Eight traits of educational leaders

1. Leadership
for Learning
Eight Traits of
Educational Leadership “Super Heroes”

2. Three decades of research says YES!
Labeled as…
× “leadership for learning”
× “instructionally focused leadership”
× “leadership for school improvement”

3. Four behaviors shape
educational leaders
× Previous experience as a leader
× Knowledge base amassed over time
× Personal characteristics
× Values and beliefs
These behaviors can be divided into eight major dimensions of
behavior that characterize leadership for learning.

4. 1. Vision for Learning
Leaders develop, articulate,
implement, and are stewards of a
vision of learning that is shared and
supported by the school community
Examples:
• Uses student data to forge
vision and goals
• Achievement targets are
explicit
• Articulate vision through
personal modeling
• Work tirelessly to promote
and communicate vision
• Translate the vision into
operation
• Recognize and celebrate
realization of school goals

5. 2. Instructional Program
Leaders have a strong
orientation to and affinity
for the core technology of
their business –
LEARNING AND
TEACHING
Examples:
 Heavily invested
in instruction
 Directly involved
in the design
and
implementation
of instructional
programs
 Visits
classrooms
often
 Works with
groups of
teachers on
instructional
issues
 Assigning
teachers based
on students
needs, NOT
seniority and
school politics
 Removing
barriers to
instruction
 Demonstrates
personal
interest in staff
 Relentless in
counseling
poor teachers

6. 3. Curricular Program
Leaders are knowledgeable about and deeply
involved in the school’s curricular program
Examples:
 Ensure school is defined by rigorous curricular program
 Diligent about monitoring objectives, instruction, curriculum,
materials, and assessments
 High degree of coordination across subjects within grade,
across grade levels, and across grade levels and departments

7. Examples:
 Model data based decision making
 Use variety of monitoring and data collection strategies
 Disaggregate information on the important conditions and
outcomes of schooling
 Assessment is heart of mission development, instructional planning,
evaluation of curricular programs, and monitoring of school goals
and school improvement

8. 5. Communities of
Leaders create learning organizations and foster
the development of communities of learning
Examples:
 Attends to own growth and model lifelong learning
 Demonstrates dedication and willingness to assist teachers in strengthening
instructional skills
 Provides regular “incidental interventions” – casual conversations and suggestions of
ideas-to teachers
 Professional development is result of data
 Nurtures collaborative processes

9. Examples:
 Effective leaders acquire, allocate, and use
resources to strengthen learning
 Use formal and informal channels to
influence district level decisions-making to
better the competitive position of their
schools in the distribution of resources

10. Production emphasis
Work to create environment of high performance
expectations for self, staff, and students
7. Organizational Culture
Continuous Improvement
Understands and communicates that
complacency is enemy of improvement
o Ensures all facilities operate safely,
efficiently, and effectively to maximize
student achievement
o Ensures operations, rules and
procedures are in place and monitored
to maintain discipline and order
Personalized Community
Safe and Orderly
Learning Environment
Forge structures and mechanisms for students to
form ties to the school and adult role models

11. Environmental Context
Actively manipulate environment in the
service of better education for all
Diversity
Demonstrate an understanding of and a
commitment to the benefits that
diversity offers to the school
Ethics
Leaders treat others fairly, equitably,
and with dignity and respect – and
expect others to do the same
Stakeholder Engagement
Experts at linking school to parents and
others in larger community

12. Conclusion
Not all leadership is equal…
Learning Centered Leadership is
multi-faceted and demanding.
Do you know a
Super-Hero Leader?
• Give sticker to your school superhero
• Share on Instagram or Twitter
• Use #myschoolsuperhero