Session Information
26 SES 03 A, Educational Leadership in Theory and Pratice
Paper session
Contribution
This conceptual-analysis/qualitative case study explores a public school policy implementation alternative that allows the in-school leader to tailor established policy to the school-specific pedagogical environment. This analysis connects years of existing literature on educational and organizational theories with more recent alternative critical theories, and then juxtaposes those theories with the real-world perspectives of current school leaders. The synergy of both established and alternative policy theory allows school leaders to consider a school’s daily reality, and established relationship dynamics, in order to more successfully implement mandated educational policy. This model creates school leadership that focuses on the specific needs of specific student populations, not on an illusory standardardized population, while at the same time yielding results that benefit not only the students, but also the surrounding community.
Introduction and Theoretical Approach
External policy environments, such as national, regional, and local political activities, public opinion, and mass media exert significant influence over the pedagogical philosophy applied in public schools. However, internal policy environments within school organizations may have an even stronger and more enduring influence on a school's structural alignment, leadership practices, the everyday relationships between school staff members, and most importantly, the students and academic outcomes. Considering school organization from a critical theoretical perspective mitigates these dueling policy environments by questioning and resolving the foundational inherencies that are supported by each. In my view, it is incumbent upon school leaders to advocate for the pedagogy that is best for the school's student population. They must not just accept a 'standardized' pedagogical model. This notion runs counter to many established pedagogical and assessment practices of today, but it nonetheless must be pursued if individual student success is to be achieved. While respecting national and regional policy guidelines and requirements, the 'policy' of the on-the-ground school leader must favor the student population over any standardized notion of the 'best' pedagogy for generalized student success.
Objective of this Study
The questions driving this analysis are whether the external national and regional education policy that often dictates a standardized pedagogical approach has been successful for all students, whether a more critical student-population-specific pedagogy (where it has been employed) has yielded a more positive result, and whether all school leaders can respect national and regional policy expectations while at the same time promoting their own school-specific organizational and pedagogical policies.
This paper fits well within the conference theme of Educational Transition if a student's transition is allowed to occur individually. School policy must transition away this false notion of standardization of pedagogy and policy, and toward proven individualized results.
Making school leadership decisions from an alternative perspective inherently moves beyond the traditional and often threadbare, one-size-fits-all theoretical leadership methods of the past and progresses to a more inclusive and more comprehensive pedagogical policy that considers the students’ economic circumstances and culture. Leading a school from a more critical theoretical perspective, while at the same time respecting established policy expectations, more readily considers the vital and overlapping roles of all players in a school organization and its surrounding community, and requires action on the part of each individual – from the students to the superintendent/district leader. Many established and conventional organizational theories marginalize some players into silence. A more critical policy analysis brings those important voices back into the organizational policy conversation, but more importantly, it hears the voice of the student and purposefully brings the life experience of that student into the classroom and the decision-making processes of the front and central offices. Educational policy theories and pedagogical practice techniques should be real-time tools that reflect and reveal organizational reality and leadership practice (Hoy&Miskel, 2008).
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Charmaz, K. (2005). Grounded theory in the 21st century: Applications for advancing social justice. In N.K. Denzin, & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds), The Sage handbook qualitative research (3rd Ed.), (pp. 507-535). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Charmaz, K. (2006).. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc. Kincheloe, J. L. (2004). Critical pedagogy primer. New York: Peter Lang. Hoy, W. K., & Miskel, C. G. (2008). Educational administration: Theory, research, and practice (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
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