By Gilbert M. Forbes
DepED Quezon
Region IV-A CALABARZON
Reading different leadership and Management Books from my personal collection of well known authors as Covey, Maxwell, Waitley, Oswald, and the likes of Filipino educators as Franco, Nebres, Gonzales, Sibayan, Trespeces, Nemenzo and Luz, aside from various readings both conventional and novel (through the use of the internet), is simply not enough if school principals really wanted to make a difference particularly in the public school system and of the future thousands of school children. For if one would just reflect on the thoughts of the first post apartheid president and the first black president South Africa had, Nelson Mandela who said, “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mine-worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
It is a fact that countries with excellent education like Japan, South Korea and Singapore enjoy significant levels of economic success. A former colonial country like that of the US became of what it is today, the lone super power because of education. US later on, learning from the very power that education can do, used it to further and maintain its interest in various countries of the world through its neo-colonial policies.
To this end, school head plays a very significant role in ensuring that our schools, our next generation of workers and citizens will find their way at least in the fiercely competitive, knowledge-based economy. School principals therefore must be totally sensitive to the expectations of his stakeholders which is actually zeroed in on the demonstration of leadership. It is a leadership which is anchored on bringing a group or institution towards a clear objective. Since, we are principal, instructional leadership is what fits in to us. Other literature called it learning leaders or learning-centered leadership. The demands of 21st century life and work call for principals with a deep understanding of how students learn and at what levels they need to learn. Principals therefore should be able to provide teachers with the leadership and support they need to help students gain the skills and knowledge now identified as important for success in a “flat” world filled with uncertainty and constant changes.
This is the very essence of instructional leadership. To make this happen, as Marsh puts it, as an instructional leader, he is characterized as being a resource provider, an instructional coach, an effective communicator; and has visible presence.Along this line as an instructional leader is that of being a curriculum manager. Since the curriculum is basically what students are expected to learn in the classroom and how the lessons are taught (Farris,1996), the principal must ensure that it is being followed by teachers as the prime basis of their daily teaching.
This is curriculum leadership defined as the exercise of functions that enable the achievement of a school’s goal of providing quality education to learners. It is not only implementation that matters but ensuring curriculum quality and applicability, alignment and integration of the curriculum, regular evaluation, enrichment, update and revitalization of the curriculum.In the public school system, curriculum is developed by curriculum experts and subject specialists and after testing and validation is handed down to all schools for implementation. This doesn’t mean however that the curriculum is absolute for the department encourages localization, enrichment and revitalization considering and understanding local settings, needs, cultural diversity and values. For this reason, principals must really have at least a basic understanding of curriculum development in general and the various models therein like Tyler. Obvious reason is that the given curriculum is not enough to make sure that maximum learning could be achieved. Enrichment and Mastery Curriculum enters and no other person is in the best position to lead in its formulation other than the principal.
In the course of all these, it is very important to know the factors that may affect curriculum implementation success as explained by Parsons (1987, cited in Marsh, 1992) and these are the need for time, technology for change, recognition of the school culture, incentives and rewards, sharing of burden in the workplace, releasing of energy for innovation, collaborative framework, leadership, recognition of the system-level culture, incentives and rewards, the need for political perspective, the need to win allies and the recognition of the role of individuals. Moreover, in monitoring curriculum implementation, it is important to: place more emphasis on mutual accomplishments rather than total fidelity (faithfulness or similarity to the source); strive for the development of a teacher-friendly and change-simple curriculum in the beginning; and promote a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement in the school.When all these are accomplished, we could now gauge the effectiveness of curriculum implementation following the three basic domains: use of curriculum materials, student activities and achievements and teacher activities.
While there could be clear limitations that most principals face in assuming their instructional leadership roles particularly financial resources, this must not discourage them in anyway for instructional leader is tasked to spearhead activities that address the educational shortcomings identified within his/her power. Strengthening one’s emotional quotient EQ will help a lot. Studies say that people with high EQ have the AURA of leadership, meaning they are able to appreciate, understand, respond and adapt to the challenges that face them.Effective school management is observed or measured in many ways. And that some of the indicators of good management in schools are the following: 1) Instructional supplies are ordered and arrive on time (for those schools where MOOE is released directly), 2) Teachers come to school on time, 3)Teacher absenteeism is low, 4) School facilities are in good repair, 5) Teachers have copies of syllabi, 6) Teachers receive instructional supervision, 7) Each school has a functional parent teacher association, and 8) Parents know how their children are progressing in their studies.This time that School Based Management is being emphasized among schools as part of the School First Initiative and Basic Education Reform Agenda, principals need to have leadership qualities in attempting school improvement.
Working towards overall improvement in our school will really requires that we AFFIRM our leadership role in the school’s “domains for improvement.” which includes: curriculum and instruction, performance and development of students, professional-personal performance of teachers and staff, administration/organization, school facilities and supplies and external relations. These could be attained not only by influencing and managing, just a school manager or CEO but an educational LEADER, a transformational leader who act as strong role models (idealized influence), communicate high expectation and provide inspiration (inspirational motivation), encourage creativity and innovation (intellectual stimulation) and provide support to others (individualized consideration).In the absence of continuous flow of knowledge that need to fill a vacuum due to schools which are not effectively organized to support and encourage continuous learning, the quest for coming up with educational research and new information as made stronger and prompted by the changing demands of the society, a principal plays a pivotal role in this regard. He must emphasize the value of research and of lifelong learning and should be the role model of it.
Sound and effective leadership will help a lot and will be the primary key. I am happy to know that effective leadership is characterize by the following indicators (Marsh, 1992): facilitating the development, implementation and monitoring of shared visions and mission; advocating and sustaining a school culture; promoting and sustaining an effective instructional program; Managing operations and resources in the learning environment; collaborating with community stakeholders; involving others and acting with integrity fairness and in an ethical manner.
Reference: Innotech Flexible Learning Management System Learning Modules 1 and 2.
DepED Quezon
Region IV-A CALABARZON
Reading different leadership and Management Books from my personal collection of well known authors as Covey, Maxwell, Waitley, Oswald, and the likes of Filipino educators as Franco, Nebres, Gonzales, Sibayan, Trespeces, Nemenzo and Luz, aside from various readings both conventional and novel (through the use of the internet), is simply not enough if school principals really wanted to make a difference particularly in the public school system and of the future thousands of school children. For if one would just reflect on the thoughts of the first post apartheid president and the first black president South Africa had, Nelson Mandela who said, “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mine-worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
It is a fact that countries with excellent education like Japan, South Korea and Singapore enjoy significant levels of economic success. A former colonial country like that of the US became of what it is today, the lone super power because of education. US later on, learning from the very power that education can do, used it to further and maintain its interest in various countries of the world through its neo-colonial policies.
To this end, school head plays a very significant role in ensuring that our schools, our next generation of workers and citizens will find their way at least in the fiercely competitive, knowledge-based economy. School principals therefore must be totally sensitive to the expectations of his stakeholders which is actually zeroed in on the demonstration of leadership. It is a leadership which is anchored on bringing a group or institution towards a clear objective. Since, we are principal, instructional leadership is what fits in to us. Other literature called it learning leaders or learning-centered leadership. The demands of 21st century life and work call for principals with a deep understanding of how students learn and at what levels they need to learn. Principals therefore should be able to provide teachers with the leadership and support they need to help students gain the skills and knowledge now identified as important for success in a “flat” world filled with uncertainty and constant changes.
This is the very essence of instructional leadership. To make this happen, as Marsh puts it, as an instructional leader, he is characterized as being a resource provider, an instructional coach, an effective communicator; and has visible presence.Along this line as an instructional leader is that of being a curriculum manager. Since the curriculum is basically what students are expected to learn in the classroom and how the lessons are taught (Farris,1996), the principal must ensure that it is being followed by teachers as the prime basis of their daily teaching.
This is curriculum leadership defined as the exercise of functions that enable the achievement of a school’s goal of providing quality education to learners. It is not only implementation that matters but ensuring curriculum quality and applicability, alignment and integration of the curriculum, regular evaluation, enrichment, update and revitalization of the curriculum.In the public school system, curriculum is developed by curriculum experts and subject specialists and after testing and validation is handed down to all schools for implementation. This doesn’t mean however that the curriculum is absolute for the department encourages localization, enrichment and revitalization considering and understanding local settings, needs, cultural diversity and values. For this reason, principals must really have at least a basic understanding of curriculum development in general and the various models therein like Tyler. Obvious reason is that the given curriculum is not enough to make sure that maximum learning could be achieved. Enrichment and Mastery Curriculum enters and no other person is in the best position to lead in its formulation other than the principal.
In the course of all these, it is very important to know the factors that may affect curriculum implementation success as explained by Parsons (1987, cited in Marsh, 1992) and these are the need for time, technology for change, recognition of the school culture, incentives and rewards, sharing of burden in the workplace, releasing of energy for innovation, collaborative framework, leadership, recognition of the system-level culture, incentives and rewards, the need for political perspective, the need to win allies and the recognition of the role of individuals. Moreover, in monitoring curriculum implementation, it is important to: place more emphasis on mutual accomplishments rather than total fidelity (faithfulness or similarity to the source); strive for the development of a teacher-friendly and change-simple curriculum in the beginning; and promote a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement in the school.When all these are accomplished, we could now gauge the effectiveness of curriculum implementation following the three basic domains: use of curriculum materials, student activities and achievements and teacher activities.
While there could be clear limitations that most principals face in assuming their instructional leadership roles particularly financial resources, this must not discourage them in anyway for instructional leader is tasked to spearhead activities that address the educational shortcomings identified within his/her power. Strengthening one’s emotional quotient EQ will help a lot. Studies say that people with high EQ have the AURA of leadership, meaning they are able to appreciate, understand, respond and adapt to the challenges that face them.Effective school management is observed or measured in many ways. And that some of the indicators of good management in schools are the following: 1) Instructional supplies are ordered and arrive on time (for those schools where MOOE is released directly), 2) Teachers come to school on time, 3)Teacher absenteeism is low, 4) School facilities are in good repair, 5) Teachers have copies of syllabi, 6) Teachers receive instructional supervision, 7) Each school has a functional parent teacher association, and 8) Parents know how their children are progressing in their studies.This time that School Based Management is being emphasized among schools as part of the School First Initiative and Basic Education Reform Agenda, principals need to have leadership qualities in attempting school improvement.
Working towards overall improvement in our school will really requires that we AFFIRM our leadership role in the school’s “domains for improvement.” which includes: curriculum and instruction, performance and development of students, professional-personal performance of teachers and staff, administration/organization, school facilities and supplies and external relations. These could be attained not only by influencing and managing, just a school manager or CEO but an educational LEADER, a transformational leader who act as strong role models (idealized influence), communicate high expectation and provide inspiration (inspirational motivation), encourage creativity and innovation (intellectual stimulation) and provide support to others (individualized consideration).In the absence of continuous flow of knowledge that need to fill a vacuum due to schools which are not effectively organized to support and encourage continuous learning, the quest for coming up with educational research and new information as made stronger and prompted by the changing demands of the society, a principal plays a pivotal role in this regard. He must emphasize the value of research and of lifelong learning and should be the role model of it.
Sound and effective leadership will help a lot and will be the primary key. I am happy to know that effective leadership is characterize by the following indicators (Marsh, 1992): facilitating the development, implementation and monitoring of shared visions and mission; advocating and sustaining a school culture; promoting and sustaining an effective instructional program; Managing operations and resources in the learning environment; collaborating with community stakeholders; involving others and acting with integrity fairness and in an ethical manner.
Reference: Innotech Flexible Learning Management System Learning Modules 1 and 2.
1 comment:
I hope senior school administrators can have your discipline.
We can only have good leaders in country if we have teachers who are competent in serving as role models to our students.
This link will take to a citizen's traumatic experience with PHSA Deputy Director Reynaldo Wong.
http://traveleronfoot.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/the-dark-side-of-mariang-makiling-and-a-traveler%E2%80%99s-traumatic-encounter-at-the-national-arts-center-in-los-banos-part-2/
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