Philosophy of Education
My beliefs on education and the nature of teaching and learning are ever-changing as I continue to learn and grow as an educator, leader, and life-long learner. I believe that education should be first and foremost learner-centered. In 2024, educators and schools are still focusing on moving away from the Victorian-era educational paradigm of lectures and teacher-centered learning. The complex nature of learning is personal and therefore, not every student responds well to this over-emphasis on verbal, passive learning. Students in the 21st century learn by doing and being active. Students should be encouraged to be creative and find their own passions while educators should emphasize skills development such as critical thinking, research and writing, responsible information technology and AI use, and collaboration. Technological tools including web 2.0, blogs, mobile applications, robotics, and AI should be encouraged and utilized to provide unique, individualized learning opportunities in the classroom and at home.
Educational Leadership
Being a leader in an international school requires a multicultural perspective, patience, soft skills and interpersonal social skills, as well as knowledge about international standards (IB, IGCSE, AP, etc.). Educators should be encouraged to experiment in curriculum, lesson, and assessment planning; and data-collection and analysis. Educational leadership is about providing staff with continued instructional support, evaluation and professional growth. Yet, none of the common modern “buzz words” in education (such as student-centered learning, AI in the classroom, experiential learning, SEL, DEIJ, interventions, curriculum development, behavioral analysis, etc.) are possible without one key element: creating and maintaining open lines of communication for all school stakeholders. Another key element of educational leaders should be a reflective focus on their personal leadership resources (PLRs) from Leithwood. A recent personal goal of mine is focusing on humility as evidence from studies “by Owen and colleagues indicates that ‘humble leaders foster learning-oriented teams and engaged employees, as well as promote job satisfaction and employee retention’” (Leithwood, 2023).
The Three Cs: Community, Collaboration, and Communication
Team building in an educational environment is one where a leader can reflect his or her own educational approaches to building and maintaining relationships while making connections and building community. If an educational leader deals with professional development meetings as lectures, the teachers will sense that they are not a part of the team but someone to be told what to do. If an educational leader can foster collaboration through discussions, question taking, and open debate where all voices are heard, the chances of building a team and a sense of community increase. Sohmen (2013) states that “It takes effective communication for the leader to motivate, inspire, and build a cohesive team, while respecting the unique skills, drivers, and aspirations of each team member” (p. 10). Furthermore, “transparent communication in all directions enhances credibility, trust, and efficiency” (Sohmen, 2013, pp. 10-11). If I can point to one area of leadership that is most important for education, it is communication, communication, communication. Researchers (Walker, Lee, & Bryant, 2014) have found that transparent and effective communication structures from educational leaders make up more than 12% difference in variation of student achievement. In this way, the three Cs of community, collaboration, and communication are intertwined in the complex nature of educational leadership philosophy and day-to-day practical application.
References
Leithwood, K. (2023). The personal resources of successful leaders: A narrative review. Education Sciences (13) 932.
Sohmen, V. S. (2013). Leadership and teamwork: Two sides of the same coin. Journal of Information Technology & Economic Development, 4(2), 1-18.
Walker, A., Lee, M., & Bryant, D. (2014). How much of a difference do principals make ? An analysis of between-schools variation in academic achievement in Hong Kong public secondary schools, 3453(February 2016). http://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2013.875044