Week 5: Distributive leadership

Question: Identify whether distributive leadership is used for capacity building at your school site. Explain how it is being used. If it is not, describe how it could benefit your school site to apply this concept.

 Distributive leadership is certainly not used efficiently within my building. The administrators prefer to hold tight to leadership responsibilities and run the school as though they are dictators. The administrators fail to realize the dictatorial style of leadership hinders the effectiveness of the staff. Often an efficient administrator will appoint certain teacher leaders to help carry out leadership responsibilities to increase the amount of satisfaction and functionality within the building.

My school site could certainly benefit from this concept because others could place their views and styles into the needs of the school. Also dividing responsibilities among other teacher leaders can provide insight into needs of the teachers. Sometimes when the responsibilities have been divided among several leaders more can be accomplished because there are more people to observe and suggest changes. Some specific changes could certainly be a grade level planning duties, grade level assistance meetings, and peer observations. Most often the observations are completed by the administrators. Although I understand they must perform two observations, it would be a nice change to have someone on the same level as I am to provide me with constructive feedback before I go face to face with my administrators.

Fourth Entry: The leadership Theory that closely matches my Leadership style...

Fourth Entry: The leadership Theory that closely matches my Leadership style...

Identify what leadership theory most closely matches your leadership style. Explain why.

After long thought about this question and reading the different theories, I can certainly say that the Relationship and Participative theories most closely relate to me. Whenever I am performing a task, I always try to lead by example. I would not expect my students or staff to perform negatively if I have a negative attitude.The best leaders do not lead with an iron fist. Actually, in most cases the best leaders lead with distinction and by example.

The second theory that relates to me is the participative theory. I also believe that a successful leader encourages input from staff or followers and weighs his or her options before making decisions. Of course I know that I cannot make every person happy with each decision I make, but allowing my staff voice their opinions will certainly help me to determine which needs should be addressed at the current time. When a leader listens to the voices of their staff demonstrates a level of appreciation and comfort staff need. It also helps make the build staff relations and morale.

Explain how that style could benefit your school

The Relationship style and the participative style could benefit my school by helping improve staff morale. My staff will feel closer to one another and know they are valued within the school. I believe necessary changes could be made when the staff has a voice in my decisions. The school could benefit from improved morale among teachers because they will ultimately pass a higher morale to my students. The students success is our goal and with a higher morale the students will thrive.