3.7 An imperative for leadership preparation programs: preparing  (Page 9/12)

Teaching and learning

Standard 2

Teaching and learning opportunities are not only confined to the classroom but can also be provided through programmatic development, support, and funding to encourage and support students to be involved in athletics, student council, mentoring, Junior Achievement, work-study programs, development of school policy, in field trips, before and after school programs, focus groups, leadership challenge programs, community service, and in any number of other clubs and instructional related activities. The list is endless and all can be effectuated through the collaboration of stakeholders utilizing school, business, parent, and community support and involvement.

A function of teaching and learning as stated in Standard 2 of ISLLC 2008 is to, “Create a personalized and motivating environment for students” (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008, p.14). The ISLLC-Based Guide (Sanders&Kearney, 2008) provides indicators for practice which state, “a leader…

1. Develops shared understanding, capacities, and commitment to high expectations for all students and closing achievement gaps.
2. Guides and supports job-embedded, standards-based profession development that improves teaching and learning and meets diverse learning needs of every student” (p.17).

Once again the terms, all students and every student, stand out in the performance indicators as a reminder that regardless of the disability, circumstance, or uniqueness of students’ needs, in response to teaching and learning standards and expectations, all must be served equally.

Managing organizational systems

Standard 3

Operational management is a broad category covering a myriad of overlapping and on-going functions of education leadership and administration within educational systems. It is the area in which leadership intermixes with administration and often draws the organizational leader away from pursuing the ultimate vision and goal of instructional leadership and ensuring the academic success of every student. The important questions for educators to remember when making operational decisions are how does a particular decision relate to students, and how will a decision or action help every student achieve academic success?

Operational management encompasses tasks and responsibilities such as scheduling, budgeting and resource management, personnel selection and retention, legal and regulatory issues, transportation, food services, facility management and maintenance, student and personnel safety and security, and human resource management and development. All these decision-making tasks must be directed toward meeting the ISLLC 2008 Standard 3 goal of creating and maintaining an effective and efficient learning environment. Keeping an eye on this goal contributes to effective administrative management in problem-solving and decision-making. Sanders&Kearney (2008) remind us that,