now, I need a plan of
my own and I have to be able to communicate that plan clearly to others, achieving buy-in from
those who must implement it. Fullan (2014) points out it is not alignment on paper that counts

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but rather coherence in the minds of the implementers (p.37) that is important for success. With
limited knowledge about the school, students, families, and employees in my school, it has taken
time to assess the strengths and opportunities for growth. As I observe and interact with those
around me, I am beginning to develop a child-centered vision and recognize the changes that
need to occur in order to improve the learning environment for students. Just as Priscilla Chan
realized, my starting point for change must be our students and how to address all of their
needs through robust support systems both within the school and extending out into the
community (Russakoff, 2015, p. 214). Although I am still working to identify the vital
behaviors (Patterson et al., 2008, p. 23, emphasis in original) that need to change in order to
improve student learning conditions and outcomes in our school, I have established four areas of
focus that will help guide my plan: Instruction, Relationships, Communication, and Quality
Feedback. These four areas of focus will also serve as a guide as I work with a district-wide
strategic planning committee to flesh-out a plan to guide our work system-wide that reflects our
districts motto of Students First.
Using Data
One cornerstone of identifying goals for both my school and our district is using data
effectively to both celebrate strengths and diagnose areas of need. An area of particular personal
interest, I have always enjoyed collecting, analyzing, and sharing data. With so many data
sources available, it is often easy to become overwhelmed by the number of data sources
available for tracking and lose sight of the purpose for collecting and analyzing sets of data.
Participating in a simulation for a turnaround school district during my studies was very
beneficial in helping learn not only about identifying the right data to collect and analyze, but

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also how to display the data in a way that others can engage in meaningful conversations about
what the data tells us. Langley, Moen, Nolan, Nolan, Norman, and Provost (2009) share the
importance of knowing what type of data is needed in order to monitor your identified plan for
change and then displaying this data for stakeholders. Patterson et al. (2008) expounds on
selecting data sources, reminding leaders that data sets that are fresh, consistent, and relevant
are vitally important if theyre going to have much impact on behavior (p. 233). Gathering and
displaying accurate, timely data are essential for not only decision-making, but to help make
changes in the learning environment as well.
The power of data to change behavior is astounding. Where I once used summative data
almost exclusively to identify areas in need of change, I am now more attune to the need for
continually assessing the learning environment, instruction, and climate in our schools on a daily
basis. Mastering the ability to constantly assess, take action, evaluate outcomes, and reflect
before taking more action is critical not only for me as a leader, but in the classroom as well. I
am acutely aware of how I have grown in my ability to teach teachers to use data to improve
instruction in their classrooms. By creating and utilizing classroom walkthrough forms that
provide immediate feedback about teacher and student engagement, progress towards meeting an
individual teachers plan for improvement, or the use of technology in the classroom, I help
teachers to reflect on their own practices and create high-performance expectations and
cultures (Fullan, 2014, p. 31). I now embrace data not only as a source for assessing
educational practices and improving student achievement, but as essential for holding people
accountable. Lencioni (2012) reminds leaders to hold someone accountable is to care about

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them enough to risk having them blame you for pointing out their deficiencies (p. 57) while
failing to hold someone accountable is ultimately an act of selfishness (p. 59).
The benefits of these practices can be seen not only within my school, but also as I work
with other district leaders to share best practices and create district-wide professional
development plans to meet the needs of the educators in our system. Sharing these experiences
with others within the district, engaging in conversations with colleagues about best practices,
and facilitating discussions about using data in more effective ways will ultimately benefit
students. When I completed my capstone data project, I intended to focus on how accurately
benchmark assessments can predict End-of-Grade (EOG) test scores simply as a way to validate
the need for common benchmark assessments district-wide. Although results on the assessments
were strongly correlated, the more important finding from the experience was the reported lack
of knowledge teachers possess for using Mock EOG data to inform instruction. Experience and
education have taught me how to use data more effectively in ways that build relationships,
positively impact student achievement, encourage risk-taking, and create more equitable
educational experiences for students.
Compared to two years ago, I think very differently about the impact I have on others, the
need to have a personal vision, and how data and research are instrumental for change. How I
conduct myself, the decisions I make, and the purposeful ways that I organize the school
environment are much more intentional than automatic at this point in my leadership journey. In
essence, each day I continue to refine my work in an attempt to better serve our students.
Although there are many ways in which my approach to leadership have changed over the past
two year, the following core values remain the same: integrity, effort, empowerment, and

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collaboration. As I have been encouraged to think more about how the educational system, and
leaders in particular, can improve student outcomes and help shape a more democratic

citizenship, I now value reflection, risk-taking, and equity-mindedness as essential to my work in

education. Though not displayed on posters plastered throughout the school, I strive to make
these values evident in my daily work.
Living Out Core Values
Our core values ultimately shape our words and actions, which then determine our
success as educational leaders. The work that we do each day, and the decisions that we make
reveal our priorities. While I have always wanted to serve the students and communities in our
rural district, when I completed Dr. Cobles (2003) Survey of Basic Drives early in my
coursework in the Specialist in Education (EdS) Educational Leadership Program, much of my
desire to become an educational leader was closely tied to satisfying my own sense of
accomplishment. At the time, I recognized that my focus on individual achievement often came
at the expense of building relationships with others, which was confirmed in several other selfassessments. In many ways, I was focused on my own ideas and goals, neglecting the needs of
the very people who would help me succeed as I embarked on my leadership journey. At the
beginning of our coursework, I was also more likely to protect tradition and relied on established
systems and procedures to accomplish goals. With experience and practice, I have grown and
matured as an educational leader. Looking back, I realize that understanding myself better and
unlearning some of the things I had been taught about how to be was an essential precursor to
becoming a more effective leader (Bennis, 2009, p. 59). I now focus my daily work on the
academic, affective, social, and physical environments that impact school climate by building

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relationships, communicating high expectations, leading innovation, and challenging inequity to

better meet the needs of all students in our school and district (Hinduja & Patchin, 2012).
Through this work, I also communicate the values I wish to promote in our schools.
Building Relationships
During a typical day, I experience a myriad of social interactions that impact not only my
individual relationships with others, but my ability to help create and maintain a positive school
climate. Whether asking about a students bus ride to school, asking a teacher assistant about her
recent illness, or listening intently to a teachers concerns about a student, taking time to be
present and share experiences, ideas, and time with individuals is vital to my success.
Hargreaves and Shirley (2012) succinctly communicates the intimacy of this work: Be present;
be available; be known (p. 185). Although Hinduja and Patching (2012) tie the importance of
school climate to online behaviors, I believe their wisdom is applicable to all situations and that
by building positive relationships I am cultivating an environment at school where wrong
attitudes and choices simply arent accepted (p. 77). In every interaction, I must focus on
intentionally using words and actions to provide support, while modeling integrity and respect
for others in order to create an environment conducive to meeting the needs of all students.
Integrity. While Lencioni (2012) identifies integrity as a permission to play (p. 97)
value for organizations, I believe that, in the business of education, and for myself in particular,
integrity is essential to success. The work that I do each day directly impacts the lives of others
and conducting myself in an honest, moral, ethical, honorable, and decent way in every
interaction and with every decision made, I protect and serve those in my care. Bennis (2012)
points to integrity as the foundation to earning trust. Teachers, parents, students, and colleagues

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must be able to accurately predict how I will respond in situations in order for me to earn their
trust. By predictably choosing integrity over dishonesty or personal gain in decision-making, I
not only set the stage for others to be able to anticipate how I will respond to situations, I also
communicate my expectations for their behavior as well. As my ability to influence others
grows, so does the potential to positively impact the greater community.
Palmer (2011) reminds us that good citizenship requires nurturing personal and
professional integrity and the courage to act on it as we work to heal the heart of
democracy (p. 163). Only by confronting and challenging policies, rules, procedures, and
decisions that challenge our ability to act with integrity within our schools and our community
can I use my influence to positively impact the lives of others. Shapiro and Stefkovich (2001)
remind us that situations we encounter will often pose ethical dilemmas, but we are challenged to
make decisions based on the best interests of the student by incorporating individual rights,
accepting and teaching students to accept responsibility for their actions, and respecting
students (p. 27) at all times. By conveying my own adherence to moral and ethical behavior,
being willing to ask difficult questions about why we do what we do, and engaging with others to
answer these questions, I not only help maintain a focus on the people we serve, but help
establish a network of individuals devoted to moral and ethical decision-making as well.
While I try to always be an honest person, I must admit that acting with integrity is not
always easy. Shapiro and Stefkovich (2001) illustrate the personal and professional clashing
codes that influence our decision-making and professional judgment. As a self-described rule
follower, challenging rules and procedures, even ones that produce inequity and deny students
individual rights, created a tension that often resulted in inaction in the past. Building positive

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relationships has opened doors to engage in conversations about these dilemmas. I am now more
willing and able to discuss concerns about our moral responsibility to our students and our
families which not only improves my ability to demonstrate integrity in my work, but also
communicates respect for others and a commitment to helping change vital behaviors.
Influence in action. I was recently reminded of my power to influence others to
demonstrate integrity and respect for others in our work in schools (Patterson et al., 2008). A bus
driver with whom I have developed a positive relationship recently admonished a child in a
humiliating way on the bus in front of his peers. I was astonished at the harsh tone and
demeaning language she used as I stood by and quietly tried to encourage her to wait until a later
time to converse with this student. All night, I agonized over how her behavior epitomized the
exact opposite of what I believe about showing respect, honor, and decency in our school. The
next morning, I simply asked the driver to come to my office after arriving at school. During our
conversation, I explained that I understood that she was hurt by the students words and actions,
but that I had higher expectations for how we would treat children in our school. I gave
examples of how I protect the privacy of employees and clearly stated my expectations for future
incidents. Thankfully, I had established a positive, supportive relationship with this driver prior
to this incident and, although she felt justified in her actions, she clearly understood my
expectations for how we would treat students when she left my office. After modeling how I
believe we should confront individualsin privateand setting forth expectations for future
behavior, the bus driver now requests I attend meetings with her and students who are
misbehaving on the bus.

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This recent incident is just one example of how demonstrating integrity and respect
helped change the behavior of an individual. Learning to phrase things in a way that is
inspirational (Bennis, 2009, p. 151) allows me help persuade and build coalitions with others
committed to protecting the rights of students. As I work to build my influence in the district, I
will need to continue building a system of support to make change possible (Patterson et al.,
2008). Whether advocating for changes in identification and placement decisions for
Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) students or proposing changes to Board policies to
expand non-discriminatory policies, demonstrating integrity will be essential for not only
becoming an opinion leader in my district, but helping shape expectations for excellence in our
work where all voices are heard and honored (Palmer, 2011, p. 141).
Expecting Excellence
We cannot accept less than excellence from ourselves and others in our schools.
Russakoff (2015) illustrates the challenge school leaders face to break the mindset of
failure (p. 114) by setting expectations that students will succeed. The first step in breaking a
cycle of blaming and excuses is to challenge the assumptions of others by asking tough questions
about what we believe both as individuals and as a group. Intimately tied to having a learningcentered vision and strategic plan for our school and district, as leaders, we must be willing to
confront whether goals, strategies, and intended outcomes are connected to creating independent
learners (Bray & McClaskey, 2015, p. 4). Without focusing on the learning needs of individual
studentsand I would add teacherswe propagate systems that stifle critical thinking and
perpetuate inequity. Excellence is more than an ideal, it is an achievable reality that requires
effort.

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Effort. Fullan (2014) identifies the most important role of an educational leader is that of
learning leaderone who models learning, but also shapes the conditions for all to learn on a
continuous basis (p. 9, emphasis in original). As a school leader, I must be willing to embrace
my own need to continuously learn and grow both personally and professionally. Admitting
mistakes, researching best practices, providing quality feedback, supporting others in their work,
and engaging in tough conversations are just a few of the ways I demonstrate a commitment to
continuous growth; however, effort cannot be measured in hours worked or number of meetings
attended. I must recognize the need and communicate a willingness to tackle difficult issues
such as assessment, placement decisions, and instructional priorities that impact the lives of
students. Palmer (2011) reminds us educational institutions have at least as much impact, and
arguably more [than religious organizations], on our basic assumptions about what is real,
possible, and meaningful (p. 122), which further illuminates the power educational
professionals can have on shaping a more democratic society through their efforts to meet the
needs of individual students.
Empowerment. With the tremendous potential to positively and profoundly impact the
lives of students through our schools, I must educate and empower others to join me in this work.
I must not only work to concentrate on developing the quality and capability of all [my]
teachers as a key to a deep and balanced (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2012, p. 183) education for
students, fostering leadership in others helps magnify the positive impact we can have in our
school and community. By creating opportunities for rich professional learning experiences
where staff share with one another and build a collaborative culture, I facilitate the development
of what Fullan (2014) calls professional capital (p. 70) that allows change efforts to be

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embraced, thereby improving student learning. Professional learning, though, must be ongoing,
which requires I harness the power of reflection to maintain a focus on continuous improvement.
Reflection. I agree with Bennis (2009) who identifies reflection as a major way in
which leaders learn from the past (p. 108). I would go one step further and add that reflection is
also a tool to hone our professional practice by using lessons from the past to build new ways to
accomplish our work. Reflection is a vital skill for formal leaders in an organization, and as the
lead learner in my school, I set expectations that all of the individuals in the organization
engage in critical reflection in the service to our children. Just as leaders are dangerously
isolated in their leadership responsibilities without colleagues who ask good questions of
them (Allison-Naplitano, 2013, p. 108), it is easy for those we work with in schools to rely on
their own limited knowledge, experiences, and perspectives in their work. I am responsible for
both modeling the use of reflection as a tool for improvement and coaching other educational
professionals to join me in thoughtfully considering the ideas and perspectives of others.
Patterson et al. (2008) would argue that reflection is a powerful tool for influencing others based
on William Millers work on motivational interviewing where, through a skillful use of open
and non directive questions,others examine what is most important to them and what changes
in their life might be required in order for them to live according to their values (p. 105,
emphasis in original). As teachers and other professionals within our system become
accustomed to engaging in critical reflection, we increase the likelihood that students, as well,
are guided to regularly consider how their present choices impact their ability to live the good
life, which Palmer (2011) identifies as connected to finding meaning and purpose in our lives.

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Influence in action. Hargreaves and Shirley (2012) acknowledge that there are no
instances of educational excellence without high-quality teachers and teaching (p. 192). Effort,
empowerment, and reflection are valuable tools for improving the professional practice of the
adults in our building, but they are also important for improving students lives as well. Guiding
teachers and support personnel to plan purposefully, tailor instruction to fit the needs of
individual learners, and always be willing to consider alternatives will serve to improve student
achievement. Additionally, communicating these values to children by teaching students to
persevere, take responsibility for learning, and think critically about how they impact the world
around them will serve to not only close achievement gaps, but positively impact our community
and develop a more democratic society (Palmer, 2011). Whether in my work within a school or
as I engage with others throughout the district, I have to be willing to look for ways to reinforce
the importance of hard work, building leaders, and reflecting on our work as we shape the next
generation.
One of the most important ways I have recently communicated an expectation of
excellence throughout our school was my work serving as leader of a high schools preparation
for a one-to-one initiative. I understood that for our school to undertake a dramatic shift in
instructional practices from sage on the stage to one where teachers and students are cocreators of learning, much work would need to occur. Teachers would need to take ownership of
the shift, have multiple opportunities for practice, and collectively engage in reflecting on our
progress, celebrating successes and recognizing opportunities for growth. Building capacity to
accomplish this work required not only positive relationships, but being willing to tackle the
work myself and create opportunities for others to lead. Helping to develop online modules,

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modeling how to integrate technology into instruction, and being vulnerable enough to share my
fears and failures were essential to getting others onboard. Encouraging teachers throughout the
building to lead through sharing newly developed expertise of technology tools birthed a
growing pool of informal leaders within the school. Although not all individuals have embraced
the need for change, by building capacity, setting expectations, and monitoring implementation,
changes are occurring that will transform the educational experiences of students. As I tackle
other change initiatives, effort, empowerment, and reflection will continue to be tools I use to
communicate expectations of excellence. Settling for anything less than a focus on continuous
improvement will limit students future success in an ever-changing world.
Leading Innovation
I have found that perhaps one thing that intimidates teachers most is change. So many
initiatives in education are introduced without sharing the rationale for change and without
providing the support needed to successfully implement the change. I believe educators, as a
whole, want what is best for students and are very willing to incorporate new ideas when
provided adequate support. Patterson et al. (2008) point out many of the profound and
persistent problems we face [in implementing change] stem more from a lack of skill (which in
turn stems from a lack of deliberate practice) than from a genetic curse, lack of courage, or a
character flaw (p. 121). I believe that remembering this need for repeated practice accompanied
by encouragement and permission to take risks is essential for schools to evolve into innovative
learning environments that will prepare students for the future. When coupled with a focus on
working together collaboratively to accomplish tasks, we capitalize on a collective repository of

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knowledge and experience that far exceeds our individual capacity to grow personally and
professionally.
Risk taking. In many ways, No Child Left Behind was designed to standardize teaching
and learning (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2012). Continuing to focus efforts on a factory-model of
learning, however, fails to recognize students as individuals and de-personalizes learning.
Bennis (2009) identifies innovative learning as the primary means of exercising our
autonomy (p. 73). If we truly want to empower others to be leaders and innovators, we must
give those we lead permission to take risks and try new things who, optimally, then provide the
same opportunities to the students they serve. As the educational leader, guiding innovation can
only occur after establishing relationships and communicating an expectation of success. Once
those you work with believe they can accomplish new things and feel competent enough to
attempt the change, my work centers on removing obstacles that might limit the ability to
implement new ideas, providing resources necessary for improving instruction, facilitating
learning throughout the building, and celebrating incremental steps toward improvement (Fullan,
2014). As we move through the chaos of change, reflecting on our progress and sharing
experiences with others will be key to continuous growth.
Collaboration. I believe leading others to capitalize on the power of working together to
accomplish a task is one of my most important roles as an educational leader. Just as
collaboration and building professional networks is important as we seek excellence, working
with others is crucial for innovative teaching and learning. More than once in my study of
educational leadership, I was reminded that the primary role of school leaders is not that of
instructional leader (Fullan, 2014; Hargreaves & Shirley, 2012). Rather, my role is to be a leader

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who develops the capacity of others by foster[ing a] collaborative work environment within
and across schools and districts (Fullan, 2014, p. 67). When I create opportunities for teachers
and other educational leaders to collaborate with one another and share successes and failures I
create the conditions for change to occur. As individuals reflect on lessons learned and
brainstorm how to make vision a reality, I effect change through the power of peer pressure
(Patterson et al., 2008) and validate the need for those involved to communicate effectively,
expend effort, and reflect on their professional practices. An added benefit of creating
experiences where educators purposefully collaborate with their colleagues is the ability to
model the power and necessity of developing this 21st Century skill for students.
Influence in action. Leading change at any level of educational leadership will
inevitably be met with some form of resistance. Using lessons learned both from the literature
and personal experiences in guiding innovation will be essential for successfully navigating
change in our schools. It is now easy for me to look back at previous experiences leading change
and understand that some changes were unsustainable because I failed to establish a purpose for
the change, neglected the importance of social capital in implementing new ideas (Fullan, 2014;
Patterson et al., 2008), and overlooked the need to celebrate successes in implementation.
Consequently, the individuals most intimately involved in making the change successful had no
ownership and limited input on the design and implementation of the program.
I have been successful in more recent experiences guiding innovation. In the high school,
rather than trying to sell the need to use technology to enhance instruction through dialectic
tactics, I created opportunities for those involved in the change to experience how teaching and
learning could be transformed by using technology as recommended by Patterson et al. (2008).

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At the elementary level, I pose reflective questions to the school leadership team about existing
rules and procedures which brings an admission that some traditions need to be revisited. By
encouraging lead teachers to deviate slightly from the prescribed instructional schedule, I gave
them permission to experiment with ways to incorporate small flexible groups into math
instruction and then share their experiences with their colleagues to refine teaching and better
meet the individual needs of learners. While my goals of improving relationships, expecting
excellence, and guiding innovation remain at the crux of what I hope to accomplish in my work,
the power of this work is realized when others investigate, discover, and explore alternate ways
to view our students and meet their academic, social, and emotional needs.
Challenging Inequity
Regardless of the task or decision, ultimately, I must keep the needs of the students we
serve at the center of my work. Acknowledging that I view the world through a lens of privilege
and facilitating discussions about the existence of inequity and racism in our schools is essential
for identifying and addressing areas that demand change (Bonilla-Silva, 2014). I now frequently
find myself attending to words, actions, and messages that our school and school personnel send
regarding the capacity of all students to learn and succeed. Russakoff (2015) points out that we
not only need to attend to how we marginalize others, but to factors that impact students
conception of their ability to succeed. He questions whether performance gaps are better
explained as a hope gap for students in high poverty areas, who need to be persuaded to
believe in themselves enough to try (Russakoff, 2015, p. 92). I cannot do this work without
first acknowledging my inadequacy to single-handedly address the needs of minoritzed students
and families.

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Knowledge. Disrupting inequitable practices requires I first acknowledge that they exist
and then train myself to recognize inequity in our schools, community, and society. I must
understand that how I view the way the world works and my position within that world are
socially constructed (Sensoy & DiAngelo, 2012, p. 7, emphasis in the original). Shaped by
information we receive from family, school, media, and religion, I default to using the resulting
frame of reference to understand the world. One example is learning to see the messages
revealed in the hidden curriculum (Palmer, 2011, p. 132). From noticing the perspective from
which text books are written, to expectations for behavior, I work to conscientiously avoid
blindly accepting established practices as normal. Rather than relying on what society has
instituted as correct I think more critically about the underlying origin of the information we
know in order to better identify thoughts, words, actions, and experiences that serve to
perpetuate racism and oppression. Challenging inequitable conditions for students cannot occur
without first developing relationships, communicating expectations of excellence, and
establishing a culture where new ideas are valued.
Action. As an educator who values integrity, possessing knowledge of inequity requires
action. Sensoy and DiAngelo (2012) advocate that I use my position as a member of the
dominant group to interrupt oppression (p. 153) in service to our children and nation. Just as
Palmer (2011) suggests, the most important responsibility for teachers is to connect the big
story of the subject with the little story of the students life (p. 126) and, as an educational
leader, I believe my role is to build connections between our schools and the communities in
which our students live. While my work within the school building is important, I cannot be
content with simply working to shape a positive experience for students while they are in school.

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I must attend to the larger, systemic influences that shape who our students are as human beings.
As was evident in an interview with Ann B. Clark, Superintendent of Charlotte Mecklenburg
Schools, leaders in education must look to the larger community to challenge practices that serve
to perpetuate inequity in our schools (personal communication, March 19, 2016). Through
interactions with community and business leaders, I carry conversations centered on equity
beyond the walls of our schools and help to guide discussions about what we collectively value
in order to make more informed decisions and improve students lives (Sandel, 2009).
Influence in action. I have to admit that this is an area where I continue to grow. While
I am now much more aware of the presence of inequitable learning conditions in our schools,
divorcing myself from my commonsense understanding of the world is a difficult task and I
often revert to my particular idea of what is right in decision-making. Having recently
changed schools, I also believe I am still developing trust and communicating expectations about
how we serve the needs of all students as a foundation upon which discussions about equity can
occur. As we work together to better define our collective purpose, I will actively seek
opportunities to explore how our school reproduces or interrupts oppression and inequity in
individual classrooms, our school, and our community. As Patterson et al. (2008) noted, If we
dont reconnect possible behavior to the larger moral issues, well continue to allow the
emotional demands of the moment drive our actions, and, in so doing, well make short-term,
myopic choices (p. 98). I believe that, as we become proficient at acknowledging our role in
perpetuating the existence of inequity, we will work to counteract messages that further the status
quo and build support systems within the lives of our children to better meet not only their
academic needs, but their physical, emotional, and social needs as well.

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Lingering Questions
After an extensive look at the challenges facing public school educators, it has become
increasingly obvious that positive changes can happen in individual schools and districts with
great leadership, but the outlook for public education as a whole is dim. As a nation, if we
continue to de-value the teaching profession, deny students equitable learning conditions, and
refuse to view education as the avenue to a more responsible and active citizenship, positive

changes will not occur. At times, I feel so divorced from the mechanisms that can stimulate this
change that it is easy to become focused on my own small corner of the educational world.
Staying connected with other educators who desire to improve the lives of others will be
essential to continue the work of trying to positively influence change in education.
One way I hope to facilitate change in our district is by helping to create a strategic plan
that is not only tied to tracking student performance on standardized tests, but developed with
goals and strategies that will produce positive, measurable changes in the lives of students and
families. I am particularly interested in looking at how rural counties can provide
comprehensive wrap-around services for families and the role schools can play in mitigating
challenges in rural school districts such as transportation, healthcare, and job training. In the
face of changes in families and communities, income disparities, and increasing incidences of
traumatic childhood experiences, what can we do to better serve students (Putnam, 2015)? As
Russakoff (2015) pointed out about Newark: Education for the nations poorest children is as
much a political as a pedagogical challenge (p. 210). Navigating the political waters and
developing networks will be necessary to tackle these challenges and continue to be
opportunities for personal growth.

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Whether as a function of developing a strategic plan or seeking to elect parent

representatives for the School Improvement Team, I must continue to work at building personal
and professional networks to help me achieve my work. Patterson et al. (2008) reports todays
most successful employees have networks of people they can go to for expertise, as well as
networks of people they can trust with sensitive requests (p. 187), and it has become apparent
how valuable that network is now that I am the sole administrator in a school. If I fail to build a
robust network of support, I am less likely to be challenged to think critically about my work and
overlook my responsibility to use my influence to positively impact the lives of the students I
serve.
Conclusion
Although I have grown as an educational leader over the past two years, I am committed
to continually refining my leadership skills by seeking knowledge, engaging with others, and
advocating for change. Prior to entering administration, I established credibility within my
district as a counselor. At this point, I am learning to balance the many leadership roles within a
school and recognize opportunities to influence in a more meaningful and sustainable way both
at the school and district level. Delving into leadership standards for district-level leaders has
given me a better appreciation of the magnitude and scope of their work, and completing
internship projects has helped me learn to put knowledge into practice. A spark of desire to
expand my influence in the future has been flamed.
Ultimately, I believe focusing on the health of the organization will be the foundation for
doing meaningful work in whatever leadership capacity I find myself. The healthier the
organization is, the more of its intelligence it is able to tap into and use (Lencioni, 2012, p. 11).

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Success will depend on surrounding myself with trusted colleagues, working collectively with all
stakeholders to define our work, consistently communicating high expectations, and critically
evaluating our progress towards achieving goals. We are obligated to improve the lives of
children which necessitates building relationships, defining excellence, embracing innovation,
and challenging inequitable practices in our schools and district in order to create a better
tomorrow. We have a tremendous responsibility to prepare students for the future by ensuring
children are taught to think critically and become creative problem-solvers who are engaged in
the work of their community. We can only accomplish these goals if we are willing to model
these same habits (Kumashiro, 2012). I am preparedand readyto be an agent of change!

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