Angie Cave – Educational Leadership Platform
Part One: Philosophy of Education: Beliefs and Values
I became an educator for one primary reason: to help children to reach their highest potential. My priority will always be to advocate for the students, but I am aware this requires working with all stakeholders in a school community. A quality education program cannot be achieved working in isolation, and it is important that all educators work together to create the best possible instruction and school environment.
As an educator, it is important that my students see an excellent role model. I strive to show integrity, fairness, and respect to all I come in contact within a school community. Content is important, but the relationship between the student and teacher is often the best determiner of academic success. I believe in building strong relationships with my students. My students become my “kids” as soon as they enter my classroom. I show them I care by modeling good character, and providing meaningful instruction.
Quality instruction involves providing engaging activities for students. I strive to deliver lessons that maximize student engagement in the classroom. This requires constant research, as well as flexibility to change a lesson based on the needs of my students. Gone are the days of “drill and kill”, and it is important the 21st century skills are emphasized everyday.
Success in an educational environment requires much more than just content and pedagogical knowledge. Through building strong relationships within a school community, keeping up with the best practices, and always advocating first for the students, academic excellence can be achieved.
Part Two: Philosophy of Leadership
Section 1: Vision and Mission
A school’s vision statement presents the destination or goal of where a school hopes to go, and a mission provides the steps needed to reach that destination. Both statements must be carefully constructed in order to be effective.
A vision statement should be created by analyzing past school performance data, and deciding upon areas that a school wants to improve. A school leadership team should draw up the statement, but feedback from all stakeholders within a school community should be considered. Buy-in is very important, and stakeholders need to know their input is considered when creating a vision statement. The statement should be clear, concise, and attainable. It should not merely be a statement that is created at the beginning of the year, then not looked at again until the end.
Once a vision is development, a mission statement should follow. You cannot fulfill a goal without the steps required to obtain it. These steps should be developed and communicated to the entire staff community. In addition, every stakeholder should be aware of their individual roles. Shared investment and accountability are imperative to achieving a school’s mission.
Section 2: Promoting Student Learning and Professional Growth
The purpose of schooling is to develop citizens that will contribute positively to an ever-changing society. This development requires students working with the latest technology, learning to be part of a team, high-quality instructional practices, as well as a strong character education program. We should not merely be in the practice of installing information systems into the brains of our children, but rather teaching them how to be intelligent, kind, hard-working individuals who seek to improve the world around them.
Quality learning takes place when students are engaged in the instructional activity, connections are made between prior knowledge and new content, and students can apply the new concept in meaningful activities. Ongoing professional development for all staff members should be part of every school’s mission to ensure these requirements for learning are being met on a daily basis in all content areas.
Both informal and formal assessment should be used to check for student understanding. Teachers should use this data to guide daily classroom instruction. In addition, teachers within a school building should frequently analyze and compare formal assessment data to identify best practices to use with students.
Section 3: School Management and Organization
School administrators should design and put into place the framework for a successful school community. This framework should be based on the mission statement of a school building, and clearly communicated to all staff members. The safety of students and staff members is always the number one priority within a school building. Other top organizational priorities include school climate, academic success, and community relations.
A school with organized functions and clear goals for safety will enhance learning and teaching. When every staff member is knowledgeable in the various workings of a school, more time can be spent on instructional delivery. A school should be run like a well-oiled machine, with each part aware of their role in its overall functioning.
Section 4: Vision for School and Community Relations
Housed inside of the school is the future of a community. It is in the best interest of a community to support the school. A strong school prepares future workers to build a strong and prosperous community. Administrators should seek the support of the community by inviting them to school activities, sharing community resources, and requesting financial support. Schools with strong community involvement utilize resources to build bright futures.
Section 5: Ethical Leadership
When making decisions within a school building, an administrator should always first consider the education and well being of the students. He should hold himself to high standards of honesty and integrity both within the building, as well as within the outlying community. A leader should have a servant-mentality, and seek to meet the needs of all staff members and students. The greater-good should be considered, and harmony should always be the ultimate goal, when possible. A leader will inevitably make mistakes, and it is important that he is able to accept responsibility for both good and bad decisions and results. Transparency in motives and objectives should always be present so that all stakeholders understand the reasons for various changes. A leader should set high standards not only for himself, but also all staff members and students. When he sees a problem in a policy, a leader should seek to improve and change it. By adhering to these standards, the strong leader will witness positive results within the school community.
Section 6: Vision for Education in a Democratic Society
All students can experience academic growth, and it is the role of the administrator to create an environment where everyone has the same opportunities. We live in an increasingly diverse world, and it is important that equity is emphasized in all school policies and procedures. Students should have equal access to all programs, regardless of race, economic status, or academic ability. Administrators should make informed decisions based on the most current policies and laws which govern our democratic society. The school community should serve as a model of the democratic process that exists in our country so that students leave as informed and responsible citizens.