Education Leadership

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership June 24, 2020

What Makes a Great Educational Leader?

All great leaders have unique qualities that make them effective, inspiring, and admired. Nevertheless, there are identifiable traits and skills successful change-makers possess that separate them from the rest of the pack. Let’s dig in and explore 6 skills of great educational leaders, and how they impact the school community.

Community-Building

Community building is critical in educational leadership. Every great educational leader knows that, as the saying goes, “it takes a village.” The effective leader can reach out to parents, specialists, administrators, teachers, and students to unify them under one important goal.

Positive Thinking

An unwavering belief in the ability of the school community is a must-have for effective school leaders. Whether the school is facing budget-cuts, or test scores were lower than expected, a strong leader pushes through and knows that these obstacles will be overcome. More importantly, they communicate this to the school community and inspire everyone they lead to operate under the same belief. This quality is often referred to as “grit” or perseverance.

Reflection

Effective leaders can turn internally and reflect on their growth. Although this isn’t always easy nor comfortable, leaders must be brutally honest when they evaluate their own progress, and the progress of the communities they lead. Additionally, the reflection process must be used to drive change – meaning that the process of looking back must be done in a way that reveals what steps need to be taken to further the mission.

Development and Communication of Vision and a Plan

No leader can truly lead without a clear and inspiring vision. Moreover, this vision must be one with which the entire school community can connect. At the same time, communicating this vision is arguably even more important. Therefore, a great leader must communicate their vision through not only their words but also through their actions. This vision and plan must serve as the compass for all decision making and actions that are taken.

Authenticity

An effective leader has a strong sense of self and shows their true self to anyone they come in contact with. This authenticity has to run deep. No leader can pretend to be something they are not, nor can they mimic somebody else. Not only this, they must allow for those they work with to be their own authentic selves. An educational leader should build a community based on authenticity, and use that power to bring forth real, impactful change.

Passion

In all forms of leadership, but especially in educational leadership, leaders need to be driven by passion. A passionate educational leader deeply cares about their community and is wholly enthusiastic about making every day in the school better than the last. This isn’t a trait that can be faked – it is a need that comes from deep within the leader’s core. Their passion should be apparent to all that they work with and should inspire others to join them on their mission.

Of course, there are plenty of other qualities that educational leaders should demonstrate, but these are the top traits that we have found that make a leader stand out. Communication, passion, drive, authenticity, community-building, and reflection all are hallmarks of an educational leader that is ready to make change and affect the lives of the students, parents, and teachers they serve.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Policy & Reform, Teachers June 19, 2020

The Necessity of Community

March 13^th, 2020 was the last day I walked the halls of my school with students still in attendance. I’ll remember this day well since it was supposed to be the day we had a big event for our male students called March Dadness. March Dadness is an event intended to foster relationships between male students and significant adults in their lives. We had speakers lined up, team building activities, and plenty of food and fellowship. It was a great event in 2019 and many of our students were excited to participate again. Sadly, we had to cancel the event at the 11^th hour due to the emerging crisis.

Upon reflection of the event in 2019, it was a small sample of what was right in our community. We had male students show up from all different backgrounds and neighborhoods. We had a generous faith-based sponsor provide money for food and a t-shirt for each participant. The most important aspect of the night was that it cultivated a sense of belonging for our stakeholders or in other words, community. This made cancelling this event such a disappointment. We weren’t just canceling an event, it felt like in a strange way we were canceling community.

After being quarantined for the better part of six weeks, it feels as if March Dadness and interacting with students and teachers is a distant memory. I don’t want it to feel that way and I am still in touch, but it is difficult to maintain these relationships when you are not saying “good morning,” walking through classes and having tough conversations that are not a part of your regular routine. As I reflect, I am reminded that these routines cultivate community in our schools. Students and teachers want to feel “known” in their school community and it makes them know they are valued.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, my community has shifted. I exercise, in socially distant manner, with a small group of men in my neighborhood four days a week. We push each other in our workouts, crack jokes and talk about the latest events. We even have a text change that extends the banter beyond our early morning workouts. Since we can’t go anywhere, we have been brought closer together simply as a result of increased time together. After comparing my school and my small exercise group, I have been reminded of some basic truths about community through this recent experience:

We were created to be in community. It really doesn’t matter what your community is, but you were made to be in one. I have shifted some of my community focus from my school to my exercise partners. I have also involved myself in Zoom calls, webinars and group texts. There is a desire that exists to be a part of something with others. It also doesn’t matter if you’re an introvert or an extrovert. We want to be with others and we want to do life with others. As school leaders, we must capitalize on this desire for all stakeholders to belong to their community. What can we do more of to help students feel that they are a part of something?
Healthy community pushes you to be a better version of yourself. I don’t exercise as hard by myself. If I am with others, I am encouraged to do more exercises, different exercises and harder exercises. I get better physically. Within the context of the school community, I am asked challenging questions that push me to dig into solutions. These experiences happen within the context of community, not in isolation.
Community makes life pleasurable. When I talk to parents and scholars, many have lamented that this experience has increased their stress and they are yearning to return to normalcy. Students want to be with their friends. They have stated that it’s not fun to be stuck at home by themselves. They want community because community brings them joy. When I exercise with my neighbors in the mornings, it has brought great fun and enjoyment in the midst of a time of great uncertainty in our country.
Community reminds you of truth. Human nature already assumes that the way you think about something is true and correct. It is not until you are challenged by someone outside of yourself that you begin to think differently. You are challenged by what is true through your community. Recently, one of the guys in our exercise group made a joke towards another guy that was considered offensive. He meant it in jest, but the damage was done. It wasn’t until other guys stepped in and reminded him that the joke was indeed inappropriate that he apologized. We need community to make us aware of these missteps. When we are in a school community, we constantly do the same thing. If a student doesn’t act appropriately, if a teacher isn’t professional or we analyze data in a way that isn’t accurate we have others to point us to the facts. We need community to remind us of this.

As we continue to trudge through a new normal in American public education, it is important that we remember the importance of community in quality schools. There is little doubt that if and when schools return, they will look quite different. However, the cultivation of strong community should remain an emphasis in the next phase of our country’s education history. Community is not just important for our schools and our neighbors, it is important for us as humans.

Biography:

Dr. Eric H. Tornfelt is an Assistant Principal at Sedgefield Middle School in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Tornfelt was honored as Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Teacher of the year in 2012. He has a proven track record of instructional leadership success in a variety of school settings. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Furman University and his Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Wingate University.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Teachers June 19, 2020

What Teachers Need to Know to Support Students with Chronic Health Conditions

Chronic health conditions are illnesses whose symptoms can wax and wane over a period of months or over the period of a lifetime. Chronic illnesses vary widely and are not equally symptomatic, even within the same person. Therefore, students with chronic illnesses require ongoing flexible accommodations. The education of a student suffering from a chronic illness can oftentimes be severely impacted. Teachers must be equipped with the knowledge of how best to assist these students.

How chronic illnesses can affect education:

Illness, or medication for illness, may reduce work ethic and endurance

Chronic pain or certain conditions that impair the brain’s function may cause a lack of work ethic or endurance for lengthy, cognitively demanding tasks. Additionally, various medications a student may take to treat his illness can cause these same side effects. This can lead to students taking longer to complete work.

Students frequently miss school

Frequent doctor appointments, hospitalizations, or days home sick in bed can cause frequent student absences. Students who are frequently absent are much less likely to meet grade-level standards than peers who are seldom absent. Additionally, students suffering from chronic illness may find it difficult to maintain strong relationships with their peers due to chronic absenteeism. This resulting loneliness can lead to many additional problems.

Prejudice and stigmatization

Students with chronic illnesses may face prejudice and stigmatization by their peers. In the eyes of others, a student with a chronic illness may be viewed as lazy, incompetent, or weak. Some peers may feel that the student is exaggerating or faking his symptoms in order to receive special treatment.

Difficulty moving around the school environment

Some students suffering from chronic illness may be mobility-impaired and have difficulty moving around the school environment. Consequently, they require more time to walk from class to class and will therefore consistently miss additional instructional time.

Difficulty participating in some school activities

Students that are mobility-impaired may also have difficulty participating in activities such as P.E. and playground time. This can also be the case with students who have difficulty breathing properly or who require a constant attachment to medical equipment.

Mental health conditions may result from the effects of the chronic physical illness

Stigmatization, loneliness, lack of meaningful peer relationships, chronic pain, and other factors may lead to mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. These mental illnesses can have severe effects on a child’s education.

How can teachers accommodate students suffering from chronic illness?

It’s clear that students suffering from chronic illness are going through a lot, mentally and physically. It’s incredibly important for teachers to be aware of the backgrounds of their students so that they can provide appropriate support and accommodations. Following are some examples of ways that teachers can accommodate and support their students suffering from chronic illness:

If a student has difficulty focusing on work due to fatigue or lack of concentration, allow him to use a computer, voice recorder, or other technology to complete his assignments more efficiently.

For students who are chronically absent, provide after school tutoring and allow extra time to complete assignments and tests.

Allow students to take frequent restroom breaks or visits to the nurse if their condition requires it.

Accommodating students suffering from chronic illness is as important as accommodating any student with special needs, Limited English Proficiency, or other aspect that needs specific interventions. Be sure to ask your school’s administration for extra support if you need help with these accommodations. While it may not seem that your effort to accommodate one student is being recognized, you can be certain your extra effort means the world to that one student.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, The Future of Education June 11, 2020

The Future of Education is in Several Languages

Approximately 66% of the world’s population is proficient in at least two languages (while only 17% of Americans are bilingual) and one-third of all corporations in the U.S. are either owned or based abroad. There are over 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, and English is only one of them. It is becoming increasingly necessary to know more than one language, and this change in our society must start in our education system.

The benefits of multilingualism

Multilingualism, which includes bilingualism, is the ability to speak more than one language. There are many benefits to being multilingual:

Become a global asset

A majority of people in the world speak more than one language. Therefore, multilinguals have more job opportunities and opportunities for advancement. Multilinguals also have an easier time traveling, as they are able to communicate with the local people on a deeper level.

Increase cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, creativity, and memory

Learning another language has been shown to increase critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It has also been shown to increase creativity, possibly because you are seeing the world in new ways as you learn a different language and a different perspective. Unsurprisingly, learning another language also promotes increased memory because of the memorization skills you employ when learning something new.

Greater appreciation for the heritage and culture of others

When you learn another language, you are also learning about the culture and heritage related to that language. Language influences the way people think and act, and thus is integral to culture. Becoming more culturally aware and appreciative of diversity is invaluable.

Develop empathy for others

For many people, learning another language can prove rather difficult. Learning a language is a process that requires patience and effort. During this learning process, you may develop increased empathy for others who are also struggling to learn certain things, be it English or Chemistry.

Learn new languages more easily

Learning any language beyond your native language helps you learn additional languages more quickly. You’ll start seeing patterns and themes that are present in all languages, and you will learn each subsequent language more quickly than the last.

Promoting multilingualism in education

The skills gained when learning a new language are skills that we wish for our nation’s students to attain. We want our students to have a greater appreciation for diversity, to be more empathetic toward their peers, and to have stronger critical thinking skills. We want them to be successful global citizens.

With the rise of technology, the world is getting smaller. Now more than ever, we must promote multilingualism in our schools. We can start doing this by increasing the effectiveness of bilingual education programs (which have been shown to help close the achievement gap between native English speakers and ELL’s) and creating linguistically inclusive classrooms in which all students are encouraged to share about their home languages and cultures without fear of ridicule.

The time has come for education to adapt to the changing world. The way to accomplish this is through multilingual education.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Parental Involvement June 10, 2020

Should I Use Parental Involvement or Engagement?

Should I Use Parental Involvement or Engagement?

I spent seven years as a K-12 teacher, and one of the biggest challenges that my colleagues and I faced was how to engage and involve parents in their children’s education. The biggest obstacle to this was not the parents themselves, but how we approached parental involvement and engagement.

Because most of us never stopped to think about the difference between the two, we used them interchangeably, which means that we often used engagement when we should have used involvement and involvement when we should have used engagement. You may be thinking to yourself, what’s the big deal? Well, you are about to find out. In this article, we will discuss the difference between parental involvement and engagement.

What’s the difference?

Involvement means to include parents in activities and initiatives that have already been developed or launched by school officials. Engagement means to partner with parents to develop new activities and initiatives. Not understanding the difference between the two can cause more problems than you realize.

For instance, if you use parental involvement when you should use parental engagement, you can make parents feel as though they have no power or control over how their children are educated. This will cause them to disengage even further. If you use parental engagement when you should use parental involvement, you could be giving parents a voice in matters that should only be made by veteran teachers and administrators. This can result in decisions that are not based on best practices, but rather on the thoughts and feelings of the layman.

Next, let’s look at some simple ways that you can use parental involvement and engagement in the classroom.

Simple ways to use parental involvement and engagement

Below, you will find some strategies that you can use to keep families involved.

Ask parents to volunteer as classroom helpers.
Ask parents to serve as chaperones on school trips and at school dances.
Ask parents to serve as crossing guards.

Below, you will find some strategies that you can use to keep families engaged.

Make visits to the student’s home. These visits should be prearranged, of course.
Work with your colleagues and representatives from a local university to develop a parent’s university. Work with the parents to develop a curriculum that meets their needs.
Create a school site council, which will be comprised of parents, school administrators, and teachers. Parents who show exceptional levels of involvement will be invited to join. This body will be charged with making decisions on predetermined school matters.

Well, that is it for this article. Can you think of any other ways to use parental involvement and engagement in the classroom?

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, School Leadership May 29, 2020

5 Ways Running Can Make You A Better Educational Leader

One of the best ways to make positive changes in any community is to become a leader. This doesn’t mean you need to be in a position of authority or to exert your will over others. Being a leader means you set an example through words and actions, and are someone your community looks to for guidance and assistance. Educators are natural leaders for the children in their classrooms, and can also be leaders among the faculty and staff. Whether you are an educator looking to improve your leadership skills or someone trying to move up the ranks within the educational system, here are the five ways running can make you a better leader.

Goal-setting

Running forces you to set goals for yourself, whether it’s the distance you want to be able to run, a race you want to qualify for, or a personal time you are trying to beat. Part of being a leader is always working to improve yourself and the community you serve. Learning how to set and achieve personal goals through running is great practice for setting goals for yourself in your career, and eventually setting goals for others to develop them.

Learning how to pace yourself

It’s inadvisable to sprint one hundred percent of the time you run. You have to learn how to pace yourself so that you don’t burn out too quickly and can keep a store of energy for when you need it to finish a race. The same is true in your goal of becoming an educational leader. You can’t give everything one hundred percent, all the time. You have to know how to pace yourself and not wear yourself out or spread yourself too thin by saying yes to everything and exhausting yourself. Be conscious of where and how you exert your time and energy.

Mind over matter

Of course, there are physical limitations to running, but the biggest obstacle in any race is not the person in front of you or even your own body. It’s your mind. So much of running is psychological and a case of mind over matter. If you push yourself, you can achieve things you never imagined possible. The same is true for your educational leadership. You are capable of more than you think, and if you set a goal, you can reach it.

Delayed gratification

You can’t just wake up one morning and decide you are going to run a marathon that day. It takes training and practice, and you have to learn to set realistic milestones. This can also be helpful in your goal of being an educational leader. It’s unreasonable to expect to accomplish all of your goals for yourself and your community all at once. Much like running a marathon, it takes time, careful planning, practice, and patience.

Building a community

Although running is something you can do on your own, there are many opportunities to get involved in a running community. Running with a partner or group, participating in a team, or registering for races are all ways that you can be part of a community of runners. Many races have registration fees that give back to the community or a charity in some way, so even by participating alone, you are contributing. Educational leadership is about building a community, too. You want to build the community of your students, the faculty and staff, and the administration. You also need to be in touch with the parents and the general community surrounding the school as well.

Next time you go for a run, think of the ways that your exercise can help you become a better educational leader. Through this healthy habit, you are cultivating skills and a mindset that can help you achieve your goals and help your community.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership May 28, 2020

12 Ways to Be the Education Leader Everyone Wants to Work For

Educational leadership can be extremely tough, even if you are overseeing passionate, responsible teachers. You try to be the best educational leader you can be, but sometimes it can still feel like you’re not doing enough. It can be easy to spread yourself too thin and forget what your teachers are going through every day in the classroom.

But, thinking from a teacher’s perspective, how are you perceived by others? Are you too harsh? Too lenient? Do you show enough appreciation to your staff? These are the questions that can haunt you, but the good news is that we have a list of the top 12 things that teachers want in an educational leader, so you don’t have to figure them out for yourself.

Be understanding

Teachers want their leaders to be understanding of the struggles they face in the classroom on a daily basis. Even if you’ve been out of the classroom for fifteen years, do your best to remember what it was like to be in their shoes. This perspective will take you far with your staff.

Be open to new ideas and suggestions

It seems the world is always changing these days, and the field of education is no different. Although change can sometimes be scary, make sure that you listen to your new teachers who may have fresh ideas. The strategies you used when you were in the classroom may not work in today’s educational climate. Be open to new suggestions.

Always put the students first

Every decision you make should have the goal of increasing the educational welfare of the students. Teachers and students alike want you to keep this in mind. Make sure that the decisions you put forth are for the benefit of the students, and not to make your life easier.

Show appreciation for your staff

Teachers will become resentful if they feel their efforts are not being appreciated. Even a simple, “Thank you for staying late last week” can make a teacher’s day.

Bring out the best in your staff

Your goal should be to produce the best teachers so that the students reap the most benefits possible. To make sure you have a stellar educational team, be sure to encourage each teacher to do their best each day while providing both praise and constructive corrections when necessary.

Give constructive criticism

Criticism should always be constructive. Having worked in education for so long, you may feel that some educational principles go without saying. But the brand-new teacher that was just hired may not know what is expected of her, so be sure to provide corrections that are aimed toward improvement.

Be approachable

Being approachable is very important in the eyes of a teacher. If a teacher is struggling to handle his class, he should feel he is able to talk to you about this and seek advice. You wouldn’t want him to avoid telling you of his struggles in the classroom because he is afraid of being harshly judged by you.

Give teachers the space to do what they do best

A teacher appreciates a good leader that is not constantly breathing down their neck, directing their every move. Provide guidance to your teachers but give them space to try out new techniques and do things with their own special flair.

Lead by example with passion

You want your staff to be passionate about teaching. Humans learn by example, so if your teachers see that you are passionate about impacting the lives of students in a positive way, they will share this passion with you.

Be fair and consistent

There may be an amazing teacher that you oversee, but remember not to play favorites, just as teachers shouldn’t play favorites with their students. In all things, be fair and maintain consistency.

Stay positive no matter what

Negativity feeds negativity, and positivity feeds positivity. In order for your staff to maintain a positive attitude, you yourself must maintain a positive attitude, even when the going gets tough.

Raise up future educational leaders

Another reason not to micromanage your team is that you want your staff to rise to the occasion and become leaders themselves. They cannot, however, develop leadership skills if never given the chance.

If you are the kind of leader that everyone wants to work for, you will see your employees consistently doing their best to make you proud. All it takes is being intentional about how you interact with your staff. These small changes will make a world of difference.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Policy & Reform, School Leadership May 19, 2020

Zero Tolerance Policies in K-12 Schools: Examining the Pros and Cons

Zero tolerance is a popular term used to designate (and promote) school policies that address incidents of drug or weapon possession with automatic suspension or expulsion. A zero-tolerance system requires school officials to hand down specific, consistent, and harsh punishment—usually suspension or expulsion—when students break specific rules. The penalty applies regardless of the circumstances, the reasons for the behavior (like self-defense), or the student’s history of discipline problems. That’s why some critics call these policies “one strike, and you’re out.”

Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of zero tolerance policies in K-12 schools. By doing so, we hope to educate our readers on the true impact of this inequitable education policy.

Pros

May be required by law. In some instances, offenses like weapons possession, drug possession, aggravated assault, etc., must be met with harsh and swift punishment. These infractions constitute serious crimes, and the students involved may be a threat to others in their community. Schools must report infractions involving violence and drugs to the police, who, in turn, prosecute these students as juveniles. In many states, the aforementioned infractions require immediate expulsion, regardless of how the school district feels.

Aim to keep kids safer. The good thing about these policies is that they aim to keep students safe. By expelling students who cause physical harm to others or sell drugs on school property, it is believed that the rest of the student body will be safer. In theory, this sounds good, but in practice, it is full of imperfections and inequity.

Prepares children for the real world. Do zero tolerance policies prepare students for the real world? Yes, if by the real world, you mean a world in which people of color are policed and disciplined at a higher rate than other citizens.

Cons

Involves favoritism. School districts across the U.S. extoll the virtue of equity and anti-racism, but in practice, the opposite is true. Children of color are more likely to be expelled or suspended from school than their white counterparts, even if they both commit the same infraction. Zero tolerance policies are applied more harshly to black and brown kids, again, even if they commit the same infraction.

Students banned from school face risks at home without supervision. When schools expel students, the vast majority of them end up a home unsupervised. Instead of being at school being educated, many are roaming their neighborhoods, with no adult guidance. I don’t think I have to explain to you what a recipe for disaster this is.

Physical altercations between kids are developmentally appropriate and not a sign of delinquency. I know it sounds crazy for someone to argue that aggression and physical altercations are developmentally appropriate, but they are. Because of this, it doesn’t seem fair to expel students for getting into a physical altercation. Remember, our student’s brains are still developing, and this doesn’t stop until they are in their 20s. If you mix the propensity for teenagers to make poor decisions, along with teenage emotions and hormones, physical and verbal altercations are bound to occur. Should we tolerate physical violence in our schools? No. However, instead of expelling students, we can teach them mindfulness techniques that help them deal with negative emotions.

What do you think? Do the pros of zero tolerance policies outweigh the cons? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership May 8, 2020

Five Ways in Which Stubbornness Can Impede Educational Leadership

As educators, we all know that every teacher and administrator has their own individual style of leadership and instruction. Most of the time this diversity of thought and technique is a great thing. Different teachers are constantly bringing fresh ideas to the educational community, and the world of education is better for it.

However, when teachers and administrators become stuck in a rut and refuse to fluctuate from their specific ways of doing things, this stubbornness can lead to a multitude of problems. Here, we describe five ways in which stubbornness can impede educational leadership.

New ideas are rejected

We all have a specific way we prefer to do things, and sometimes we believe, either correctly or incorrectly, that our specific way of doing something is the best way in terms of benefiting students. But this confidence in our own practices can become a problem when it turns into downright stubbornness and a refusal to change and adapt. Everyone has a different perspective to bring to the table, and often these fresh perspectives can lead to phenomenal new ideas and practices within the field of education. It is essential that educational leaders be open to these different perspectives and ideas.

Festering problems are ignored

Stubbornness among leadership does not come only in the form of refusing to accept new ideas. Stubbornness can also cause festering problems to be ignored. For instance, an administrator may be ignoring a problem with a teacher she knows should be dealt with, either because she views herself as being too busy to deal with the problem or perhaps because she hired that teacher and does not want to feel responsible for hiring a bad teacher.

Stubbornness becomes a precedent

When educational leaders begin to act stubborn, it can be much easier for that leader to act stubborn again. It’s incredibly easy to build bad habits. Additionally, that stubborn behavior sets a precedent of stubborn behavior not only for that individual leader but for all of the other educational leaders who view her as an example, including other administrators and teachers. The best way to have a staff that is flexible and open to new ideas is to be flexible and open to new ideas yourself. As an educational leader, you are constantly setting an example for others whether you realize it or not.

Micro-managing wastes time

When leaders are stubborn, they tend to micromanage. If a leader believes that only she is capable of doing a job correctly, then she will be hovering over her staff constantly, making sure they follow her exact instructions, without allowing her staff to develop their own leadership skills. This micromanaging wastes a lot of time. As the saying goes, give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime. Teach your staff to be educational leaders themselves.

Your employees won’t feel appreciated

All of this micromanaging and refusal to listen to new ideas will likely cause organizational conflict, especially when it comes to top-down management. Teachers may begin to resent their administrators because they feel that their ideas and contributions are unappreciated and that their leadership abilities are being stomped on, rather than encouraged to grow.

It is incredibly important to begin fostering an open-minded educational community as soon as possible instead of rewarding stubborn behavior. Not only will you be able to avoid the five problems that we have discussed, but you will also be avoiding conflicts that arise from having stubborn staff. If you are open-minded, your staff will follow your example.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, School Leadership April 27, 2020

Effective Education Leaders Make the Right Decisions

Great education leaders can prudently and quickly analyze situations and act accordingly. Being decisive does not mean making a decision quickly; it means making the right decision promptly. Don’t make the mistake of choosing the first decent solution that comes to mind. It may be a viable solution, but you owe it to your stakeholders to find the most viable solution to the problem. This will give you the best chance of experiencing your desired outcome.

Education leaders are masters at thinking quick on their feet, and formulating a solution to a problem. Those that have this skill enjoy long careers in the field of education. Those that don’t end up burning out, unable to deal with the pressure.

Ask your team for advice

However, do not fall into the trap of making all of the decisions yourself, as you will isolate team members from the decision-making process. Even if you have a good idea as to how a situation should be handled, invite your leadership team to help you. In some cases, they may be able to come up with a better solution that you, and in most cases, they can help you fine-tune yours. Since you are married to your solution, you are too close to see the possible flaws. You know who can spot them? Your leadership team. Decisionmaking is an essential skill that all leaders need. Remember, your decisions affect the futures of our children, and if you are continuously making decisions that disadvantage children, then you are doing more harm than good.

A little experiment

Over the next month, focus on making better decisions. If possible, try to gather as much information and data as you can before making major decisions. When making decisions that require a quick, on the spot response, focus on processing information quickly, and coming up with the best possible decision.

What do you notice after one month? If you follow my advice, you should notice that the decisions that have made over the last month are starting to bear fruit. This is turn will help your organization to be more productive and efficient.

When you make practical decisions, you build trust with your fellow educators, which gives you the ability to make decisions quicker, with less blowback. This means you don’t have to explain the rationale for decisions, because people trust you, based on your track record. However, the truth of the matter is that many leaders find it hard to consistently make good decisions.

Other considerations

Making good decisions involves producing alternatives and examining each option diligently. For instance, if you are looking for a way to discourage students from misbehaving in the classroom, you may find yourself with several viable options. You could punish misbehavior with detention or possible suspension. You could set up a restorative justice program in your school. Or you could train teachers on the latest in classroom and behavior management techniques. Of the three, the final two, seem like the best options. It just depends on your situation.

Once you have made your decision, communicate the plan, and put it in motion. Knowing how to trust your intuition, quickly evaluating situations as well as the people you are dealing with, and making an informed decision is a critical aspect of leadership.