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 or Advanced Studies Certificate
-by
Jessica E. Hector
Southeast Webster-Grand Middle School
Boxholm, IA
November 25, 2013
-Dr. Victoria Robinson

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP 2

In education, leaders and educators have an immense responsibility to prepare people for
life as successful citizens of this world. Other industries can focus on the process of producing
products, but in education our product is people. Educational leaders and teachers have to be
focused on the persistent pursuit of improvement in preparing students for the future. I chose
education as my lifelong profession because it is focused on people. My philosophy of
educational leadership is centered on quality human interaction and interpersonal relationships.
This paper outlines my philosophy of educational leadership, ideals, and practices I plan to
implement as a future principal.
Education Profession
My philosophy of educational leadership is centered on bringing out the best in people
and helping people reach their highest potential. My career began with the desire to be part of a
profession where I could make a difference in the world and in the lives of as many people as
possible. I am graced with a personal passion for learning, but am most dedicated to shaping the
lives of young people. I am grounded in the belief that there is good in all people and all
situations. It is my job as an educator to help people realize and build on the qualities that make
them the best they can be.
As I transition from the classroom to a leadership role, I will still consider myself a
teacher of all people I interact with, however, as an educational leader I will have the opportunity
to positively influence a multitude of people. I am invested in helping others grow and have
found a new purpose in working with people, problem solving, and motivating others.
Experience shows that I exhibit many of the qualities of effective leaders. These qualities assist
in the accomplishment of my goals of influencing people for a greater good.

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Leadership Qualities of Effective School Leaders
Effective leadership begins with a clear purpose for what is most important and a vision
for the implementation of that purpose. These qualities exemplify Iowa Standard for School
Leadership (ISSL) Standard One which states, A school administrator is an educational leader
who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation,
implementation and stewardship of a school or district vision of learning that is shared and
supported by the school community.
Educational leaders have to be deliberate planners with the ability to be flexible and
adaptive to ever-changing situations. Focus is a key component of staying on track with the
purpose and vision. All aspects of the school day should be focused on the common goal of
providing the best education and educational environment possible for students. Successful
learning creates successful students. Effective leaders know that focus also requires a precious
balance between day-to-day managerial responsibilities related to order and sound interpersonal
leadership. In The Principals Companion, authors Robbins and Alvy (2009) add that task and
relationship behaviors need to be addressed simultaneously.
No matter what we do as leaders, we will have the ability and responsibility to set the
tone and be influential. That influence must be modeled positively. It is vitally important that
the culture of a school is positive and driven. In What Great Principals Do Differently: Eighteen
Things That Matter Most, Todd Whitaker (2012) states, Our impact is significant, our focus
becomes the schools focus. If we have great credibility and good relationships, people work to
please us (p. 36). Because a principal sets the tone for his or her building, the principal needs to
continually self-monitor for effectiveness and improvement. Personally, I take great pride in
analysis and self-monitoring, paired with feedback from others, for continuous improvement. I

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

am a critical thinker with high expectations for success. A problem-solving spirit and a
discerning, analytical mind drive my educational practices.
Although it is necessary to have a clear purpose for the journey in education, it takes
human interaction to make it happen. Quality should be emphasized in interpersonal
relationships (Robbins & Alvy, 2009). The most important leadership qualities are based on all
facets of strong interpersonal skills, which I believe I am intensely gifted. According to
Whitaker (2012) we should focus on what really matters, Great principals never forget that it is
people, not programs, who determine the quality of a school. I sincerely believe in putting
people first. Building positive relationships leads to building a strong, positive school culture.
All human interactions should be sincere, honest, genuine, and positive. Truly effective leaders
invest in people and make them feel valued. When people feel valued they are encouraged to
work harder toward a common goal.
In School Leadership That Works: From Research to Results, the researchers of the Midcontinent Research for Education and Learning (McRel) research group depicted 21
responsibilities of effective school leaders. There are six I consider most important for great
principals to master. These responsibilities -- which are relationships, ideals/beliefs,
monitoring/evaluating, visibility, affirmation, and communication, (Marzano, Waters, &
McNulty, 2005) -- are vitally important to the success of the learning community. Leaders
should motivate others and facilitate growth through support, nurturing, and modeling strong
expectations. It takes strong communication, collaboration, and cooperation to build a strong
learning community. Leaders should cultivate a positive environment for learning and progress
where all stakeholders work together to reach common goals. Effective leaders will lead by
example and will build a strong sense of community through being highly visible to all their

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stakeholders. Visibility allows a leader to sustain growth, to model, and to enforce accountability
of expectations for success.
The Leader in Me
Many of the aforementioned qualities of effective leaders are attributes I feel I possess. I
possess a vision of leadership through visibility, focus, and communication. Collaboration is an
aspect of leadership I have always held in high regard. I work to enhance collaborative
relationships in my educational practices on a daily basis. My actions show that I have a strong
moral character and I lead by modeling high expectations of work ethic and personal integrity.
My leadership style would be most similar to that of a transformational or servant
leadership style. The researchers of the McRel group have described the transformational style
as one in which the leader gives consideration to individuals in the school community, provides
intellectual stimulation, uses motivational techniques to inspire the actions of others, and an
influence based on a strong set of ideals (Marzano et al., 2005). I connect with the leadership
theories of Warren Bennis, James Collins, Stephan Covey, and Michael Fullan particularly
because of their views on engaging others with high standards, operating from a strong moral
code and purpose, building strong relationships, and working with the end in mind while
continuously improving (Marzano et al., 2005).
Expectations
In order for an educational leader to be effective, stakeholders have to be aware of what
to expect from the leader and the leader needs to communicate clear expectations for teachers,
students, parents, and community members. Principals must model in all their relationships the
behavior they expect throughout the school and community (Robbins & Alvy, 2009). I am a
strong proponent of building trust in relationships and creating a culture of real, honest

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

interaction and openness. According to Marzano et al. (2005), Trust building is a process of
establishing respect and instilling faith into followers based on leader integrity, honesty, and
openness. Principals need to lead with respect, integrity, and sound moral character. Ethical
behavior should be intertwined in a principals leadership style. Although principals are held to a
higher professional standard, they are still human and will make mistakes. It is important to take
personal responsibility for mistakes and use them as learning opportunities for growth.
To equip students with critical skills for their future, principals need to invest in their
teachers. It is necessary to find ways to create teachers empowerment and create a culture which
celebrates teacher growth leadership, where the decision making process is shared by
administration and staff. (Robbins & Alvy, 2009) A critical aspect to creating this culture is
designing and implementing authentic and meaningful professional development experiences
that provide growth for teachers. The principal needs to nurture and sustain that growth with a
focus on the purpose and continued accountability. Effective administrators ought to seek
opportunities to build teacher leaders in their schools. Teachers are leaders in the classroom, but
must have their leadership abilities cultivated and encouraged in order to become examples of
growth among the staff. Robbins and Alvy (2009) support this saying, Experience tells us that
when organizational members perceive that they are genuinely valued as people, feel recognized
for their efforts, and are seen as important because of the contribution they are making, climate is
enhanced, and productivity soars.
As an educational leader, students and teachers can expect me to hold them accountable
to pursue success with the highest level of effort. However, in response to their efforts, these
stakeholders can expect me to celebrate their successes and support them in their endeavors.
Students can anticipate I will prepare their teachers with the best educational practices. Teachers

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can expect me to research and continually look for ways to improve the quality of education we
provide our students. I will establish effective practices, routines, and procedures that will
support learning and be efficient. Teachers are the professionals on curriculum, instruction, and
assessment. They can assume I will seek their input, guidance, and will give them ownership of
the educational process; while providing resources and support to ensure best practice.
Teachers and students will be expected to exhibit respect for people, learning, and order
while supporting each other and the educational process. They will be expected to seek growth
opportunities and demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills. First and foremost, I
expect teachers and students to demonstrate a positive attitude and sound moral character
everyday, as that is the highest expectation I hold for myself.
In sum, educational leaders have a large number of responsibilities that require clear
purpose and vision achieved through balance and focus. The main focus of an effective school
should be equipping students with problem solving and critical thinking skills that prepare them
to reach their highest potential for a successful future through demonstration of their best
qualities and talents. Cultivating a positive and supportive school culture through positive
relationships and communication is necessary in achieving the best educational environment
possible. As an educational leader, I will be dedicated to the persistent pursuit of improvement
through guiding and motivating others toward positive outcomes and providing support.

Bibliography
Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A. (2005). School leadership that works: From
research to results. Alexandria, VA: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Robbins, P., & Alvy, H. B. (2009). The Principal's companion: Strategies for making the job
easier. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Whitaker, T. (2012). What great principals do differently: Eighteen things that matter most (2nd
ed.). Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education, Inc.
Wilmore, E. L. (2002). PrincipallLeadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.