Leadership Structures That Support A Collaborative Culture...

1 LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES THAT SUPPORT Chapter III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Case study research is the in-depth study of instances of a phenomenon in its natural context and from the perspective of the participants involved in the phenomenon. (Gall, Gall, Borg, 2003, p. 436) This qualitative case study analysis was searching for themes that emerged from leadership structures that support a collaborative culture of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in a large high school in order to inform the creation of a guide entitled Leadership Structures that Support High-Functioning, Sustainable PLCs in High Schools: A School and District Leader?s Practical Guide. Qualitative research allowed me to deeply analyze the experience of†¦show more content†¦The research questions that guided this investigation were: What leadership structures at the school and district level best support teacher collective efficacy in secondary schools? Who needs to be a part of the instructional leadership team in order to support Professional Learning Communities in secondary schools? What activities of the instructional leadership team produce high-functioning Professional Learning Communities? This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of methodology used in this study: research design, study participants, data collection and instruments, reliability and validity, data analysis, ethical concerns, and study limitations, followed by a brief summary. Context This case study provides an in-depth and rich description of School Site A. School Site A is a large high school in the Midwest area of the United States with 2,226 students. School Site A is located in a first-ring suburb of a large urban area. The school?s student demographics include: 10.5% Hispanic/Latino, 0.9% American Indian/Alaska Native, 14.5% Black/African American, 52.7% White, and 3.1% two or more races. The administrative staff is made up of one Principal Sheila, one Associate Principal Mike, two Assistant Principals: Monique and Becky and one Athletic Director. The staff at School Site A includes: 105.84 teachers, 2.00 Media Specialists, 16.20 other licensed professionals, 18.57 paraprofessionals, and 50.97 other staff, which includesShow MoreRelatedImportant Aspects Of A Good School Leader1309 Words   |  6 Pagesgets the people to do the greatest things.† The word â€Å"leadership† can evoke a variety of mental images; the president of a nation, an army general, a CEO, school principal, or the captain of the football team. Leadership is about direction and influence (Leithwood). Chemers states that, â€Å"Leadership is the process of social influence where one person is able to enlist the help of others to reach a common goal† (Chemers, 1997, p. 1). Leadership is a relationship between the leader and his followersRead MoreChange Leadership Group: Transformational Improvement Process in Schools1535 Words   |  7 PagesGenerating momentum for change can be innovative or challenging. The Change Leadership Group believes the successful leadership of transformational improvement process in schools and districts require sharpening capacities in two quite different directions at the same time: 1) Leaders need to see more deeply into why it is so hard for our organizations to change, even when there is a genuine, collective desire to do so. More than just seeing why, leaders need to learn how to take action effectivelyRead MoreInstructional Leadership. Throughout The Readings, Instructional1535 Words   |  7 PagesInstructional Leadership Throughout the readings, instructional district leadership that made the most impact dealt with incorporating collaborative objectives with regards to academic achievement. For instance, Waters Marzano (2006) found effective superintendents ensure that the collaborative goal setting process results in nonnegotiable goal in student achievement and instruction (p. 4). Collaborative goal setting is one of the crucial aspects of instructional leadership. Specifically, effectiveRead MoreThe Importance Of Leadership From The Department Of Education1304 Words   |  6 Pagesmeasurable impact on learning and well-being 4. It must generate widespread commitment and consistency to uplifting means and ends. Leadership from the Middle The overall strategy is labeled as ‘leadership from the middle’, whereby districts, and schools within districts become the drivers of change, based on the identified needs of their students. Thus, districts become partners with each other, their communities, counties and the state in improving teaching and learning. This structure is viewed asRead MoreModel The Habits Of A Life Long Learner1377 Words   |  6 Pagespeople choose to to buy in and support the institution when they feel positive about the â€Å"we† and often quit when the â€Å"me† category is not fulfilled (Buckingham, 2016). Model the habits of a life-long learner Just as teachers are expected to participate in professional development opportunities and continually update curriculum to meet the needs of their students, authentic administrators need to model the same behavior. This is especially true in modeling the learning and use of technology in theRead MoreThe Leader Of A 21st Century School5907 Words   |  24 Pagesa transformational leader, one must also be the beacon of learning in establishing and effectively cultivating professional learning communities. One must recognize and further develop the leadership skills of those within the school in order to ensure the vision and mission of the school is achieved. Keeping in mind that student achievement is the core of vision and purpose of a school, a school leader must also ensure that the structure of the school organization is centered on student drivenRead MoreCollaborative And Collegial Practices Focused On Improving Instructional Practice And Student Learning1328 Words   |   6 Pages8: Exhibiting Collaborative and Collegial Practices Focused on Improving Instructional Practice and Student Learning According to Danielson (2011), criterion 8 of the Danielson framework is part of the TPEP (Teacher/Principal Evaluation Pilot) structure that focuses on the professional practices and how teachers participate collaboratively in the educational community to improve instruction, and ultimately student growth. It is an important focus because it promotes student learning, showing thatRead MoreThe Development Of A Teacher1974 Words   |  8 Pagesenvironment for teachers to carry out their duties at a high level. Professional learning communities arose from these teachers seeking a way address the complexity of education. â€Å"The PLC provides a pathway to a learning organization: one which comprises ‘a group of people who take an active, reflective, collaborative, learning-orientated, and growth-promoting approach toward the mysteries, problems and perplexities of teaching and learning† (Hellner, 2008). The goal of a PLC is to gain greater studentRead More2.2.2.4. Main D omains Of School Improvement Program. The1443 Words   |  6 PagesFramework. Under the 12 Elements there are 24 Standards (MOE, 2010:12-17). Domain 1: Teaching and Learning Under this domain there are three elements namely teaching, learning and evaluation and curriculum; and also there are five standards. Under teaching learning domain there should be points to be considered. Regarding to teachers: continuous professional development delivered to the teachers. Professional development is defined as either formal training courses, such as full-time or part-time trainingRead MoreThe Instructional Leaders Use of Distributive Leadership and Best Practices733 Words   |  3 PagesThe Instructional Leader’s Use of Distributive Leadership and Best Practices Distributed leadership can be defined and implemented in many ways. In order to explore the impact of shared leadership within a school system, a clear definition needs to be established. Items such as guidelines for determining who and how long a person would serve in a leadership position should be set and communication and accountability procedures to the principal should be clearly outlined and monitored. This paper

The Effects Of Electroconvulsive Therapy On Other Forms Of...

INTRODUCTION I am going to be examining Electroconvulsive Therapy, which is used to treat severely depressed people, as well as other forms of psychological disorders. I’m focusing only on how this therapy is used to treat major depression, because although depression is the most treatable mental illness, it is still the one we all suffer from the most. This therapy uses electrical currents to re-charge the neurotransmitters in the brain, allowing these neurotransmitters to function efficiently, restoring the chemical imbalance in the Adrenal and Thyroid systems; which is often found in patients with severe depression. This therapy is better known through the media as â€Å"shock therapy.† Sounds scary, but it’s very safe and has been proven to help save people suffering from this often unbearable, mood disorder. POPULATION People most at risk for depression are ones who have had something terrible happen to them at some point in their lives. It could be the loss of a loved one, getting fired or laid off from a job, or finding out that your husbands been lying and cheating with your good friend. Developing major depression also increases if you’re a heavy drug user or alcoholic, and if someone in your family has had these same thoughts and feelings. If a family member has a mood disorder, studies show a significant increase that’s over double the likely-hood, of developing these distorted thoughts. Researchers also found that people between the ages of 25-44 years oldShow MoreRelatedShock Therapy Essay1492 Words   |  6 PagesShock Therapy Shock Therapy is a treatment used to adjust a patient’s brain function in psychiatric disorders. There are different kinds of shock therapy including Electroconvulsive Therapy, Insulin Therapy and Hydrotherapy. The first kind of shock therapy is Electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. The common name is electroshock therapy. The way ECT is administered is by putting electrodes on the patient’s temples, and then providing a shock to their head causing the patient to have a seizure. (WadeRead MoreChapter Thirteen Of Experience Psychology982 Words   |  4 Pagesfocuses on therapies. The four sections that are discussed in this chapter are: biological therapies, psychotherapy, sociocultural approaches and issues in treatment, and the effectiveness of psychotherapy. The treatments that eliminate or reduce symptoms of psychological disorders are biological therapies. These therapies alter the aspects of the body functioning. The three forms of biological therapy are drug therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychosurgery therapy. Drug therapy is the mostRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Schizophrenia1238 Words   |  5 Pages7 billion. There also has to be millions of people in the world, whose lives are affected by something psychological. From diseases, disorders, phobias and more. Neurological diseases affect the brain and the behaviors of people diagnosed with them. Although there are many neurological diseases, schizophrenia is one of them. Schizophrenia is one of the more known disorders in the psychological world. Throughout this paper the following questions are answered: what is schizophrenia, what are the causesRead MoreShould Electroconvulsive Therapy Ever Be Used to Treat2068 Words   |  9 PagesSHOULD ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY EVER BE USED TO TREAT MENTAL DISORDERS? A. Thesis Statement Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment for severe mental illness in which the brain is stimulated with a strong electrical current which induces a seizure. The seizure rearranges the brains neurochemistry and results in an elevation of mood. This essay asks: Is ECT any safer and more effective in treating mood disorders than drug therapies? This treatment has a controversial history ever sinceRead More Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is a Safe Treatment for Mental Disorders2006 Words   |  9 PagesStatement Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a treatment for severe mental illness in which the brain is stimulated with a strong electrical current which induces a seizure. The seizure rearranges the brains neurochemistry and results in an elevation of mood. This essay asks: Is ECT any safer and more effective in treating mood disorders than drug therapies? This treatment has a controversial history ever since it was first introduced in 1938. I intend to argue that electroconvulsive therapy is indeedRead MoreTreatment Of Schizophrenia And Generalized Anxiety Disorder1427 Words   |  6 Pages Some of the common psychiatric disorders that are experienced by patients include depression, schizophrenia and generalized anxiety disorder. The psychiatric disorders may be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. 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The secondRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of A Depressive Disorder1591 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is a depressive disorder? â€Å" A depressive disorder is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. It interferes with daily life, normal functioning, and causes pain for both the person with the disorder and those who care about him or her.† (Psychology Today) The term depression in psychology is more than just sadness. â€Å"People with depression may experience a lack of interest and pleasure in daily activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive sleeping, lack ofRead MoreHomosexuality As A Mental Disorder1325 Words   |  6 Pagesmany reasons; race, religion, political affiliations, and sexual orientation. In the United States, and many other nations across the globe, there have been hundreds of thousands of people victimized for being homosexual. Due to differing standpoints, homosexuality is seen as â€Å"immoral† or â€Å"sinful† or even â€Å"disgusting†. Up until 1973, homosexuality was also referred to as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. People could be openly criticized, mocked, and often killed for simplyRead MoreClincal Depression Essay1445 Words   |  6 Pagesis a very common disease that will affect a large percentage of th e population at some point during their life span. At least 10% of all people will suffer from a major depressive disorder, while even a larger percentage will suffer from some type of mild depression. It is a serious disease that has been linked to other physical and mental illnesses. It has also been a cause of death in numerous cases due to suicide and heart disease. The most disturbing fact about depression is that it so often

The Hobbit free essay sample

Tolkien uses the characters in The Hobbit and symbolism of the good versus evil to depict that racism in society is destructive. Tolkien was known for his legendarium, which is Tolkien’s imagined world of Arda. Tolkien, throughout the story, references topics related to racism, such as superiority and bloodlines. While Tolkien thought that racism would be destructive for the human race, he still incorporated it into this novel. Its hard to depict if Tolkien is writing about racism but there is not a doubt that in The Hobbit there is racial division and it sets up great talking points. In The Hobbit the author J. R Tolkien uses racism through symbolism and the manipulation of characters and their action to cause controversy in the story and to show that racism is destructive for everyone. Tolkien used symbolism through his characters and Middle Earth to portray that their was some sort of racial divide in The Hobbit. Christine Chism who is a contributor to the website tolkiengateway mentions this issue on Tolkien’s writing, â€Å"especially The Hobbit could be in the three categories: intentional racism, unconscious Eurocentric bias, and an evolution from latent racism in Tolkiens early work to a conscious rejection of racist tendencies in his late work, which he may have not indented to do so (Tolkien Gateway). † With the majority of free people from Middle Earth being and white that goes with what was happening during with slaver and anti-Semitism the time The Hobbit was written. The Uruk-Hai were described as black-skinned and the orcs were beast like creatures that could be inferred to as slaves which would cause for racism. In The Hobbit Tolkien portrays the good races being in harmony with nature, With all of the races that Tolkien created in The Hobbit, from elves, dwarves, trolls and goblins they all differed philosophically and morally. From the Elves and Dwarves distrusting each other, the ranks within the Orcs such as the Uruk-hai Orcs, which were the highest ranking to which they held superior over the common Orcs, they called snaga, which translates to slave. This is obvious that Tolkien used these characters as symbols to portray racism in someway. While Tolkiens statement comparing Orcs to the Mongol-types is undoubtedly insensitive given todays standards, he does put a disclaimer, (to Europeans,) before least lovely, at least recognizing Western cultural bias and also points out that they were degraded and repulsive versions of Mongol-types, not actual Mongol-types (Tolkien Gateway). With the ways the Tolkien created the characters from the Orcs to the Hobbits is in indication that he was using racism in some type in The Hobbit, which helped cause Tolkien is guilty of being insensitive of the race, which goes against his virtues of racism being destructive for society. Geoffrey James writes an intriguing article called â€Å"The Unsavory Racism of Middle Earth† and how Tolkien’s growing up affected his writing in The Hobbit and how it affected the World War 1 generation. In Tolkien’s generation, the inherent superiority of the light-skinned races over dark-skinned races was considered â€Å"scientific fact. † As late as the 1930s, â€Å"science† books positioned black people as less evolved than white people. For example, the first edition of the quite popular book The Earth for Sam (an introduction to paleontology for children) states that the â€Å"white primate† is the pinnacle of evolution (James). James also goes on to explain that Tolkien’s creation of an essentially racist world would emerge naturally in the early 20th century. James claims that â€Å"Tolkien based Middle Earth on medieval Europe and therefore it just reflects racism in that period† (James). Also in the â€Å"The Unsavory Racism of Middle Earth† James mentions that one reason why Tolkien created such a race driven world was to portray the race driven world he grew up in but also to reflect the racial prejudice of his generation. Another intriguing topic that James brings up is Tolkien’s father is from South Africa and we all know the racial tension and turmoil that has taken place throughout that countries history. In South Africa racism has plagued that country for many years. The battle between the whites and blacks caused lots of social tension throughout the country and with Tolkien himself and his father both living their for a period of time the racism their could have affected his writings. J. R. R Tolkien wrote the Tolkien Letters and they depict letters from all of the novels that he has written. All of the letters the Tolkien wrote were nonfiction and they help explain what he was talking about in the stories that he wrote. Here is how Tolkien describes the orcs. †Squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes; in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types. (Letters 214) Calling them Mongol-types is very insensitive for today’s times. Tolkien writes in the letters about the subject of racism and how people look at racism in his writings. Tolkien and his German publisher got in a battle in the Letters with letter 29 and 30 published in the book. Tolkien made the point-of-view the hobbits that their race is being overlooked. These two letters are as followed Letter 29 was Tolkien’s German Publishers asking if he was of Aryan origin, which could potential cause Tolkien to side with Hitler. I must say that the enclosed letter from Rutten amp; Loening is a bit stiff. Do I suffer this impertinence because of the possession of a German name, or do their lunatic laws require a certificate of arisch origin from all persons of all countries? Personally I should be inclined to refuse to give any Bestatigung (although it happens that I can), and let a German translation go hang. In any case I should object strongly to any such declaration appearing in print. I do not regard the (probable) absence of all Jewish blood as necessarily honourable; and I have many Jewish friends, and should regret giving any colour to the notion that I subscribed to the wholly pernicious and unscientific race-doctrine (Tolkien Letters 29). †While the German publisher asked if Tolkien was of Aryan origin could be another reason he was influenced to included racial divide in his writings. But, Tolkien vehemently denied that he was of Aryan ascent, which was in Letter 30. Thank you for your letter I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware noone (sic) of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people (Tolkien Letters 30). These two letters are examples of why Tolkien thought racism was destructive since he was being accused of something that he in his mind was not doing. The Tolkien letters that are published are very important to Tolkien’s reputation and help explain him, which might not be possible if he did not publish the letters. Jason Fisher writes a unique review of â€Å"Tolkien, Race and Culture History: From Fairies to Hobbits† which Dimitra Fimi wrote about many things that Tolkien included in his writings. One of the many intriguing items was how Fimi depicted the racial division in The Hobbit with the characters Elves and Hobbits. Fimi goes on to say that each of the aces in Middle-earth has a division and it goes back to racism. She explains these with what she says are distinct physical and mental capabilities about race and his views on it (Fisher 170). She also compares the Hobbits and Elves with other things at Tolkien has written. Tolkien thought that racism destructive and did not know why people should care what color of your skin was and why it should matter in liking a person. The article on Global Issues website written by Anup Shah gives a description of what racism is and how racism had an effect on Europe. In 2010 a report on racism from the Europe and included this quote â€Å"Europe has a regional human rights architecture which is unrivaled elsewhere in the world (Shah). Shah writes Ethnic minorities and different cultures in one country can often be used as a scapegoat for the majority during times of economic crisis. That is one reason why Nazism became so popular (Shah). Which relates back to The Hobbit, with the orcs being the scapegoat. From the goblins being evil to the all of the elves being good could potentially reflect what has happening in Europe when Tolkien was writing The Hobbit. When Tolkien was writing this novel there was lot of racism and discrimination going on in Europe and potentially Tolkien could be using the different races and groups of people as the characters that he has portrayed throughout the book. Tolkien lived in Europe and when he was writing The Hobbit there were many unstable times with race going on in the continent. During this time the neo-Nazism was felt all around Europe and playing a major role in how people acted. In this article â€Å"Racism and Tolkien† from In The Armchair they also discuss the negative aspect of Tolkien using racism in his writings especially in The Hobbit. Armchair state this â€Å"This morality is often expressed in terms of light and darkness, fairness versus swarthiness it isn’t impossible for elves to be evil, but they are. Men are good as long as they throw their lot in with the West, and evil if they choose the East. The evil men are swarthy the good men are fair. Orcs are inherently, irredeemably evil (Armchair). Armchair focuses on the morality aspect of Tolkien using race in The Hobbit and how Tolkien does this through symbols throughout the book. While there is a negative aspect of Tolkien and his use of race in The Hobbit it helps prove his point that racism is destructive to society. Race is such a polarizing topic throughout the world today and J. R. R Tolkien in The Hobbit was not afraid to use it in this book. Even though Tolkien was criticized for using symbolism from his characters to specific battles to the creation of Ada Tolkien never backed down from his critics. With the childhood experiences Tolkien had and what racism he saw when he was in Europe he realized it was not good for anyone in society to participate. Even though The Hobbit has elements of being race based it is very easy to criticize Tolkien for this without understanding he was trying to make. Tolkien used The Hobbit to express his feelings about racism and how it is destructive for society.

Reflection for Chapter free essay sample

Reflection for path-goal Leadership Key behaviours among group members Most of us were participative and had a supportive leadership path, which means being more people-oriented. Differences among individual members 2 of us are task focused when it comes to leadership. One is directive and another is achievement-oriented. What results were surprising? What were possible causes of the differences? We had thought that our leadership styles would be the same. Giri and Santra (2010) found that Job experiences influence the leadership styles of employees. They add that each person goes through his/her own learning makes ecisions based on his/her life experiences. Each of us had different experiences prior to becoming a group. How did individual members or the group react to differences among the groups behaviours? We were accepting toward the different leadership styles each one preferred and valued each ones strengths. Depending on the situation, we would chose to let the most suitable person lead. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflection for Chapter or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What was one key factor that the group learnt about each other? We realised that everyone could lead, just in different ways. We are made differently and each of us subconsciously displays our personal leadership style. We have to give each other a chance to display their strengths associated with a particular style of leadership when there is a need to. How activity is linked to discussion topic By deciding what leadership style we would use in a particular situation, and having learnt which style fit best to a situation, we each know which situations we triumph most, and which we have scope for learning to modify our usual styles. Reference: Girl, V Santra, T 2010, Effects of Job experience, career stage, and hierarchy on leadership style, Singapore Management Review, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 85-93.