Running Head: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Philosophy of Education

Robert T. Kucharczuk

EDG 659: Principal Internship

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We live in a continually changing world and our institutions of education must

continually adapt and evolve to change along with it. Educational and instructional leaders are

tasked with providing the highest quality educational experiences for our students and must

promote development on an academic, social, emotional and behavioral level. In turn,

educational leaders must gain a full knowledge of and appropriately utilize and maximize the

resources that are available to them in order to do so. With strong instructional leadership and

the diversification of our educational methods, strategies, and techniques, we will be able to

provide our students with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed and thrive in the present

and future environments of our world. In tune, if we are to compete with the global world we

are a part of, we must be open to and ready for change at all levels.

Robert Starratt (2003) states, “Those contemplating a career in educational administration

need to make a sober assessment of their own talents, motivations, and dispositions for meeting

the challenges in educational administration in the 21st century” (p. 24). Upon accepting a

leadership position within the field of education, one must delve deep and find the qualities that

exist within them that will propel their organization forward and breed success while promoting

growth and achievement. Such self-critique and through the consideration of the current nature

of our present day educational landscape, the implementation of multidimensional leadership

may assist in constructing a strong instructional foundation and communal environment focused

on getting the most out of those rooted in the institution. Moreover, within an organization there

are distinctive departments functioning at different levels and requiring diverse styles of

leadership due to the needs they have. Therefore, multidimensional leadership has the ability to

reach the many different aspects and unique individuals embedded in an educational
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organization. This base of power will also allow different leadership styles to exist such as

leadership through communication, collaboration, analysis, and others.

Michael Fullan (2001) explains, “Large organizations can never achieve perfect internal

commitment, but with good leadership at all levels they can generate a great deal of it, and this

will feed on itself” (p.134). Through collaboration and communication there is a great

opportunity to develop leaders throughout an organization who strive towards a commonly

shared goal. Strategic planning is one example of how multidimensional leadership through a

collaborative and communicative approach may combine and take root within an organization.

In order to create a five-year fluid strategic plan that speaks to the core of the organizations

message and needs, the individuals involved must be experienced leaders in specific areas and

come together to realize an overarching goal. Specific categories within the plan need

individuals who understand and provide expertise in the area being addressed and modified.

Although each individual area has certain goals and criteria that must be met, the outlined goals

must align with the mission statement and measurements that govern the finished document.

Leadership that promotes such a shared level of commitment and investment and in turn,

may promote greater student achievement and brood success, also includes the utilization of

distributed leadership in combination with a developmental supervision model (Glickman, 1981)

and situational leadership theory (Hersey & Blanchard, 1969). When leading a building of

diverse staff members with varied levels of experience and knowledge, it is important to harness

the attributes and skills one’s staff has for the greater good of the educational institution, the

students in attendance, and the broader community as a whole. This is the heart of distributive

leadership and finding the voices that are going to help make a difference, influence others, and

create positive change for the betterment of the learners that enter the school environment.
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Giving power to others and adding teacher leaders can add an energy to the school by ensuring

voices and perspectives are heard and appreciated. This also provides a pathway to shared goal

setting and the development of a school’s mission and vision, while also undertaking the difficult

task of changing a school’s culture (Naicker & Mestry, 2011). In turn, through distributed

leadership the instructional leader will become an architect of a shared leadership approach,

building strong and trusting relationships, and developing a shared investment in the overall

improvement of the educational organization and its members while promoting student

achievement on a greater scale (Naicker & Mestry, 2013).

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References

Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a Culture of Change, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Glickman, C. D. (1981). Developmental supervision: Alternative practices for helping teachers

improve instruction. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development.

Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1969). Life cycle theory of leadership. Training & Development

Journal, 23(5), 26-34.

Naicker, S. R., & Mestry, R. (2011). Distributive leadership in public schools: Experiences and

perceptions of teachers in the Soweto region. Perspectives in Education, 29(4), 99-108.

Naicker, S. R., & Mestry, R. (2013). Teachers’ reflections on distributive leadership in public

primary schools in Soweto. South African Journal of Education, 33(2).

Starratt, R. J. (2003). Centering Educational Administration: Cultivating Meaning. Community,

Responsibility, Lawrence Ehlbaum Associates, Publishers, Mahwah, NJ.