APPLYING LEADERSHIP THEORIES

Applying Leadership Theories in Alpha Middle School

Applying Leadership Theories in Alpha Middle School

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how different leadership theories apply to a school setting and affect its performance. The school chosen for the analysis is Alpha Middle School, and the study analyzes the impact of diverse leadership theories in school setting. Leadership can be defined as a procedure of communal persuasion, in this process an entity influences other to join him in order to achieve the common objectives. The process of leadership is about constructing a method for natives to provide their assistance in order to achieve the objective beyond limitations.

Efficient leadership is the capability to productively incorporate and exploit accessible resources present in the internal as well as the external environment in order to achieve the organizational objectives or shared goals. School leadership refers to the act of directing and guiding pupils, teachers and parents in order to achieve common educational goals. The United States also relates this term with the concept of educational leadership. There is a very high chance of correlation between the actions of the principal and achievement of the students in the school.

Methods of leadership usually vary but this is less important than the impact, effectiveness and fitness for the purpose. Most leaders often use a variety of styles on a regular basis, wanting to fit each to the purpose of the activity. Moreover, most people agree that the work of the principal is very demanding which also needs to be undertaken very well. Highly effective head teachers were the highest performing leaders compared to other people in their various ranks both in public and private sector organizations. Principals also play an important role in setting positive direction for schools and better learning environment for students.

Leadership in Alpha Middle School

Alpha middle school is a prominent middle school of Centralia, with a population of more than 150,000 outside urban metropolis. The (ISD) independent school district of Centralia has been recognized nationally as one of the exemplary extracurricular and academic facility. The average population of the city is financially sound, when compared to other cities. The majority of the upper middle class children's have all the opportunities available to them with abundance of opportunities for social activities, sports, travel (Lencioni, 2006).

The students come from five distinct districts which comprise of people from diverse backgrounds ranging from upper middle class to the lower middle class. Although the majority of the population is economically sound, still there are families who are living paycheck to paycheck and sharing rental home with other families as well. Recently the crime rate has increased in the city and the activity of the gang members have increased. The parents of the students are mostly blue collar working families who are active participants of their children's social and educational activities (Barbour, 2005).

A school administrator subculture consists of the norms and expectations held by members of the leadership team about how the school should be managed, and who in ...