Brian's Blog

In speaking about quality school leadership, Sergiovanni (1984) demonstrates that many attributes have direct links to the achievements and overall excellence. How these foundations of learning excellence are encouraged and supported by leaders holds close connection to the overall educational achievements students can expect ( Dinham, 2005). Sergiovanni (1984) proposes competent school leadership supports the need for students to be cultured, educated citizens, able to contribute wholly in society and educated beyond the limited potential of “ training workers ” (p.6). He suggested that excellent school leaders exceed these expectations and as a result, both teachers and students work harder to accomplish more in the development of these foundations of learning. Wasserberg (1999, p.158) claims that “the primary role of any leader is the unification of people around key values” . Greenfield & Ribbins (1993) add that the personal values, self-awareness, emotional and moral

I believe as a teacher and a leader, I am a moral guide (Beavis, 2014). I am a bridge connecting the values and moral students come with to their knowledge and behavour. I am committed to leading and preparing well-informed, engaged, principled citizens who are reflective in their practice who think critically about their public and private choices and decisions that are made. My belief is supported by theories related to psycho-philosophical identity that includes psychoanalytical, social cognitive and Erikson’s psychosocial development (Wright, Berns, Sigelman, Rider, De George-Walker, Kail & Cavanaugh, 2016). These theories highlight the internal complexities between personality, morality, perceived self and self-concept. Through an internalised and evolving memoir, integrating, reflecting and reconstructing the past and forming the future through the unity of purpose, investigation and personal agency can be drawn on to inform ethical decision making (McAdams & McLean,

When reviewing the literature, it became apparent that a school’s culture develops from its leadership while the culture of a school can also affect the development of its leadership. Effective schools are required to engage in deliberate, intentional and long-term strategic thinking to guide the direction in which it is moving, as well as culture building by its leaders. Strategic thinking helps to create and build a bright and bold the vision of the future. The culture is the setting within which the vision takes hold and in turn, the vision characterises the school's culture ( Bass & Avolio, 1994) . Effective school leadership is a function of culture building ( Sashkin & Sashkin, 1990). Teamwork is an essential element for leadership to be truly released to lead in a visionary capacity. Without this capacity building teamwork where others were empowered to take on responsibilities, leaders became less effective to lead. They found that as the leader became the cat