Educational Leadership Theories - Research Paper Example

Educational leadership includes the process of establishing teams, as well as a united staff. Transformational leadership discusses how new levels of energy and commitment which the educators show can also lead to a general transformation of the organization. In the study, Robinson, et.al., (2008) demonstrated how transformational leadership improved the capacity of the workers to collaborate with each other and to assist each other in overcoming challenges in the fulfillment of their goals (Robinson, et.al., 2008).

The study also discussed that the more teachers were actively involved in applying transformational leadership and in participating in collegial discussions, the better the impact they had on their students. With active transformational leadership, there was also an oversight and coordination of the general instructional program (Robinson, et.al., 2008). Applying transformational leadership has also been apparent in good performing schools with teachers adhering to clear performance standards in their teaching.

With these applications of transformational leadership, it is apparent that it is a strong leadership theory to apply in teaching. McCormick (2009) discusses the essentials of transformational leadership and he cites how this leadership is defined in terms of its idealized influence and individual considerations. McCormick (2009) also discusses that transformational teachers are those who help students consider the bigger view of education by establishing idealized influence. These teachers often communicate with their students and point out to them how important education is and how it can provide a good vision for their future.

In applying this leadership, the students have to be exposed to different lifestyles; and in the process consider various opportunities for their future (McCormick, 2009). This type of leadership has also been able to encourage frequent trips for students in order to view the bigger world, and to seek strong solutions for the problems they witnessed during these trips. Through transformational leadership, educators have been able to teach their students how to view themselves as leaders. Teachers applying the transformational leadership approach were able to get their students to read Romeo and Juliet as early as their sophomore year.

These teachers were able to encourage the students to narrate the story in their own in way. In effect, the students were actually able to gain much depth in their understanding of Shakespeare and his poetry. By setting high standards for their students and by encouraging them to be more active in the learning process, the students were able to gain more skills and knowledge (McCormick, 2009). Transformational teaching also involves challenging assumptions about the school system. Where students were considered ‘unteachable,’ the transformational leaders were able to prove such concept wrong by teaching their students new ways of learning, as well as and new knowledge.

Alger (2008) discusses that building an organizational culture which highlights stable improvement in educational programs can be a significant challenge. The leaders can be challenged in advocating strong leadership in these instances. Transformational le