It is with this hope and on this “September 11th Day”,

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP REFLECTION PAPER

BY SUNNY DAWN      SEPTEMER 11, 2012

As I start my career in instructional leadership in the year of the “Apocalypse“ I have been searching for a mantra to keep my light from burning out. Such as, “To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives,” Howard Zinn once said. 

I can’t think of any model leader, I’ve witnessed from a far or worked with directly, that hasn’t modeled these aspects of compassion and kindness.  Additionally, when reflecting on the struggle for change we can not note the sacrifices made for us to constantly move forward. Yet as I move forward I must acknowledge and use Zinn’s words as a mantra, we must “be hopeful in bad times…”

I look to leaders such as Howard Zinn because he was not only part of larger societal revolutionary age in the U.S.A, but he was in constant reflection of how education should be talked about and approached as I hope to do in my instructional leadership capacities. He never was the type of instructional leader that said, “o.k. this is what you should do.” No, he reflected in groups that he was a part of.  He constantly made attempts to build connections and be a part of a group that did action in solidarity movements. When he did speak out as Professor or publish as Human Rights activist it was because he wanted the real truth of the human struggle to be a part of the education dialogue.

It is in this truth about struggle and human condition that I study leadership and find myself dedicated to instructional leadership. I want to know how truthful I can be in an instructional leadership role with core democratic principles as well as knowing that it does take sacrifice from many players to make the process happen.

The field of change, or instructional leadership, not only takes complete courage but a humbleness as well because everyone has an opinion about education. I want to see as more layers are peeled back and more windows of opportunities are given to me, how much can I still stay true to impacting society in a conscious, compassionate, and courageous way because in moving forward with my leadership I know if those key elements are not involved I feel defeated regardless of the outcome.

Lately I have had opportunities to see really bad instructional leaders and some good ones, as I have visited over 20 schools in the past 2 weeks.  You can tell when a staff or its student body feels respected and heard by its principal the minute you walk onto the grounds of these schools, which range from High Schools to Elementary schools.  Although I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of some of these schools the tone of compassionate leadership is so present or not present that as an educator I can not miss it.  It is in these moments that I always take a moment to reflect what kind of leadership I see present or lacking and wonder what I would do if I was the leader in some of these schools.

As I humbly start my MA studies in leadership I must remember that although I may see things so differently than other leaders we all do have one thing in common. The common thread of HOPE is our reason for education.  It is with this hope and on this “September 11th Day”, I will balance the year of 2012 and all its educational promise.