Key Challenges Within Educational Leadership - Literature review Example

Running Head: KEY CHALLENGES WITHIN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP Name Course Instructor Date KEY CHALLENGES WITHIN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP Today’s educational systems across the world are constantly experiencing change, and successful adaptation to these changes is only attainable by way of establishing proper and effective educational leadership. In any given organization, leadership is an essential function of management that maximizes efficiency in achieving desired goals, hence making educational leadership not an exceptional from other forms of leadershipp Educational leaders should make efforts to ensure that students’ needs are met, especially considering the current diverse student population in most learning environments. Day et al. (2001) maintain that, within educational or learning centres, effective leadership is observed within both construct and contextualized perspectives, thus providinga substantial range of context as well as leadership challenges. Education being the key sector involved in building the economy, it is important to understand and develop strategies that will oversee the improvement of educational systems across the globe both the short and long term (Day et al., 2001). Educational leadership within learning centres is experiencing significant change. There are various new strategies surfacing that are industry and knowledge fuelled, thus changing ancient types of institutional structures, examination and implementation of new ideas in both professional and learning environments. This paper focuses on critically analysing various challenges in the practice of educational leadership, providing practical case examples within an organizational context. Concepts of leadership will be analysed, with the main focus on the educational system in general. In order to ensure that the analysis is widely applicable, the paper will provide evidence of critical reflection through the insightful analysis of either situational challenges or educational projects. It is important in effectively link leadership and learning organization theory to various educational practices. In terms of educational leadership, it is observable that not only do intelligence and technical skills contribute widely to effective educational leadership, but so does the presence of emotional intelligence. Goleman asserts that emotional intelligence is the first and most important attribute of a good educational leader. Emotional intelligence is characterized as self-awareness, motivation, social skill, self-regulation and empathy. Emotional intelligence ensures that effective educational leadership is adapted in relation to contextualized. . This enables leaders who have emotional intelligence to be classified as targeting high expectations and one who maximises both staff and personal potential. Furthermore, it is important, in any analysis involving effective leadership, to take into account the role played by emotional intelligence (Day et al., 2001). The key challenges within educational leadership often involve tension and stress. According to Day et al. (2001), these tensions can arise between the common good and individual rights, rules and care, honesty and loyalty, opposite value positions, development and the common good, reality and rhetoric and, finally, short term and long term perspectives. These challenges need to be carefully examined, so as to come up with ways in which these tensions can be minimized and student needs can be met (Day et al., 2001). First, education sectors across the world are facing challenging periods especially in decision making, which are fuelled by the many limitations and needs that are fuelled by distinguishing various term bring about tensions.. Day et al. (2001) maintain that a societal shift has impacted learning centres and poses a challenge to educational leadership across the globe. The societal shift began during the agrarian period, at which time education took place in the home and farming and other agricultural activities were taught. The shift occurred in the second wave of societal shift, where initially across the world children were taken to school and learning was experienced in groups led by a teacher. According to Anderson and Cawsey (2008), I realized, within my working environment, that such a shift from societal waves was a challenge because of changes reflected in differences between time. With culture and family structures becoming more diverse, educational leaders are finding it hard to reshape student needs especially within learning environs. Anderson and Cawsey (2008) assert that, as the world is becoming more globally connected through the use of improved technology, educational leaders continue to wrestle with the various dynamics brought about by such a change. With students choosing to be educated via the internet, education becomes more challenging, as students lack the interpersonal skills that could be obtained from educational leaders. These students may develop lack of interest in shaping up their expected professional skills. The societal wave change has led to today’s educational leadershiphaving many faults, which leads to educational leaders facing varied and complex challenges, creating the image that a student cannot be successful on individual grounds. Students lack an image of being individually successful because educational leaders do not have skills to offer them mentorship. According to Anderson and Cawsey (2008), educational leaders are facing, and will continually face, challenges while making decisions where tension exists between ‘rules’ and ‘care’. To understand the tensions that exist between rules and care, it is important to define these two terms. Care encompasses compassion, and it is concerned with student circumstances. On the other hand, rules provide guidelines to help leaders make certain decisions (Duignan, 2007). Here, the challenge is that educational leaders believe that they need to follow the letter of the law to protect their reputations and careers, and this approach can have dire consequences. I experienced an example of this in my learning organization when a teacher disciplined a student because of a breach of rules, and, as a way of placating the student’s parents, the teacher was in turn punished (Carr & Fulmer, 2004). This created tension within the school, as some teachers said that he acted appropriately and that his reputation was impeccable, and thus he did not deserve the punishment. Another instance occurred when a teacher was falsely accused of sexual assault. Due to the implementation of strict rules related to sexual assault, however, the teacher’s good reputation was destroyed (Duignan, 2007). It can be observed from these two incidences that tension arises when rules are used as the primary way to make decisions within learning centres. According to Caldwell (1999), it is evident that rules within learning systems are considered to be rigid, and this in turn can be a challenge, as educational leaders follow them because the law requires them to do so. Carr and Fulmer (2004) further maintain this tension will continue to exist if various educational leaders emphasise rules over care or care over rules. Although the use of rules in making decision is considered easier, it is important that educational leaders adapt, using a care approach as a way to pay close attention to the needs of students (Caldwell, 1999). It is notable that all educational leadership decisions are perceived to have short- and long-term consequences, or both. Caldwell (1999) maintains that the challenge is that educational leaders, if they are not strategic and reflective, can be largely overwhelmed by perceived emergencies and short-term pressures. Because of this, leaders may react based on what is urgent rather than on what is important, worthwhile or significant, as it would be considered unwise to ignore or neglect current issues. It is for such reasons that educational leaders should, at all times, be strategic in their planning and thinking, so as to bring a better perspective to any challenge that involves both short and long term considerations (Caldwell, 1999). According to Hinrich (2007), a challenge exists in understanding the differences between loyalty and honesty. Loyalty is widely referred to as being committed to colleagues and/or to an organization, whereas honesty is speaking truthfully about an organization, colleague or situation. The challenge here, as described by educational leaders, has two main perspectives. Rowley and Gibbs (2008) assert that these perspectives are the capability of balancing the recognition of loyal and long service against the need for redundancy and restructuring, and the ability to make provisions for older employees to retire with the required dignity, even when their performance is not creditable (Hinrich, 2007). The above challenge can be illustrated with a case from my own experience. A teaching colleague involved some students in entering classroom results into a computer so that he would be able to write reports. After the students had completed entering the results, he kept them to do this report work, cautioning them to keep an eye out for faculty leaders. These students did not feel comfortable participating in such an unethical activity. In another situation, an elderly teacher was showing increased signs of dementia. Several teachers raised concerns and so did some of the students. I advised him to take a leave, but when he returned he felt more disoriented, and students complained of his inability to change. I was in a dilemma, wondering whether I should give him time on sick leave. With the needs of the students as the deciding factor, he was removed from teaching. These two experiences show the tension that exists among educational leaders in making decisions that involve loyalty and honesty. It is therefore important for educational leaders to work in response to both loyalty and honesty for a comprehensive decision.(Carr & Fulmer, 2004). Also, according to Garvin et al. (2008), with the rapid growth in educational leadership, most leaders believe that maintaining the status quo entails resisting and avoiding change. Leadership, however, is not about maintaining the status quo, but rather about embracing positive changes that can lead to growth and development. There is a fear that the current demographics for educational leaders show an ageing profession (Garvin et al., 2008). Elderly educational leaders are resistant to change, leading to little or no development within learning systems. Bush (2003) maintains that the older personnel within education systems are choosing to retire rather than embrace positive and effective change. Rowley and Gibbs (2008) assert that the older generations suffer from lack of knowledge and experience in handling vast global changes, thus having a detrimental effect on both public and private school effectiveness. According to Garvin et al. (2008), this is the main challenge that young or youthful educational leaders will have to face in order to balance the lack ofinformation and memory in the ageing teacher and educational leadership population in schools. Further, if learning environments do not replace older personnel, it is evident that they will experience a lack of the enthusiasm and creative energy needed for school development. Rowley and Gibbs (2008) assert that an ageing taskforce is not restricted only to schools, but exists within most work sectors creating a challenge defined within educational leadership.. Wiseman (2009) maintains that it is important for the ageing taskforce to move away from maintaining the status quo and embrace change for the future of our learning systems Clearly, opting for the status quo, as opposed to development and change, may lead to ethical challenges for these educational leaders in the future (Rowley & Gibbs, 2008). Senge (2006) maintains that, with the rapid changes in the global environment, there is a need for educational leadership to preserve equity and diversity, while also being involved in providing a broad range of feasible strategies for confronting emerging challenges. It is for this reason there are various ways in which educational leaders can confront challenges, both present and future, so as to meet the desired goals of both the educational system and the students (Senge, 2006). Senge (2006) maintains that educational leadership should be involved in understanding mental models within students development, so as to have obtain greater knowledge when tackling the outlined challenges.. This is the ability to compare a personal vision and reality within leadership perceptions, which is then reconciled into a more coherent understanding of educational systems. This may further call for the establishment of a shared vision, whereby there is the development of a personnel group that holds a shared picture of a mutually desirable future. Senge (2006) maintains that it is quite evident that, for a positive and effective way to confront emerging challenges within educational leadership, leaders need to tap the greatest passions, collaborative strengths and resources within their learning environments (Walker & Dimmock, 2005). Within my organization, I observed that positive societal or cultural shifts are achieved through effective leadership that inspires students. There is a need for students become educated; at the same time, however, teachers require a lot of support (Walker & Dimmock, 2005). According to DuFour (2004), with a leadership that is actively drawing upon its strengths, that is collaborative and that has the ability to pool the necessary resources, the education sector will automatically establish strong relationship between students and the community, as well as contribute to the common good in terms of education. My observation, within the workplace, is that principals and educational leaders need to understand their roles, so as to meet both present and future demands and tackle observed challenges. There is need for educational leaders and principals to construct a vision that is shared by the larger community, by students and by government officials, as a way of confronting challenges through collaborative measures (DuFour, 2004). Clearly, the main aspect of educational leadership is based on working successfully with people, including the community, colleagues and students. Raynor (2004) maintains that, in order to develop a mechanism for confronting emerging challenges, leaders should develop credibility, public trust, a clear vision and a collaborative approach. These leaders should be enthusiastic in ensuring that organizational goals and desires are achieved (Carr & Fulmer, 2004). Determination exhibited by educational leaders in achieving the highest possible standards will ensure that challenges are tackled right from the source, so as to avoid re-occurrences in the near future. This calls for an effective leader to take account of the role of emotional intelligence (Raynor, 2004). Goleman (1998) asserts that it is important for educational leadership to be creative and innovative, as a way of providing new ideas and solutions that will help in confronting emerging challenges within learning systems. From my point of view, creativity in an educational leader’s requires the discovery of new solution to problems, as well as seeking new perspectives, which requires a capacity for problem solving. Based on innovation, coupled with creativity educational leaders should use the new perspective and problem solving capacity in tackling both current and future challenges (Goleman, 1998). I observed, within my learning organization, that the emerging challenges that were confronted in creative and innovative ways helped improve learning opportunities in the long term. For instance, for the challenge of the societal wave shift, educational leaders within the organization engaged in planning, study and deep analysis of the situation to ensure that there would be no such re-occurrence of this problem in the future. In conclusion, it is evident that the key challenges within educational leadership are widely characterized by tension between people, based on their preferences, interests, philosophies and values. It is important that, to meet the needs of students, educational leaders should be guided by morals and ethics, especially when making decisions on key issues within the learning system. Leadership should be based on credibility and integrity, which can be developed from trustful background that are build within educational centres. Educational leadership should be used to establish or create structures where all education members develop a sense of value for the institution as opposed to status quo maintenance or selfish personal gains. Therefore, educational leadership should focus on assisting students in attaining skills, understanding on educational needs and knowledge, so as to be in the forefront of managing educational responsibilities and resolving the problems that exist within the system. It is therefore correct to state that the ultimate challenge of those in educational leadership to develop both their own abilities and those of others, so as to ensure that educational systems can flourish in the unpredictable, uncertain, complex and rapidly changing global environment. References Anderson, M., & Cawsey, C. (2008). Learning for leadership: Building a school of professional practice. Camberwell: Acer Press. Bush, T. (2003). Theories of educational leadership and management. London: Paul Chapman Caldwell, B. (1999). Education for the public good: Strategic intentions for the 21st century. In D. Marsh (Ed.), ASCD Year book 1999: Preparing our schools for the 21st century. (pp. 45–64). U.S.A: ASCD. 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