sharing the lead: creating a climate of excellence michele atkins, ph.d. kenneth newman, ed.d. ann...

Sharing the Lead: Sharing the Lead: Creating a Climate of Creating a Climate of

ExcellenceExcellence

Michele Atkins, Ph.D.Michele Atkins, Ph.D.Kenneth Newman, Ed.D.Kenneth Newman, Ed.D.

Ann Singleton, Ed.D.Ann Singleton, Ed.D.

Union University

The Academic Leader…The Academic Leader…

• Has no agenda except to facilitate.Has no agenda except to facilitate.• Is enthusiastic about all students and Is enthusiastic about all students and

teachers.teachers.• Has an open-minded management style.Has an open-minded management style.• Is transparent in decision making.Is transparent in decision making.• Represents the school well to higher Represents the school well to higher

administration and to colleagues.administration and to colleagues.• Provides constructive feedback.Provides constructive feedback.• Is politically astute.Is politically astute.

PKAL Summer Institute Newsletter (2002, June). Characteristics of the Ideal Academic Department

The Myth of Effective The Myth of Effective LeadershipLeadership

• There is a myth that an There is a myth that an organization can find salvation organization can find salvation through efficient management.through efficient management.

• Thus, the model of leadership Thus, the model of leadership is one of omnicompetence: the is one of omnicompetence: the skilled classroom practitioner skilled classroom practitioner plus curriculum leader, plus plus curriculum leader, plus technical expert, plus all the technical expert, plus all the manifestations associated with manifestations associated with being the figurehead.being the figurehead.

• It is no wonder that so many It is no wonder that so many leaders in education seek early leaders in education seek early retirement or suffer a range of retirement or suffer a range of work-related illnesses.work-related illnesses.

Being a successful school leader is not about controlling your faculty. Most schools are essentially archaic, resembling bureaucracies that lack flexibility and adaptability (West-Burnham, 1997).

But the world is complex and chaotic and we must adapt. Likewise, the children and adults that enter our schools are complex and we must learn to be flexible and adapt to their needs.

Effective Academic Effective Academic Leaders are…Leaders are…

• Committed and enthusiasticCommitted and enthusiastic

• CompetentCompetent

• Possess self-knowledgePossess self-knowledge

• AuthenticAuthentic

• Empathetic – communicate careEmpathetic – communicate careLeadership Reconsidered, 2000

These characteristics These characteristics become interrelated. When become interrelated. When

we are not empathic we are not empathic leaders, others around us leaders, others around us stop being authentic, stop stop being authentic, stop bringing talent and energy bringing talent and energy

into the workplace, and into the workplace, and stop using feelings to stop using feelings to

support personal work-support personal work-related goals (Cooper & related goals (Cooper &

Sawaf, 1997).Sawaf, 1997).

The Empathic Academic Leader acknowledges the teacher’s/staff’s competence and value, thereby creating an atmosphere of reciprocal giving. When adults feel they give more to a relationship than they get in return, they feel distress and typically either reduce inputs (don’t do lesson plans, come in late, miss meetings, careless work), increase complaints (whiny behaviors), or end the relationship (quit trying).

The Power of InfluenceThe Power of Influence

• If you want to have power in your If you want to have power in your school/district, then earn influence school/district, then earn influence rather than demand control.rather than demand control.

• Influence is only obtained through Influence is only obtained through mutual respect.mutual respect.

• Mutual respect must be initiated by Mutual respect must be initiated by the leader.the leader.

• Mutual respect is gained through the Mutual respect is gained through the display of empathy for others.display of empathy for others.

Research indicates that when leaders model desired

empathic behaviors, others are more likely to adopt these

behaviors themselves than when they are merely told to behave in a certain manner.

Do As I DoDo As I Do

Why is Empathy Important Why is Empathy Important for Children?for Children?

• Characteristic of the successful learner (Jones, Characteristic of the successful learner (Jones, 1990)1990)

• Foundation of social intelligence (Mead, 1934)Foundation of social intelligence (Mead, 1934)• Significantly related to self-esteem (Davis, 1983)Significantly related to self-esteem (Davis, 1983)• Related to prosocial behavior (Hoffner & Related to prosocial behavior (Hoffner &

Haefner, 1997)Haefner, 1997)• Related to cognitive development and moral Related to cognitive development and moral

development (Atkins, 2000)development (Atkins, 2000)• Related to grade point averages (Bonner & Aspy, Related to grade point averages (Bonner & Aspy,

1984)1984)• Related to critical thinking skills and creative Related to critical thinking skills and creative

thinking (Gallo, 1989)thinking (Gallo, 1989)

The Payoff of Empathic The Payoff of Empathic LeadershipLeadership

• “…“…When children feel safe, cared about, When children feel safe, cared about, and relaxed they will learn more, not and relaxed they will learn more, not less. Our children are able to grapple less. Our children are able to grapple with higher-order thinking questions with higher-order thinking questions because they don’t face the petty because they don’t face the petty disturbances that arise in mainstream disturbances that arise in mainstream schools. We resolve conflicts as they schools. We resolve conflicts as they come up, thereby reducing the come up, thereby reducing the children’s distractions.”children’s distractions.”

ShlossmanShlossman

The Profile of an Empathic The Profile of an Empathic Academic Leader:Academic Leader:

AttitudeAttitude

• Open, warm, relaxed, good-Open, warm, relaxed, good-humored, ensures fairness, models humored, ensures fairness, models and expects common courtesy, and expects common courtesy, explains how faculty/staff should explains how faculty/staff should work or behave in an understanding work or behave in an understanding way rather than criticizingway rather than criticizing

The Profile of an Empathic The Profile of an Empathic Academic Leader:Academic Leader:Facial ExpressionFacial Expression

• Frequent smiles, lots of eye-contact, Frequent smiles, lots of eye-contact, generally positive demeanor, generally positive demeanor, expressive face which shows expressive face which shows emotions and can switch emotions emotions and can switch emotions quite quickly, can influence others’ quite quickly, can influence others’ emotions as wellemotions as well

The Profile of an Empathic The Profile of an Empathic Academic Leader: Academic Leader:

VoiceVoice

• Positive, encouraging, expressive, Positive, encouraging, expressive, clear directions and explains the clear directions and explains the meaning of directives when meaning of directives when necessary necessary


Body LanguageBody Language

• Uses gesture, animated, tactile, Uses gesture, animated, tactile, moves around, uses body for moves around, uses body for emphasis and explanationemphasis and explanation


PositioningPositioning

• Generally gets closer to those he/she Generally gets closer to those he/she is speaking to, less distance, less is speaking to, less distance, less formality and provides one-to-one formality and provides one-to-one support when possible even in a support when possible even in a large setting, moves around quite a large setting, moves around quite a lot, sits down with the community lot, sits down with the community members, lowers whole body down members, lowers whole body down below student’s levelbelow student’s level


ResponsesResponses

• Knows and uses names frequently, Knows and uses names frequently, listens carefully to others, gives them listens carefully to others, gives them sole concentration when possible, sole concentration when possible, elicits understanding from them, elicits understanding from them, echoes and affirms their comments, echoes and affirms their comments, tries to give a positive response but tries to give a positive response but asks them to elaborate or develop asks them to elaborate or develop response if weak, prompts and helps response if weak, prompts and helps them when necessarythem when necessary


Content of InteractionsContent of Interactions

• Conveys relevance of topic, uses Conveys relevance of topic, uses personal interest, reflection, and personal interest, reflection, and humor in meetings; the personal humor in meetings; the personal used as a vehicle into topics used as a vehicle into topics


MiscellaneousMiscellaneous

• In touch with community member’s In touch with community member’s interests, form personal relationships interests, form personal relationships with each member, considers the with each member, considers the informal significant, very aware of informal significant, very aware of individual social and emotional aspects, individual social and emotional aspects, puts time and effort into relationships, puts time and effort into relationships, concerned with out-of-school life of concerned with out-of-school life of members, maintains a long-term view of members, maintains a long-term view of the member’ s well-being, good listenerthe member’ s well-being, good listener

Trust begins with a personal commitment to respect others, to take

everyone seriously. Respect demands that we first recognize each other’s

gifts and strengths and interests. Only then can we

reach our common and individual potentials.

Max De Pree

Royalty for a Day

REFLECTIONREFLECTION

A Key to DevelopingA Key to DevelopingGreaterGreater

Self-UnderstandingSelf-Understanding

““Reflection is the beginning of Reflection is the beginning of reform. There can be no reform reform. There can be no reform without reflection. If you don’t without reflection. If you don’t

reflect when you commit a reflect when you commit a crime, then that crime is of no crime, then that crime is of no use. It might just as well have use. It might just as well have been committed by someone been committed by someone

else.”else.”

Mark TwainMark Twain““The Watermelon Speech”The Watermelon Speech”

19071907

““Reflection is so critical; there can be no Reflection is so critical; there can be no higher growth for individuals or for higher growth for individuals or for society without it. Reflection is the society without it. Reflection is the very process of human evolution very process of human evolution

itself.”itself.”

David SawyerDavid Sawyer

Berea CollegeBerea College

Berea, KYBerea, KY

The term The term reflectionreflection is derived is derived from the Latin term from the Latin term reflecterereflectere——meaning “to bend back.”meaning “to bend back.”

Webster defines Webster defines reflectreflect as “to as “to think seriously; contemplate; think seriously; contemplate;

ponder.”ponder.”

Dewey (1933) is Dewey (1933) is acknowledged as the key acknowledged as the key originator in the 20th originator in the 20th century of the concept of century of the concept of reflection. reflection. He considered it He considered it to be a special form of to be a special form of problem solving, thinking to problem solving, thinking to resolve an issue which resolve an issue which involved active chaining, a involved active chaining, a careful ordering of ideas careful ordering of ideas linking each with its linking each with its predecessors.predecessors.

Many people, both students and Many people, both students and teachers, think of reflection only in teachers, think of reflection only in terms of “touchy-feely” group terms of “touchy-feely” group discussions. However, reflection discussions. However, reflection need not be limited to the release of need not be limited to the release of emotional energy, the sharing of emotional energy, the sharing of feelings, or attempts to “feel good.”feelings, or attempts to “feel good.”

Rather, reflection is decidedly Rather, reflection is decidedly educational. It is an opportunity through educational. It is an opportunity through which one can learn from experience. which one can learn from experience. Reflection can take numerous forms and Reflection can take numerous forms and can touch on an endless variety of can touch on an endless variety of issues.issues.

It furthers learning and inspires It furthers learning and inspires provocative thought and action. Most of provocative thought and action. Most of all, it can benefit both the individual and all, it can benefit both the individual and the larger community.the larger community.

Simply put, reflection Simply put, reflection involves getting people involves getting people

talking/thinking about their talking/thinking about their experiences.experiences.

Donald Schon (1983) in Donald Schon (1983) in Reflective Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Practitioner: How Professionals Think in ActionThink in Action calls for calls for professionals to better understand professionals to better understand their actions by thinking about their their actions by thinking about their actions. He says we must get into actions. He says we must get into the habit of thinking about our the habit of thinking about our thinking.thinking.

The Tennessee Evaluation Model does just The Tennessee Evaluation Model does just what Schon (1983) suggests with such what Schon (1983) suggests with such items as:items as:

• As you reflect on the lesson, what are As you reflect on the lesson, what are your initial impressions? What did you your initial impressions? What did you see your students doing or hear them see your students doing or hear them saying that support your impressions?saying that support your impressions?

• In your reflection, how did the lesson In your reflection, how did the lesson actually unfold as compared to what you actually unfold as compared to what you had anticipated happening as you did had anticipated happening as you did your planning?your planning?

• As you reflect back over this As you reflect back over this lesson/reflection and lesson/reflection and previous lessons/reflections, previous lessons/reflections, what ideas or insights are what ideas or insights are you discovering about your you discovering about your teaching?teaching?

Some Forms of Some Forms of Reflection…Reflection…

• JournalsJournals• LogsLogs• Reflective EssaysReflective Essays• E-mail Discussion GroupsE-mail Discussion Groups• PortfoliosPortfolios• Book Clubs/DiscussionsBook Clubs/Discussions• ……• ……

Costa and Kallick (2000) maintain Costa and Kallick (2000) maintain that “Building in frequent that “Building in frequent opportunities for faculty and opportunities for faculty and students to reflect on their teaching students to reflect on their teaching and learning enriches education for and learning enriches education for all.”all.”

How often is this done in our schools?How often is this done in our schools?

They further state…They further state…

““In teaching as in life, In teaching as in life,

maximizing meaning from experiences maximizing meaning from experiences

requires reflection.”requires reflection.”

And, finally…And, finally…

““Despite a reflective faculty’s best intentionsDespite a reflective faculty’s best intentions

to focus on the past,to focus on the past,

the tradition in education is to simply the tradition in education is to simply discarddiscard

what has happened and move on to new what has happened and move on to new topics.” topics.”

It is up to us to break out of the “box.”It is up to us to break out of the “box.”

Reflection….Reflection….

What are faculty meetings like What are faculty meetings like the majority of the time in your the majority of the time in your school?school?

What do you think would What do you think would happen in a school if happen in a school if faculty meetings became a faculty meetings became a time of time of reflectionreflection instead instead of a time for of a time for announcements and gripe announcements and gripe sessions?sessions?

Let’s reflect…

• What are What are youryour “real goals of “real goals of education”?education”?

• How would you define the How would you define the differences between “learning” differences between “learning” and “knowledge”?and “knowledge”?

How should we be preparing kids How should we be preparing kids for the real world? What for the real world? What isis the the real world, anyway? Can you real world, anyway? Can you

identify some real-world skills or identify some real-world skills or knowledge that every child should knowledge that every child should

learn or know?learn or know?

If our society committed itself to the If our society committed itself to the idea that we care about kids more idea that we care about kids more than we care about schools, what than we care about schools, what

would need to change?would need to change?

If you agree that the ability to If you agree that the ability to believe in yourself and to love believe in yourself and to love learning are important skills learning are important skills

schools should teach, how would schools should teach, how would you go about teaching them?you go about teaching them?

What is your definition or vision of What is your definition or vision of a great school? How would you go a great school? How would you go

about measuring each of the about measuring each of the qualities you choose?qualities you choose?

Do you and your colleagues share Do you and your colleagues share the same philosophy or vision the same philosophy or vision

about your school or workplace? about your school or workplace? Why or why not? How does this Why or why not? How does this

influence the way you work influence the way you work together and think about your together and think about your

work?work?

What would a school that was “a What would a school that was “a little more human” look like to you?little more human” look like to you?

•Reflections taken from:Reflections taken from:

Littky, D. (2004). Littky, D. (2004). The big picture: The big picture: Education is everyone’s business.Education is everyone’s business. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism

or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

““Never doubt that a small group ofNever doubt that a small group of

thoughtful, committed citizens thoughtful, committed citizens

can change the world:can change the world:

indeed, it’s the only thing that ever indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”has.”

Margaret MeadMargaret Mead

AnthropologistAnthropologist

At the last great

meeting of the species,

the dinosaurs voted not to

change.

Sharing the Lead: Sharing the Lead: Creating a Climate of Creating a Climate of

ChangeChange

Michele Atkins, Ph.D.Michele Atkins, Ph.D.

Kenneth Newman, Ed.D.Kenneth Newman, Ed.D.

Ann Singleton, Ed.D.Ann Singleton, Ed.D.Union University

sharing the lead: creating a climate of excellence michele atkins, ph.d. kenneth newman, ed.d. ann...

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