Discussion: Perspectives of Problems

I

enrolled

in

Walden’s

Ed.D

program

with

a

specialization

in

Educational

Administration

and

Leadership.

Through

this

special

ization,

students

develop

the

skillsets

needed

to

influence

and

transform

educational

organizations

to

build

effective,

collaborative,

organizations

that

enhance

K

–

12

learning

environments

(Walden

University,

2013b).

As

educational

leaders

whose

role

goe

s

beyond

the

walls

of

the

classroom,

we

have

the

power

to

impact

the

lives

and

success

of

our

students

by

establishing

a

set

of

common

values

and

beliefs

among

teachers

(Laureate

Education,

2014b)

.

A

significant

aspect

of

being

an

educational

leader

is

understanding

that

when

confronted

with

issues

such

as

changes

in

education

reform,

decisions

are

made

with

essential

stakeholders

in

mind,

such

as

students

and

teachers.

The

essence

of

sch

ool

reform

is

to

improve

learning

and

teaching.

However,

the

effectiveness

of

such

implementations

that

promote

the

success

of

students

and

teachers

is

reflected

at

the

local

and

school

level

(Leithwood,

Seashore,

Anderson,

&

Wahlstrom,

2004)

.

History

with

previous

education

reforms

has

shown

that

when

adopting

a

set

of

standards,

leaders

at

the

state,

county,

and

school

-

level

play

significant

roles

in

the

effectiveness

of

standard

rollouts.

With

the

adoption

of

Common

Core

State

Standards

(CCSS)

came

issue

s

in

how

curriculum

should

be

implemented

to

promote

college

and

career

readiness

skills

among

students

whose

exceptionalities

and

differences

varied

across

academic

and

demographic

lines

and

how

a

lack

of

teacher

preparedness

affected

effective

implementa

tion.

Smith

&

Their

(2017)

addressed

that

across

state

lines,

teachers

felt

ill

-

equipped

to

teach

the

expectations

of

CCSS

to

special

education

students

(Smith

&

Their,

2017).

Additionally,

teachers

of

English

Language

Learner

(ELL)

students

faced

challeng

es

in

provided

ELLs

with

standards

-

based

instruction

that

adhered

to

their

linguistic

needs,

such

as

acquiring

language

proficiency

and

academic

language

(Laureate

Education,

2014a).

However,

Mahfouz,

Barkauskas,

Sausner,

&

Kornhaber

(2018)

noted

that

wit

h

instructional

changes

with

state

-

wide

assessments

and

curriculum

should

come

professional

development

opportunities

offered

to

teachers

that

tailors

to

the

needs

of

their

students

and

standard

expectations

(Mahfouz,

Barkauskas,

Sausner,

&

Kornhaber,

2018

)

.

As

an

administrator,

I

would

ensure

that

teachers

were

provided

with

professional

development

opportunities

that

outlined

standard

expectations.

Additionally,

I

would

conduct

surveys

among

staff

members

to

determine

areas

of

need

for

professional

develo

pments

that

reflected

the

instructional

and

academic

needs

of

their

students.

In

being

a

transformational

leader,

I

would

trust

my

teachers

to

make

informed

decisions

on

what

works

best

for

their

students

because

decisions

on

student

success

should

never

b

e

in

isolation;

instead,

this

is

a

collaborative

process

among

the

administrator

and

teachers

.

Reference

s

Laureate

Education.

(2014a).

Case

study

issues

K

-

12

education

document

6

English

language

learner

instruction

[PDF]

(p.1).

Retrieved

from

https://clas

s.content.laureate.net/7c74db1df30c15b0d9a18f6e115d0092.pd

f

Laureate

Education

(Producer).

(2014b).

Degree

paths

and

professional

careers

[Video

file].

Baltimore,

MD:

Author

.

I enrolled in Walden’s Ed.D program with a specialization in Educational Administration

and Leadership. Through this specialization, students develop the skillsets needed to influence

and transform educational organizations to build effective, collaborative, organizations that

enhance K – 12 learning environments (Walden University, 2013b). As educational leaders

whose role goes beyond the walls of the classroom, we have the power to impact the lives and

success of our students by establishing a set of common values and beliefs among teachers

(Laureate Education, 2014b).

A significant aspect of being an educational leader is understanding that when confronted

with issues such as changes in education reform, decisions are made with essential stakeholders

in mind, such as students and teachers. The essence of school reform is to improve learning and

teaching. However, the effectiveness of such implementations that promote the success of

students and teachers is reflected at the local and school level (Leithwood, Seashore, Anderson,

& Wahlstrom, 2004).

History with previous education reforms has shown that when adopting a set of standards,

leaders at the state, county, and school-level play significant roles in the effectiveness of standard

rollouts. With the adoption of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) came issues in how

curriculum should be implemented to promote college and career readiness skills among students

whose exceptionalities and differences varied across academic and demographic lines and how a

lack of teacher preparedness affected effective implementation. Smith & Their (2017) addressed

that across state lines, teachers felt ill-equipped to teach the expectations of CCSS to special

education students (Smith & Their, 2017). Additionally, teachers of English Language Learner

(ELL) students faced challenges in provided ELLs with standards-based instruction that adhered

to their linguistic needs, such as acquiring language proficiency and academic language

(Laureate Education, 2014a). However, Mahfouz, Barkauskas, Sausner, & Kornhaber (2018)

noted that with instructional changes with state-wide assessments and curriculum should come

professional development opportunities offered to teachers that tailors to the needs of their

students and standard expectations (Mahfouz, Barkauskas, Sausner, & Kornhaber, 2018).

As an administrator, I would ensure that teachers were provided with professional

development opportunities that outlined standard expectations. Additionally, I would conduct

surveys among staff members to determine areas of need for professional developments that

reflected the instructional and academic needs of their students. In being a transformational

leader, I would trust my teachers to make informed decisions on what works best for their

students because decisions on student success should never be in isolation; instead, this is a

collaborative process among the administrator and teachers.

References

Laureate Education. (2014a). Case study issues K-12 education document 6 English language

learner instruction [PDF] (p.1). Retrieved from

https://class.content.laureate.net/7c74db1df30c15b0d9a18f6e115d0092.pdf

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014b). Degree paths and professional careers [Video file].

Baltimore, MD: Author.