Emily Miles

ED 737

Dr. DeMoss

Leadership: Course Reflection

After having taken ED 737 Leadership and Change in Education, I have come away with

some very important insights. This course caused me to rethink some of my assumptions about

leadership and has expanded my understanding of what qualities make an effective leader. In

the following pages, I will reflect in greater detail on the understandings that I have gained while

taking this course.

Leadership IS my business:

When I read the final chapter of our text, it didnt surprise me to realize that leadership and

education go hand in hand. When I was younger, I thought that leadership was reserved for the

CEOs and government officials who do the big jobs that average citizens only dream of doing.

Fortunately, the book and class discussions proved me wrong. Leadership is my business and

and it has a place in education. Additionally, I learned that being a leader means being a team

player. In the near future, I will be a team player in my building by having a positive personality,

and a willingness to do hard work with joy.

Hot Topics in Education:

One of my favorite parts of this course was debating current issues in education

including homework, uniforms, and recess. The debates helped me to understand the details

behind each issue and to make an informed decision based on what I had learned. As a teacher

who will be in the classroom within the next year, I will not require my students to have

homework outside of nightly reading time and the occasional study guide. For teacher leaders, it

is important to remember the demands each student faces outside of the school day, and I will

work to respect the limits that are placed on each of my students (GPO 3,7,8).
Character Counts:

The research study that I conducted forced me to see the difference between schools

that effectively educate character and those that do not. I believe that students character can be

positively impacted if the adults in the community intentionally work towards teaching and

modeling for such a change. Part of my personal leadership philosophy involves leading by

example and encouraging the best in others. I plan on using these two strengths to make a

positive impact on the hearts of my students. Secondly, I hope to be a part of a school that is

using a program that engages the students in leadership roles during the school year (GPO 3,7,

8).

Leadership Interview- Have a mentor:

One major element that was emphasized in this course was the idea that leaders cannot

lead in isolation. To be an effective leader, one needs to look at other leaders are doing and

imitate them. When interviewing my Rabbi, Shmuel Wolkenfeld, I was reminded of how

important it is to have mentors who will help you grow and become a better leader and

individual. Shmuel mentioned that he had a variety of trusted mentors. He mentioned that he

was mentored through the pages of John Wesleys writings. Reading is a very important way to

learn. In Fact, you can learn from people who have been deceased by just reading their

published works! So, I am hoping to make it a habit to read in order to become more effective as

a teacher and leader in my classroom. Maybe this winter I will read How to Win Friends and

Influence People? (GPO 7)