Leadership Achieved, Leadership Question
by Matt Johns
In the Spring of 2007 I was passed over for a position as the social studies chair within my department because of a lack of graduate course experience. I was specifically told by one of the interviewers and the social studies coordinator of our district that my interview was outstanding and my visions aligned well with the district but that there was no way I could be hired over two others who applied that already had their masters in education. That was the experience that led me to seek out a Masters of Education program that fit my future goals, my desire to continue coaching, and that would provide with access to courses in my three passions: leadership, coaching, and special education. I wrote my Goal Statement Essay in the Summer of 2007 to help open doors for myself that had been closed.
In my Goal Statement, I wanted to learn more about educational leadership. Several leadership courses provided the background and formal education necessary for me to reapply for the department chair position in the summer of 2009 and be chosen for the position. Since then I have participated in building leadership team meetings, developed department budgets, and maneuvered through the political nature of creating the schedules for nearly twenty department members. We initiated department assessments and experienced a full, four grade level curriculum shift. I called upon my MAED coursework to build consensus for challenging decisions and to incorporate more department members into participatory roles within the department. I learned to have as much daily contact with all of my department members as possible and to bring them together for curricular and instructional matters, not just budget and housekeeping. Yet, my MSU coursework has also led me to question some of the leadership I see within districts. I can only assume that formal leaders have been exposed to similar concepts such as shared leadership, building capacity, and distributive leadership. Unfortunately, few of these strategies emerge. I see traditional command and control model leadership in conjunction with reactivity. I see lack of connectivity and relationship building. Part of this experience has led me to question what happens between the coursework and the application of leadership strategies.
Nearly everything else I intended to gain from MSU's MAED program happened. I learned more about the physiological and the administrative aspects of coaching. It has contributed to me being a more mature and analytical coach. I received formal instruction in working with inclusion students and I have been able to mentor teachers who are struggling with classroom management. Finally, my coursework has led me to be a part of two initiatives I would have never foreseen in 2007. I was asked and have led a two-year, building-wide English as a Second Language professional development program for our high school. Additionally, I was recently asked by our district to participate in a regional Gates' Grant program to develop social studies curriculum that aligns with Core Content standards to serve as sample lessons throughout the state of PA. As my three year journey comes to a close, I cannot help but be thankful for the goals that the program has helped me achieve, the special opportunities that I never anticipated, and the preparation to excel in an unforeseen educational future.
In my Goal Statement, I wanted to learn more about educational leadership. Several leadership courses provided the background and formal education necessary for me to reapply for the department chair position in the summer of 2009 and be chosen for the position. Since then I have participated in building leadership team meetings, developed department budgets, and maneuvered through the political nature of creating the schedules for nearly twenty department members. We initiated department assessments and experienced a full, four grade level curriculum shift. I called upon my MAED coursework to build consensus for challenging decisions and to incorporate more department members into participatory roles within the department. I learned to have as much daily contact with all of my department members as possible and to bring them together for curricular and instructional matters, not just budget and housekeeping. Yet, my MSU coursework has also led me to question some of the leadership I see within districts. I can only assume that formal leaders have been exposed to similar concepts such as shared leadership, building capacity, and distributive leadership. Unfortunately, few of these strategies emerge. I see traditional command and control model leadership in conjunction with reactivity. I see lack of connectivity and relationship building. Part of this experience has led me to question what happens between the coursework and the application of leadership strategies.
Nearly everything else I intended to gain from MSU's MAED program happened. I learned more about the physiological and the administrative aspects of coaching. It has contributed to me being a more mature and analytical coach. I received formal instruction in working with inclusion students and I have been able to mentor teachers who are struggling with classroom management. Finally, my coursework has led me to be a part of two initiatives I would have never foreseen in 2007. I was asked and have led a two-year, building-wide English as a Second Language professional development program for our high school. Additionally, I was recently asked by our district to participate in a regional Gates' Grant program to develop social studies curriculum that aligns with Core Content standards to serve as sample lessons throughout the state of PA. As my three year journey comes to a close, I cannot help but be thankful for the goals that the program has helped me achieve, the special opportunities that I never anticipated, and the preparation to excel in an unforeseen educational future.