Education is the backbone of American democracy. It prepares responsible citizens, inspires a love of learning, cultivates an appreciation of art, music and literature, furthers and enhances American culture and social values, and prepares America's workforce to be the most productive in the world. Without public education, America would not be the great economic power that it is. Our educational system has prepared (and is preparing) our future doctors, sports figures, teachers, and political and economic leaders.
It is easy to see why there is great concern in our country about the vacuum in educational leadership that is coming in the not too distant future. Newsweek magazine (October 2, 2000) asked the question in its cover story, "Who Will Teach Our Kids (sic)?" The story pointed out that in the next 10 years, due to retirements, low pay, low morale, better economic opportunities and the frustrations with the educational system, we will need 2.2 million teachers to replace those leaving the current workforce of 2.6 million teachers.
Yet the crisis is not just limited to teachers. We also need to consider where we are going to get the counselors, principals, superintendents, school secretaries, attendance teachers and all the other school personnel to prepare America's future?
There aren't any easy answers to Newsweek's question, especially when we realize how challenged and frustrated America's educators are.
- Right now, over 50% of newly assigned educators leave the system within five years.
- Over 60% of those who teach math and science did not major in those subjects in college.
- Nearly half of those currently being trained as educators never set foot in a school.
- Twelve percent of California's classrooms are filled with uncertified teachers.
- Within five years, 41 percent of Illinois superintendents will retire.
- In New York City, almost three months ago, 163 schools (out of 1,145) opened with temporary principals.
- Across the state of Illinois, there are 103 new superintendents this year. According to the Association of School Administrators, 65 of them have never headed a school district.
- In Iowa, a survey showed that 32 percent of school administrators would retire by 2003. Where will we get the school leadership to lead those fighting the battles on the front line - the classroom teachers, counselors, and paraprofessionals?
All school personnel, from the classroom to the support personnel, are leaders. Teachers are leaders within their classrooms; counselors encourage leadership with the students and parents they counsel. Principals and superintendents are, however, the "leaders of leaders."
What characteristics should these educational leaders possess? They must have these key attributes:
- Vision and Motivational - The most important qualities that a leader must possess are the abilities to identify a specific vision and to inspire those who follow to support that vision. A leader cannot succeed without followers. Therefore the vision must be shared and developed in consultation with those who are to carry out the vision.
- Trust and Communication - All organizations, from the smallest (the family, for example) to the largest, fail for two major reasons: a lack of trust and/or a lack of communication. Leaders cannot succeed unless they realize this and do all within their power to build trust and to have open, free-flowing communication.
- Empowering - The time when a superintendent, principal or classroom teacher could simply order people to do his or her bidding is long past. People must be brought into the process to help change and improve the system -- that includes students. People feel a sense of ownership when they are part of the process rather than merely being considered the end product.
- Transformational - Leaders need to understand that most things which happen in a school do not occur overnight. For example, it is incorrect to believe that dropping out of school is an event. In reality, it is a process that may occur over a long period of time. The latest Department of Education data indicates that 3rd grade teachers can identify, with amazing accuracy, which students will drop out of high school. Therefore leaders need to take a breath and expect that changes will take a while to achieve.
- Supportive of Risk Takers - Few people go into education to take risks. So, those who are willing to take risks need to be supported. We are aware that risk takers will frequently not achieve their goals. But if change is to take place, we need to take some risks. Where would we have been if Columbus, the Wright Brothers and Jonas Salk had not taken a risk?
- Knows How To Get Things Done - The desire to get things done must be accompanied by knowledge of how to actually achieve the desired goals. Leaders must develop strategic deployment plans and know how to implement them. Strategic planning has become a key strategy of educational administrators.
As Charles Dickens said in A Tale of Two Cities, "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." It is the best of times for education because political, business and social leaders are now recognizing the accomplishments of public education and are realizing its potential. As a result, public dollars and sentiment are backing major educational reforms. And yet, it may become the worst of times because those aspirations may be thwarted if we do not have the leaders to show us how to reach that potential.
