Who Moved by Cheese?
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- Category: English: Creative Writing
- Date Submitted: 11/15/2013 07:13 AM
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Alicia Beth Swain
Dr. Sain
Leadership Theory
6 November 2012
What is Distributed Leadership?
As a principal I often feel overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities that are being thrust in my direction. The administrator used to be responsible for overseeing the leadership of the facility and staff. Now the job description for an administrator reads much differently. The responsibilities include not only the aforementioned, but responding to parents and the community, collaborating with outside agencies that support the school, and managing the finances and staffing. They must also ensure improved student achievement, co-ordinate teachers’ professional development and ensure that standards are taught in the classroom. They must be macro-political in dealing with staff members. And the list goes on. The distributed leadership approach offers solutions to today’s administrators and their staff alike. In this paper I will explain what distributed leadership is, the founding fathers of this approach, it’s benefits, and some things to look out for.
The “I just couldn’t do it all” mentality is one that I’ve wrestled with for several years. No wonder many principals are leaving the profession and others are hesitant to move into leadership in the educational world. I have questioned my inability, at times, in not being able to do it all. Furthermore, if I did do it all it would be at the sacrifice of my family and, in reality, the children, parents, and staff. I have come to the understanding that recognizing that key fact is essential in helping me move forward in this profession with a more realistic and energetic approach.
There are others, besides the principal, that can and will take on leadership responsibilities if included in the process. Just as a teacher looks for talents within her classroom to develop, an administrator needs to...
Dr. Sain
Leadership Theory
6 November 2012
What is Distributed Leadership?
As a principal I often feel overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities that are being thrust in my direction. The administrator used to be responsible for overseeing the leadership of the facility and staff. Now the job description for an administrator reads much differently. The responsibilities include not only the aforementioned, but responding to parents and the community, collaborating with outside agencies that support the school, and managing the finances and staffing. They must also ensure improved student achievement, co-ordinate teachers’ professional development and ensure that standards are taught in the classroom. They must be macro-political in dealing with staff members. And the list goes on. The distributed leadership approach offers solutions to today’s administrators and their staff alike. In this paper I will explain what distributed leadership is, the founding fathers of this approach, it’s benefits, and some things to look out for.
The “I just couldn’t do it all” mentality is one that I’ve wrestled with for several years. No wonder many principals are leaving the profession and others are hesitant to move into leadership in the educational world. I have questioned my inability, at times, in not being able to do it all. Furthermore, if I did do it all it would be at the sacrifice of my family and, in reality, the children, parents, and staff. I have come to the understanding that recognizing that key fact is essential in helping me move forward in this profession with a more realistic and energetic approach.
There are others, besides the principal, that can and will take on leadership responsibilities if included in the process. Just as a teacher looks for talents within her classroom to develop, an administrator needs to...