Leadership Covenant

Focus:

"You are a very special person - become what you are."
- Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu

Vision Casting:

Vision:

Learning must change for students to critically think, communicate, collaborate, and create meaningful, concept-based learning experiences to support lifelong learning. I firmly believe that all students can learn and desire to succeed. My commitment to student achievement evokes passion for engaging in the continuous improvement process with all stakeholders in my learning community. Students must be prepared to participate as global leaders within their school and local community. Teachers, administrators, and parents have a great responsibility to equip students with fundamental 21st-Century skills. Such vital skills will determine the leadership roles they play in our future communities. All students shall be taught to increase their awareness about the world & themselves, accept their responsibilities, and remain honest in all communication and expressions.

As an instructional leader, I accept the challenges articulated in the ISLLC Standards for my learning community and strive to exemplify them daily in my leadership role:

• to set a widely shared vision for learning 
• to develop a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth
• to ensure effective management of the organization, operation, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment
• to collaborate with faculty and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources
• to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner
• to understand, respond to, and influence the political, social, legal, and cultural contexts

"Hello, World!" - An Introduction to my Source Code/Personal Vision as a K-12 School Leader

Foci:

“The discipline of shared vision is the set of tools and techniques for bringing all of these disparate aspirations into alignment around the things people have in common... In building a shared vision, a group of people build a sense of commitment together. They develop images of ‘the future we want to create together,’ along with the values that will be important in getting there and the goals they hope to achieve along the way. Without a sustained process for building shared vision, there is no way for a school to articulate its sense of purpose” (Senge, p. 72).

- from Schools That Learn by Peter Senge

“To keep a vision moving forward in the right direction, those involved must embrace a mutually agreed-upon code of conduct. In the world of business these tenets are usually referred to as values. Regardless of the terminology one chooses, it has been established through observation and experience that behavioral boundaries must be maintained to protect the integrity of a vision” (Stanley, p. 252).

- from Visioneering by Andy Stanley

Vision Casting:

Personal Vision Statement:

As an instructional leader, I will passionately employ the continuous improvement process with all stakeholders in my learning community. I will lead with integrity, enthusiasm, and courage to develop a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth. I will always strive to act as an empathic listener, a self-differentiated leader, and demonstrate effective facilitation of change amidst challenges and a range of emotions in my learning community. I will lead with awareness and humility to ensure all students can learn and develop essential 21st-Century skills that will shape the leadership roles they play in our future communities.

Analysis:

I created my personal vision statement using the following questioning and reflection steps:

1. I began with “the end in mind” - Envisioning my leadership goals and the kind of person I want to be known as during my lifetime of servant leadership
2. I reviewed my deeply held values and beliefs - Leadership, students, staff, community building, learning, communication, and change
3. I analyzed my leadership strengths, abilities, traits, and things that I do best. Then, I reflected upon things I need to start doing more frequently using my strengths.
4. Finally, I deeply reflected upon my Abilene Christian University (ACU) learning journey including my introduction to the ISLLC standards and readings of authors such as Roland Barth, Clayton Christensen, Lynn Erickson, Edwin Friedman, Lloyd Goldsmith, Jeffrey Glanz, David Hutchens, Robert Marzano, John Maxwell, Peter Senge, Andy Stanley, and Margaret Wheatley. Each author, amongst others ACU has introduced to me, has shaped my perspective on how I must think, communicate, and act everyday in my walk as an instructional leader.

The aforementioned series of questioning and reflection also enabled me to view my professional & personal experiences which have propelled me to pursue continuous improvement and leadership as an instructional leader in all facets of my life.

Fulfillment of my personal vision will be evident to others and myself because people currently and will be able to observe that I am passionate about the work that I have been called to do.  Satisfaction will continue to be communicated with a high level of enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunities I share with students, staff, administration, and parents in my learning community. Additionally, I will continue to reflect each morning and night upon how I listened, communicated, and contributed toward innovation & solving problems. My reflection will continue to be based upon talking to colleagues, friends, and mentors. They will continue to enable me to engage in a formative assessment to gather meaningful data which drives my decision-making process of continuous improvement.

References:

Barth, R. (2004). Learning by Heart. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

Christensen C. M., C. W Johnson, & M. B. Horn. (2008). Disrupting class: How disruptive innovation will Change the way the world learns

Erickson, H. L. (2006). Concept-based curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Glanz, J. (2002). Finding your leadership style: A guide for educators. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Hutchens, D. (2005). Listening to the volcano: Conversations that open our minds to new possibilities. Waltham, MA: Pegasus Communications, Inc.

Marzano, R. J. (2003). What works in Schools: Translating research into action. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Maxwell, J. (2003). Ethics 101: What every leader needs to know. [Kindle Edition for iPad] New York, NY: Center Street.

Senge, P., Cambron-McCabe, N., Timothy, L., & Kleiner, A. (2000). Schools that learn. New York, NY: Doubleday

Sorenson, R., & Goldsmith, L. (2006). Principal's guide to school budgeting. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Stanley, A. (1999). Visioneering: God's blueprint for developing and maintaining vision. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers

Wheatley, M. J. (2005). Finding our way: Leadership for an uncertain time. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.