Session 2

Focus Question- Management versus Leadership

First of all, I have to see if I understand correctly the difference between management and leadership. To put it in short terms, a manager makes sure everyone is doing their job, but it takes a leader to guide and improve performance. I see that they both are great to have, but I think schools have a lot of mangers, but not enough leaders. Not to say that having all the managers is bad, but leaders are good to have to promote growth and improve performance.
One example I have is that one school has a wonderful principal in which could stretch a dollar a mile long. Which means she is able to pull money out of thin air. Now by the definition given on the podcast I do not know what to consider this principal. She can be considered a leader because she is known for getting money for programs or equipment that she considers to be essential to improve learning. When I hear the would leader I imagine a person who suggest and encourages new ideas which are proven to improve performance. She gets the money needed to purchase the equipment, but others have to have the drive and motivation to present the ideas to her and then she chooses to buy or not to buy. That is what I thought of as a manager because when she does consider buying equipment, she tries to find the best cost effective way to get it, but not necessarily the best equipment on the market just to have the equipment to meet the status quo.
I have seen some teachers that have the leadership in them. One example I have is a teacher that has shown me hope in the growth of technology in learning. This teacher has taken any technology that he has and put it to use. For example, he got brand new alpha smarts this year. He read about them and learned all about them, but he didn't know how to set them up or how to run them. He showed interest and a drive I wish more teachers have for using technology. He asked me for help in which I was glad to do just that. Once I set up the lab and gave him a short lesson on the little information I knew about them, he took off with it. He took it home, played with the equipment while he was off track and came back with enough knowledge to be confident enough to use it in the classroom. This teacher was also one of the first to test an on-line program called Accelerated Math in our district, which he became the one who taught and guided other teachers to incorporate the program into the classroom. He even taught me how to use it. This trait is one I see in a leader.
Managers are ones who like to control the environment, but leaders are those who encourage and want to improve the environment and willing to do extra to help.

Activity Log-
1/20/09- Listen to podcast, went to sleep to think of management and leadership
1/21/09- Observe principal and teachers. Think of examples of leadership and management.
1/22/09- Write the blog.
1/25/09- Respond to fellow student blogs.