Transformational Leadership in Education

Transformational leadership is no longer used exclusively in corporations and companies all over the world. It is now being used in educational contexts, too. Teachers and school administrators are now looking for ways to use this type of leadership in their settings.

Transformational leaders in education are constantly looking for new ways of doing things toward accomplishing the vision of the school. The primary purpose of the school, of course, is to educate young people and turn them into productive members of the society. Leadership is needed to address the problems and challenges that learners, students and teachers encounter in the schools.

Leaders are also looking for ways to change how their context is viewed. One of the characteristics of good leaders is to turn things upside down and view them from different lenses. This will yield a new way of looking at their context. New insights will then turn into new ways of doing things, which is badly needed if education were to improve and serve the needs of the world in the twenty first century.

Teachers and school administrators also need to hold the schools accountable for the attainment of its vision and the pursuit of its mission. Without a vision and mission, a school merely exists without meaning. It is there but it becomes content with mediocrity. That is to be avoided at all costs.

They also need to make the organization unique, different and excellent. There are a lot of schools out there. But how do they differ from each other? Good administrators need to look for ways to differentiate from countless others. Competition is raging and without a differentiating quality, an organization fades into the background of other equally great organizations.

They also need to work toward making schools responsive to the problems and challenges of the contemporary world. The recent recession in the United States taught the world that changes can happen in a short period of time. Technology and change continue to be the buzzword of this new decade. As such, transformational leadership in education must be responsive to these challenges and look for ways to make schools prepare students and teachers for these trends.

How can teachers, administrators and leaders then address these contemporary trends and changes?

For one, they will need to look at their roles in developing the skills of young minds. Given the highly competitive nature of the world economy, students need to be prepared really well. True enough, the education sector does not pay well. But they perform an important function, which can never be undermined. This is why transformational leadership in education is very much needed.

Classroom Management - Motivating the Reluctant Learner

Every child wants to succeed. I know this is true. If you want to be successful at motivating the reluctant learner, you will need to believe this as well. In my experience working with students from many different backgrounds, up-bringing, family situations and home lives, every student thrives when he or she feels a sense of accomplishment.

Sure, sometimes this accomplishment is getting the teacher to lose her temper or hitting a friend in the head with a well-aimed spitball. Our jobs, then, become refocusing that student's goal away from those negative accomplishments towards the positive accomplishments - those that equate to success in school and, ideally, in life.

Sounds easy, right? You and I both know, though, that bad habits are hard to break, and students with a habit of looking for success in ways that undermine what you're doing as a teacher can often have the hardest time changing their habits.

When I start a school year, I quickly recognize those students who are struggling to share the same measure of success I've set for my students. While many teachers try to ignore the disruptive behaviors in the hopes that they will just go away, often times it leads to more disruptive behaviors as that students looks for other ways to successfully get your teaching off-task.

Instead of ignoring that disruptive student, addressing that reluctant learner as early in the year (or day or even lesson for that matter) will help you successfully guide the student towards a new standard of success. What do I mean?

Here's an example I'm sure most of us can relate to:

You see little Johnny throw a broken pencil at another student. What do you do? Ignore it? Yell at Johnny? Tell him to go to the office? Assign detention?

How about this response?

"Johnny, please don't throw anything in my class ever. Do you understand?" stated in a very calm voice.

"But he threw it at me first!"

"Johnny, do you understand what I told you?"

Grumbling, "Yeah."

"Good."

The rest of class passes without Johnny throwing any more pencils. On his way out of the classroom, you mention to him, "Johnny, I appreciate you not throwing anything in my class. Nicely done." You say this with all sincerity, but not making too big a deal out of it. Johnny doesn't reply but just shuffles off to his next class.

The next day, Johnny comes into class as usual. For the first five minutes, Johnny doesn't throw anything at anyone. You casually move near him and say very quietly to him, "You're having a good day today, aren't you?" Johnny doesn't respond, but he refrains from throwing anything for the entire class. Again, at the end of class, you mention to Johnny, "Nice work today."

And today, Johnny smiles.

This sounds like a simple example, and you're right! It is incredibly simple to bring students over to "your side" in the battle, to stop fighting with your students and start helping them fight their own battles against their anti-social and disruptive impulses. By helping the student understand that your role isn't to always highlight their disruptive behavior but instead is to help them achieve a more productive model of success, the disruptive student often becomes a key ally in your classroom.

Your work isn't done with this tiny victory. Once you've broken the initial bad habit of disruptive behavior, you will then need to help your students understand how "success" is defined in your class. Questions like "Are you being successful?" and "When you do that are you being successful?" and "How does that help you be successful?" all work to help the student understand that part of your job is to help him or her be successful.

Each day, I write on the board my measure of success for that day. It's usually something like, "I will have at least 15 note cards completed for my research paper." or "I will understand why the main character decided to go to the lake." or something like that. When a student is off-task, it's a simple matter for me to approach him or her and say, "Are you being successful? How can I help you be successful?" Done with the right tone and approach, these two questions can truly transform the way you and your students interact.

Once your reluctant learners (and everyone else for that matter!) realize that you are really there to help them be successful, that you want them to do well in school and build the skills they need to be successful in life, their reluctance to learn gradually disappears in favor of a new motivation to succeed, a measure of success based more closely on positive productive goals rather than disruptive negative goals.

Student Teacher? Learn How to Survive in Education and Be a Great Asset to Your School

• Join all Teacher Forums on the internet. You will learn many things from the thousands of teachers who are members. Start with the Times Education Supplement Forum.
• Listen to senior teachers with many years service. They are survivors. Get yourself a role model
• Be assertive, firm and always, always respectful.
• Important. Stress causes negative emotions, short tempers and loss of control. You MUST follow a daily De-Stressing Fitness Regime. Yoga. Dance. Running. Personal Trainer.
• Learn how to be a great communicator. Study (NLP) Neuro Linguistic Programming, non-verbal body language as it accounts for 93% of your communication. Learn VAK - visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning and teaching styles. This will allow you to teach more effectively.
• Inspire and motivate your students with role models, stories of achievement and success.
• Make your subject come alive. Teach it with conviction, creativity and passion.
• Manage your emotions by dissociating or stepping outside yourself and observing how you speak and act.
• Be philosophical. You will have bad days. It is how you will deal with them that makes you a survivor.
• Use appropriate punishment for challenging behaviour, but also empathise to get to the root cause of the behaviour.
• Show you are in control of yourself and your class by using relaxed, non-emotional body language and gestures.
• Be consistent in your discipline. Don't have favourites and treat everyone equal.
• Focus on the behaviour not the student.
• Tell them how their behaviour makes you feel.
• Create a list of Do's and Don'ts.
• Do not show dislike for any student. See Pygmalion Effect for teachers. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect.html
• Be big enough to apologise if you have made a mistake with a student.
• Build a positive attitude in yourself and your students.
• Introduce yourself to all teachers. Even those who might seem a bit distant. They can be a real help in the first weeks.
• Plan and prepare. Get it right and don't have students laughing at your mistakes.
• Learn as many different teaching techniques as you can. These and your personality are what makes your subject interesting.
• Create a comfortable, friendly environment. Use posters quotations, students' work, colours, shapes, music, textures.
• Be aware of and limit distractions such as windows with no blinds, noises, students walking by, etc.
• Seat students who either need extra help or have challenging attitudes close to you. If possible seat them and yourself in a circle.
• Use your students names often and in a positive way.
• Be different. Be unique.
• Let students help in setting rules and expectations. If they own them they are more likely to adhere to them.
• Emphasise individual student effort, behaviour and reward with praise, positive calls to parents, awards/certificates, lollipops!
• Begin class with a daily "warm-up" activity. Try our Lateral Thinking Problems.
• Check for understanding and review during every lesson.
• Always remember the best discipline is preventative discipline.
• Learn classroom management techniques from the 'veterans'.
• Watch inspirational films especially those about Teachers. Pay it Forward. Dead Poets Society. To Sir With Love. Dangerous Minds.
• Create your own student teacher survival guide. Grow it over the years.
• Floss and smile.

Trigger Moments - What Are They/How Can I Teach More Effectively?

As anyone can imagine, the teaching profession is full of constant change. One day is not always going to have the same pattern of events or sequence as the previous one. A possible way a teacher can be more prepared for change is to anticipate the "trigger moments." These moments happen on a regular basis because a situation presented itself as a reaction moment for a student. If a trigger moment is noted at its beginning stages, it can be drastically reduced.

For example, if a student dislikes being late for something, a teacher should always try and keep to a consistent schedule, inform students of any possible schedule changes before they occur, and remind students how their responsible actions affect the timing of the school day. (Students talking in line = Less recess time for those students)

Also, while some change might be seen as a positive one (a snow day for students) some students have a "trigger moment" when they become rushed and hurried after a school day of snow. Teachers can again remain consistent as well as flexible with assignment/project due dates. This way, the trigger of lateness has a less effect on a student than dislikes being late.

With constant change, it is important that teachers act as dependably as possible. The teachers that succeed are able to totally immerse themselves with teaching yet detach themselves and not take situations personally. Then, the proper teacher will be able to effectively emerge and tackle the teaching profession for all it is worth.

Encouraging Educators To Get A Masters In Education

Teachers that are currently working in the school systems are being faced with challenges and obstacles every day. With the advent of new challenges coming, we are offering the chance for educators to expand their knowledge and increase their abilities by reaching for the next level in their education.

Now, teachers can earn a masters of education degree online. The opportunity has come for potential degree seekers to take courses at their convenience and still live their everyday lives. Continue to work in the education field while advancing yourself to the Masters degree level in only a few years.

Contribute to Young Student's Literacy

Literacy is the foundation for all learning. Assist young students with forming a solid foundation based on skills in literacy. Literacy helps determine academic aptitude. Contribute to the academic and intellectual growth of students when they need it the most.

Help improve literacy rates in your school district and overcome the challenges that are seen from low literacy rates. Learn to steer children K-12 in the right direction and eliminate boundaries that could form if poor skills are developed. Preempt these issues by starting off the right way. Our masters in education degree program can teach you skills to raise literacy in learners.

Manageable Course Loads

Even though our online masters degree program is accelerated, we offer the requisite courses in a manageable load that busy working students can accommodate. Our academic calendar makes it that much easier for students to enroll when the time is right for them. The calendar has six start dates for prospective students. They are: January, March, May, June, September, and November. Students are able to coordinate their work schedules to determine their enrollment date. This masters of education distance learning program blends learning mediums and makes it easy to start on continuing education courses.

Dual Online Programs

Students who apply and are accepted into both the Masters Science of Education Program and the Certificates of Advanced Graduate Study program are required to meet some standards. They differ according to the program.

Masters in Education Program

Bachelors Degree

Already Teaching

Transcripts

1 Year Teaching Experience

Personal Letter Stating Ambition

Online Application

Certification of Advanced Study Program

Masters Degree

Teaching Certification

Working as a Teacher

3 Years Teaching Experience

Online Application

3 Letters of Recommendation

We welcome interested students based on these requirements. Please view the complete list and application fee requirements online.

To ask about enrollment please contact an admissions specialist and they'll be glad to help you start your application. Our students are allowed to make their own schedule and will be assisted in determining the right time to start the distance learning for the masters of education degree.

Future students should ask all questions in regards to the programs offered to better understand how the program works and how their academics will be affected. Students need leaders that understand the dynamic of the current school systems. Take your education to the next level and start to positively influence the communities around you.

Work around your daily schedule and still warn a masters in education. You'll have all the time you need to prepare and advance to the masters level in your personal academic growth.

Teachers Gifts - Simple Yet Thoughtful Ways to Show Your Appreciation

Educators are role models because they give so much to other people. Each person on the planet is a result of a teacher's hard work. Everything we know is because of what they know. So if you want to give back, find really good teachers gifts.

Although saying "thank you" should be enough, it would mean a lot if you go the extra mile and get them something they can use.

Here are some very good ideas for teachers gifts:

Personalized cards. Send them cards during special occasions. Design these cards yourself. Your teacher will appreciate it more because they know you've spent a lot of effort in doing it.
Gift cards. These are probably one of the best teachers gifts you can give. Most teachers would appreciate it. Get them GCs from local coffee shops or department stores.
Gift baskets. These are still very interesting gifts because you can put anything you like in there. Just remember, when making gift baskets, to have a theme so that the stuff you put in there won't look like they were picked randomly.
Donations or charities under their names. Educators are passionate people who believe in certain causes. Making a donation in their name is among the best teachers gifts anyone can make. Your teachers will love it, for sure.
Home-made muffins or cupcakes. These are sweet (no pun intended) gestures teachers would appreciate because you've exerted effort in making them.
Desk accessories. Get your teachers something they can bring to work. It can be a stylish pen holder, a thick, leather-bound notebook, or paperweight. Just think of something they will be able to use for work.
The best teachers gifts, as always, would come from the heart. A sincere "thank you" should be enough, but it would be better to give them something tangible.