Lately, most of my personal time has been spent putting together my doctoral dissertation. I have reached the point now where the end of my doctorial studies is in sight, and with this I have been working more furiously in hopes of reaching the end. One of the major components of this expansive document deals with leadership attributes and practices of school superintendents. While I was writing about these attributes and practices I felt compelled to stop and reflect on how one could become an exceptional educational leader.
I came to the conclusion that the leadership practices of any person (superintendents included) are influenced by formal education, informal education, and experiences. Formal education applies to those people who earn degrees in administration or some form of leadership. In colleges and universities these individuals are required to read certain works, write papers to synthesize concepts, conduct studies, and make presentations on leadership topics. Informal education applies to those pieces of research that prospective leaders choose to read, investigations and case studies about the success of others, and conversations about how to become promising in practice. Finally, experience applies to those things that happen in life that call upon us to behave in a particular manner the next time we encounter familiar circumstances.
Once I drew the conclusions above I started to think about my own formal education, the books that I have read, the research that I have been interested in and the people and experiences that have helped me to shape my independent thoughts about leadership and school improvement. Then it dawned on me – I am lucky to have been provided with an excellent formal education which has helped me to engage in self-directed learning opportunities. Also, over the past 15 years I have witnessed leadership practices that have been exceptionally successful and others that have been profoundly absurd.
Focusing in on exceptional leaders with whom I have been associated, I reflected on one of my Professors from Buffalo State College. In the mid 1990’s I was fortunate to have made the acquaintance of Dr. Thomas Weinberg – one of my Sociology Professors who was a winner of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award in teaching. Given the number of students that Dr. Weinberg has each year, it is unlikely that he remembers me, but because of his friendly nature and acts of kindness – I will never forget him.
You see, in the summer of 1996 I went to file my graduation paperwork with Buffalo State College’s administration. I found out (rather abruptly) that I was one sociology course short in reaching my own graduation requirements. This happened as a result of my being inappropriately advised by a brand new faculty member, and the fact that I did not take the personal responsibility of looking over my own course completion requirements in the prescribed courses of study for my degree. So there I was, twenty-two years old and in crisis. I was told that I would have to attend for one more semester so that I could take one class in order to earn my degree.
Dr. Weinberg happened to be walking by the Dean’s Office when I was being given this news. Although Tom is an expert in analyzing human behavior, it did not take his expertise to see that I was not happy. He took me out into the hallway and asked me what was going on – and when I was done he asked me to stay in the hall. He went into the Dean’s office and a couple of minutes passed. He then asked me to come into the Dean’s office where he presented me with an option.
Dr. Weinberg explained to me that the Dean was willing to approve an Independent Study for me that Dr. Weinberg would oversee. This independent study would mean that I would practically work day and night for the remainder of the semester and if I could complete the course work in time would be given my degree with the August graduates. I accepted the offer, completed the work, and earned a B in my independent study.
Dr. Weinberg had nothing to gain in helping me. He actually created more work for himself in doing so. My Sociology professor went out of his way for me simply because he could. I consider that day in the Dean’s office a lesson in leadership. Tom taught me something that day that has stuck with me more than any lesson I have learned in a classroom or any philosophy I have read in a book. Dr. Weinberg deserved the Chancellor’s Award that he received because as you could see, his lessons tend to stick with his students.
To Dr. Weinberg:
You taught me the value of providing opportunities for success. You could have walked right by me that day in 1996. You should know that when I have been confronted with the opportunity to do for another as you did for me – I have been following your lead.
I came to the conclusion that the leadership practices of any person (superintendents included) are influenced by formal education, informal education, and experiences. Formal education applies to those people who earn degrees in administration or some form of leadership. In colleges and universities these individuals are required to read certain works, write papers to synthesize concepts, conduct studies, and make presentations on leadership topics. Informal education applies to those pieces of research that prospective leaders choose to read, investigations and case studies about the success of others, and conversations about how to become promising in practice. Finally, experience applies to those things that happen in life that call upon us to behave in a particular manner the next time we encounter familiar circumstances.
Once I drew the conclusions above I started to think about my own formal education, the books that I have read, the research that I have been interested in and the people and experiences that have helped me to shape my independent thoughts about leadership and school improvement. Then it dawned on me – I am lucky to have been provided with an excellent formal education which has helped me to engage in self-directed learning opportunities. Also, over the past 15 years I have witnessed leadership practices that have been exceptionally successful and others that have been profoundly absurd.
Focusing in on exceptional leaders with whom I have been associated, I reflected on one of my Professors from Buffalo State College. In the mid 1990’s I was fortunate to have made the acquaintance of Dr. Thomas Weinberg – one of my Sociology Professors who was a winner of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award in teaching. Given the number of students that Dr. Weinberg has each year, it is unlikely that he remembers me, but because of his friendly nature and acts of kindness – I will never forget him.
You see, in the summer of 1996 I went to file my graduation paperwork with Buffalo State College’s administration. I found out (rather abruptly) that I was one sociology course short in reaching my own graduation requirements. This happened as a result of my being inappropriately advised by a brand new faculty member, and the fact that I did not take the personal responsibility of looking over my own course completion requirements in the prescribed courses of study for my degree. So there I was, twenty-two years old and in crisis. I was told that I would have to attend for one more semester so that I could take one class in order to earn my degree.
Dr. Weinberg happened to be walking by the Dean’s Office when I was being given this news. Although Tom is an expert in analyzing human behavior, it did not take his expertise to see that I was not happy. He took me out into the hallway and asked me what was going on – and when I was done he asked me to stay in the hall. He went into the Dean’s office and a couple of minutes passed. He then asked me to come into the Dean’s office where he presented me with an option.
Dr. Weinberg explained to me that the Dean was willing to approve an Independent Study for me that Dr. Weinberg would oversee. This independent study would mean that I would practically work day and night for the remainder of the semester and if I could complete the course work in time would be given my degree with the August graduates. I accepted the offer, completed the work, and earned a B in my independent study.
Dr. Weinberg had nothing to gain in helping me. He actually created more work for himself in doing so. My Sociology professor went out of his way for me simply because he could. I consider that day in the Dean’s office a lesson in leadership. Tom taught me something that day that has stuck with me more than any lesson I have learned in a classroom or any philosophy I have read in a book. Dr. Weinberg deserved the Chancellor’s Award that he received because as you could see, his lessons tend to stick with his students.
To Dr. Weinberg:
You taught me the value of providing opportunities for success. You could have walked right by me that day in 1996. You should know that when I have been confronted with the opportunity to do for another as you did for me – I have been following your lead.
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