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I also believe that I have a lot of leadership experience to add to the success of students and the community in which it is set. Another reason is that I am raising a family and the way to move up the pay scale to add to my family’s comfort level would be to enter the ranks of administration.

Although not ready to become a school leader soon, one aspirant seems to have discovered some teacher leadership potential -

I have a newly found desire to take on small leadership roles. I love teaching and am not ready to leave teaching yet. However, I would like to be educated about leadership, conflict resolution, curriculum policy, etc., so that I can become a well-rounded education leader without the title.

A high school teacher who had been teaching more 11 years expressed her motivation being internal in combination with leadership:

I’m always doing for everyone else&putting their needs above my own. Finally – I got excited about my master’s degree. I’ve been a student of ed. Leadership for the last 2 years reading several books&loving it. I was ready to invest in my [future] right now!

All of these aspirants viewed their motivation to pursue administrative credentialing as a combination of leadership potential, skills, or experience and internal motivation.

Leadership and external motivation

Only four aspirants discussed leadership interests and skills combined with external motivation in written responses to “ Why Me? ” All of them were white, three were female, and three taught in elementary schools. One aspirant, whose written response was representative of those who discussed leadership skills and external motivation, wrote

I have always been a leader…I didn’t always choose to do so in a positive way. When I entered into adulthood, I made a deliberate, necessary, life-altering decision that I could affect positive change. I needed to take the steps to leave a positive mark on this planet. I became a teacher…This step – into this program – is necessary to become a school administrator. I want to serve teachers and students. Eventually, even a district. I want to help give all students in all classrooms a voice, a path, a choice. I believe this program will teach me the “what” and the “how” – because I need to back up the “why.”

Internal and external motivation

Seven aspiring school leaders wrote about both internal and external motivating factors influencing their decisions to enter the program without any reference to leadership skills. The demographics of this group were more evenly split by gender and race/ethnicity; all had been teaching fewer than 10 years and six taught in elementary schools. The following excerpt is typical of those writing about internal and external motivation -

I have always dreamed about being in education. I can’t think of a more rewarding career. To be able to impact and influence young people is a dream career. Prior to going back to school and getting my credential I stayed home with my three children. I was always longing to follow my dream. That time is now. I want to influence and help educators inspire and teach children. I want to bridge parents, communities, teachers and children to give students opportunities to be anything and everything they want to be.

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Source:  OpenStax, Educational leadership and administration: teaching and program development, volume 23, 2011. OpenStax CNX. Sep 08, 2011 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11358/1.4
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