Leadership in Education

High tables and chairs, blank walls, factory like environment, clean and proper learning environment. This was to be the classroom of the future. Any sense of personality had to be removed in order to create this sterile environment. On paper this type of classroom may have an appeal to some readers; however to the educators currently teaching day in and day out in their classrooms this was the opposite of ideal.

It was during my field observations that I was front-row witness to this exchange between educators and upper-level leadership. The idea to create these sterile learning environments had come from the districts leadership but the teachers were fighting the decisions fiercely. When I inquired as to why they were so adamant about fighting this decision they explained to me their heart behind their classrooms. They explained that each teacher worked tirelessly to create a unique atmosphere in which each student would recognize and enjoy. The classrooms I observed were each sprinkled with each teacher’s personal style, making it indistinguishable from the others. In this way, each student would get to experience the atmosphere their teacher was establishing in their classroom. So, to have classrooms sterile and the same across the school would remove the personal touch and spark that each teacher aimed at building in their classroom. This point of contention with the educational leadership was just scratching the surface of the real frustration underneath the decision. So, I inquired further.

I asked one of the teachers why such a decision could be made if teachers were clearly frustrated with it. Their response introduced me to a significant problem in the sphere of education. Un-qualified decision makers. I was explained that in educational leadership there are two sorts of people that fill the role. A. an individual that has pursued educational degree after another without any tangible and long-term experience in the classroom. B. An educator that had served in the classroom for a significant period of time but had done so years ago and were therefore distanced from the realities of the classroom. Therefore the decisions that are made on a district wide level come from a disenfranchised and impractical sense. Why? Because the decisions makers are separated from the realties that their decisions will have on the classroom. They are decisions that are made in a vacuum without any practical input from the teachers. Therefore, teachers are simply expected to adapt to the whims of these decisions whether or not they hold tangible benefits to the learning environment. For example, its as if I went to an Olympic athlete and began telling him how he should compete in his upcoming event simply because I thought my idea might work well for him.  As ridiculous as that example seems, that is what is occurring in classrooms continually due to the leadership structure we have put in place. To point to the problem is all fine and well but is there a solution?

Certainly many solutions could be made to this problem, therefore I will focus on a simple and tangible solution to get the ball rolling. Instead of hiring key decision makers that are out of touch from the classroom, each school district would elect active master teachers from each of the key fields in education to meet once a month. During these monthly meetings, these master teachers would come prepared with issues and ideas to bring up that would lead to the betterment of the district. Then, from these monthly meeting in which administration would be present as well, key decisions would be made to keep improving the school environment for teachers, staff, and student alike. The only difference this time is that because these decisions would come from current and active members of the learning community they would be relevant, practical, and last longer which in turn would foster a more effective and positive environment as these decisions would produce a more meaningful impact. Afterall, does it not make more sense for changes in education to be made by those who live in it day in and day out?