A Reflective Response

How High Poverty Schools Are Getting It Done

The Principalship pg. 56-59

I’m going to go out on a limb in this reflection and agree with everything written by Chenoweth and Theokas. When the leader of the building has the ability to positively transform the school culture in spite of the socio-economic make up of the students, he or she has taken the time to customize the leadership. I run into walls when reading certain articles because I don’t feel that most address the realistic atmosphere that most struggling schools are facing. But this article speaks from several perspectives that support many of my ideologies regarding effective leadership.

Leaders who have spent a a considerable amount of years in the classroom have developed traits that allow for them to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As a music teacher complete mastery in applied classes is a normal expectation. It is in our make up as music instructors to discriminate between excellence and mediocrity. This should be the rule for all curricula. Administrators would benefit from utilizing fine art teachers in the setting of various goals for teaching and learning.

Instruction has to be the center of leadership. This is the only way positive change can take place in the building. The leadership also has to provide strategies for struggling teachers that will allow for more occurrences of success. Effective leaders also have the insight to empower the instructors with opportunities to offer effective strategies such as relevant field trips and participation in professional developments. 

My experience reveals to me that the ultimate strategy in improving student success is providing the building with a leader that lives and breathes Excellence as the only standard...not 80%, not some, not most....but ALL.