Democratic Leadership Style - Thesis Example

?Democratic Leadership Style Order No. 511359 No individual has all the skills-and certainly not the time- to carry out all the complex tasks of contemporary leadership – (John Gardner, On Leadership) Introduction Democratic leadership plays a key role in determining the progress of a group or organization, be it in a teacher -student relationship or a higher authority and their subordinates. It has been proven that democratic leadership paves way for a much stronger relationship because it empowers the person to perform better and feel more involved in the project since they have been part of the decision. Though in a democratic leadership, the final decision is made by the higher authority, it allows the people to give their opinions thereby making them feel more involved in the entire process. In a school, democratic leadership has a vital role to play and it is important that the people closest to the students, get the opportunity to make decisions on school curriculum and instructions. Coalition principles state that the school itself "should model democratic practices that involve all who are directly affected by the school" In a democratic setup, students, teachers and parents could have various insights, thoughts, ideas and talents which when shared would be so effective in creating a healthy school culture. It is vital to start democratic leadership while children are still in school, as schools play a crucial role in preparing citizens for democracy. According to Nancy Mohr -"You can do anything you want: you just can't do everything you want". The positive side of limited time is that it forces schools to make choices that correlate with the core values of the school resulting in teachers, students and parents-the decision-makers experience commitment that  surpasses their personal fortune. In a democratic set up, one does not think and act individually for ones self, but on the other hand think and work for the whole group. This vision is clearly reflected in the words of Anzar's Charlene Mckowen where she states "Once you've worked here, (democratic set up) you always think on behalf of the whole staff, the whole school. You think for the long term when you're a part of making a decision". Accomplishing a democratically run school can be very difficult. But once it is achieved, the needs of the whole community can be met and there is a good chance that the school will retain itself even with the loss of its key visionaries and founders. Democratic leadership places key decision making in the hands of people who know the students best and which makes it a powerful tool to serve the common good. Educational leadership in the 21st century shows patterns of change, conflict and contradictions. The need for effective leadership is being clamored for, by all quarters, be it the teacher, politician or the parent. The topic of democratic leadership has always been a highly debated one and has surfaced time and again in the arena of educational research. One of the foremost advocates of this system is John Dewey who opined that for students to become able citizens of a democratic society it was important that they lived and grew up in a democratic educational environment along with their teachers. Democratic leadership plays a very vital role in all the facets of our life, especially education. According to (Gastil, 1994) it is both crucial and essential to understand the meaning of democratic leadership, but currently not much attention has been paid to it. In (Minier, 2001) opinion, democratic movements have been responsible for the historical progress of democracy and there are many great leaders of the world who have contributed a great deal to democracy, freedom, liberty and human rights among the developing countries. These dynamic leaders have fought against dictatorship, racial problems involving discrimination and segregation, and military regimes and were instrumental in promoting democracy and bringing about good social change. (Fox & Brown, 2000; Wiseman, 1996) According to (Bass, 1990) Leadership is one of the world’s most ancient preoccupations and a universal phenomenon in humans. Over the centuries, from the ancient to modern history, democratic leadership has played a very crucial role in the formation and development of groups, institutions, societies and nations. One such very important institution is that of education. Though defining democratic leadership is not very easy, yet we could say that democratic leadership is one that gives space for liberty, freedom and encourages good progress, creativity, courage and visionary thinking. The democratic leader is a good role model for people to follow especially within the framework of the school because it is here that strong foundations are laid where character, attitudes, and visionary thinking are concerned. The democratic leader is one who creates a harmonious and healthy atmosphere that directly influences and impacts upon good performance and the general outlook on life of students and teachers. Democratic Leadership Qualities Good democratic leaders are a great asset in any school because they are excellent role models for the others to follow. A democratic leader can be any school authority, teacher or even a student. Such democratic leaders are committed to achieving their goal of a democratic atmosphere within a framework of the school, to the extent of putting aside their personal needs of problems. A democratic leader sets a good example for the others to follow. They possess good motivation skills and always found to be encouraging others around them. Such leaders also have good communication tools which they use extensively every day to help those around them. Another important tool attend a democratic leader possesses that of interpersonal skills which they use extensively in building strong relationships and good friendship with the people they come in contact with every day. In a multicultural setup such as a school, a democratic leader always displays congeniality, concern, understanding and a helpful attitude towards others. They treat others with respect and care and never exhibit partiality at any time. A democratic leader always sets high goals and standards for themselves and also encourages their followers to follow in the same footsteps. They are great visionaries and strive hard towards achieving them. Democratic leaders hold responsible positions and guide others to act the same responsible manner and are clear about what is expected of the others. Democratic leaders always have a positive impact on those who follow them and though they command, they exhibit a great flexibility in the dealings with others. Teachers in democratic school setups set a great example of commitment and foster the same pride and commitment of belonging to the school organization by motivating the students and encouraging them to appreciate and understand the importance of such values. Appreciation and rewards forms an important part of a good democratic setup. Teachers appreciate the work of their students and encourage them to do even better by giving them rewards for their work. (Leaders’ Influence on Work Climate, 2009) Democratic Leadership Style The leadership style in a school can be broadly be categorized into three categories. These categories are autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire styles. In the autocratic style all decisions regarding the school is made unilaterally by the head teacher, without taking inputs from the other members of the institution. The democratic style of school governance implies that decisions are made as a group by involving members of the school in the decision making process. Everyone has the right to voice their own opinions without being penalized. For example, when the school leader is unable to solve a problem they delegate the task to another person and by doing so ensure the smooth running of the school. This is the way the ‘laisssez- faire style’ of leadership in a school works. The cornerstone of democratic educational style is trust and mutual respect. It is often believed to result in a liberating experience for both the teachers and the students. The four basic principles regarding the characteristics of democratic education are truthfulness, honesty, integrity and transparency. A school like any other organization requires able leaders who can inspire the followers to achieve set goals. Strong leadership leads to the realization of goals (Daft, 1999). Effectiveness of leaders determines the success of educational institutions (Huber, 2004). There are certain limitations to practicing democracy in schools as teachers are given the right to exercise authority over children. The school and teachers are duty bound to provide guidance to students as they traverse the road to gaining education. The ideals of democracy are to be inculcated in the students by practicing it in school within the classrooms as well as exercise their role of democracy when in other surroundings. The teachers therefore, ought to conduct the classroom as democratically as possible within prescribed parameters. A teacher to be called as democratic will have to practice democracy in the classroom which is consistent with real life democracy. In a classroom where democracy is practiced, students are given the freedom to discuss and participate not only with regard to their studies but also in issues that affect them. The teachers in such classrooms give the students ample opportunity to participate in group discussions and contribute in decision making. The teacher involves the students to devise classroom rules in the form of writing a classroom constitution and signing it (Zapf, 1959). Students are given choices in the matter of assignment selection. A democratic teacher puts forth several topics to the students who in turn are given the right to exercise their decision and make a choice. A democratic teacher implements democratic practices within the classroom making it a healthy atmosphere that is highly conducive to learning. The major implications of democratic school leadership are that schools should be able to make their students democracy ready i.e. they should be able to live and participate in a democratic society by possessing the tools of democracy such as freedom, courage, integrity and visionary thinking. On the other hand, the school authorities and its staff have the duty of leading and guiding the student on democratic lines in order to ensure that they carry the spirit of democracy once the leave the educational premises. Educators should not lead from the apex of the organizational pyramid, instead they should function “from a web of interpersonal relationships” (Murphy, 2002). Leadership should be distributed among all qualified teachers to make the process of teaching and learning focused and at the same time congenial. The human resources of a country determine the pace of economic and social development. The development of human capital is primarily undertaken by primary, secondary and tertiary training educational institutions (Nsubuga, 2003). The role of education is to enable children become economically independent and impart to them values that make them socially responsible citizens. Leadership is a dynamic process in the educational institutions and the teachers are responsible both for the completion of the assigned task and actively seeking collaboration and commitment of all group members in achieving the goals that have been set (Cole, 2002). Effective leadership is a prerequisite for effective performance in schools. According to Cole (2002) leadership is that quality which inspires people to perform. An institution that is financially stable may not achieve excellence unless they have effective leadership which motivates them to accomplish their task. Leadership style affects performances in schools. This theory holds true if the teachers are qualified and experienced. It plays a galvanizing role in bringing together various factors that are responsible for the cause of educational excellence. The concept of leadership as required in the present day ought to shift from leadership as headship to a distributed form of leadership (Grant, 2006). A study conducted by the Ugandan government established that there was a positive co -relationship between democratic school leadership and academic performance. Leaders who practice democratic type of governance in their schools treat the members of their institutions as intelligent people whose ideas and inputs are important and could be incorporated in the day to day running of the school. When the school leadership style is democratic the students and teachers are given the freedom to have their say in all the decision making processes. This style also leads to the building up of trust, commitment and respect. Community participation and stakeholder involvement in the school is a form of collaborative leadership. Involving all the stakeholders and the community as a whole by a democratic school leader leads to the all round development of the school. A study conducted by Diosdado M. San Antonio and David T. Gamage of the University of Newcastle, Australia examined the impact of democratic leadership style in schools and came to the conclusion that there was a positive, though minor, impact on overall improvement in the school. Through interviews and empirical surveys the researchers found that there were higher levels of commitment among school members who followed the democratic leadership style. The cultivation of an environment that encourages participation and sharing of ideas is deemed to be the basic concern of the democratic leadership style (Starrat, R.J. 2001). The school environment is characterized by ‘a democratic way of life, a democratic process of learning, and a democratic participation in the life of the community of the school’ (Starrat, R.J. 2004). The teachers who go beyond the call of duty to attain the set goals are given the right to take part in decision making. Schools practicing democratic leadership style were found to have teachers who were more committed to the betterment of the school and the students. Democratic leadership style is one where decision making is a shared responsibility. The teachers are closest to the students, hence they are deemed to be best equipped to take decisions regarding the curriculum and other related classroom activities. The teachers are the members of the school who are instrumental in executing the decisions made by the school leadership. Hence as executors of decisions they are entitled to take part in the decision making process. Changes when made in a school are most likely to succeed if those who implement them are given a sense of responsibility and ownership with regards to formulation of rules and curriculum. In such cases the student learning sees improvement as there are higher levels of commitment within the teaching community. In the democratic leadership style the principal changes the profile from being a decision maker to becoming a lead decision maker of a group. Since decision is taken by consensus and inputs are taken from the teaching fraternity the ideas harvested are usually innovative. Teacher burnout and democratic style The characteristics of a school organization affect teacher burnout. Teacher burnout is linked to the size of the organization, the bureaucratic structure, stressful work environment and administrative style. In an authoritarian structure, the centralization of decision making and external monitoring of teachers is a major cause of teacher burnout. In the democratic style of school leadership cases of teacher burnout is reduced as the teachers are also partners in the decision making process as well as being part and parcel of every programme in the school. Since they are made a part of a team which formulates the rules and curriculum, it gives rise to a sense of ownership and commitment on the part of the teachers. This in turn leads a teacher to carry out their prescribed duty with diligence and responsibility. John Dewey originally wrote about the democratic concept of schooling. He believed that “democratic education is linked to freedom, to the ability to see and also alter, to understand and also to re-create, to know and also to imagine a world full of education different from the one we have inherited, so as to provide a stronger, more viable democracy through a stronger, more democratic education for the children of today and tomorrow (P.M. Jenlink, 2009).” The school according to Dewey, ought to be a microcosm of the society we wish to achieve. If we are to have a democratic society it is essential that students are educated in a democratic environment. There is a fundamental difference between the notion of a democratic school and the schools found in the free market. Parents wish to enroll their children in schools that serve them and their child’s interest. The society on the other hand regards schools as the primary agent for creating a common set of values and culture among its citizens (Levin 1994). The school environment is also affected by the conflicting personal and social goals and the teachers too are affected by it. This conflict is best resolved by the application of democratic school leadership style where there is interaction between the prime participants of the organization, namely the principal, teachers, students and parents. It has also been suggested by various management theories that a democratic school environment not only results in improvement of academics and socialization skills of the students but also has a positive effect on teacher productivity and well-being. The task of implementing a democratic leadership style in schools is daunting, as teachers are not trained in management skills while undergoing training. In the United States there is a standardized form of grading students and the teachers are forced to be confined to their curriculum. This evaluation system also determines the employability of the teachers. This form of accountability sought from by the teachers retards the development of democratic school environment and mitigates teacher burn out too. According to (White, Van Scotter, Hartoonian, & Davis, 2007) American citizens are at a risk of losing the democracy because of their failure to educate the present generation of citizens with regard to their responsibilities and other civic duties. In (White et al., 2007) opinion, American citizens have very little traditional understanding of the meaning of democracy. Democracy according to American citizens is a continuous process of guiding initiatives for the state, community and country. It also involves being abreast of all the political matters, paying their taxes correctly, following the laws of their country, and casting their vote in a responsible manner. However, learning the facts about democracy is not so important and practicing it in reality, and to do this, the first step towards democracy is learning and practicing it in the classroom. In aspiring to become a true democratic citizen, practicing democracy within the classroom is crucial. It is in the classroom retire and learn to understand the concept of democracy, take responsibility for all their actions, make the right choices and freely exercise their own voice during the decision-making process. The classroom is a potent ground where the child learns to receive and disburse fair and equal treatment and understands that the school is a safe place to express ones thoughts and ideas without being intimidated or inhibited. According to (Smith, 2005) the Act of 2001, of ‘No Child Left Behind’ (NCLB) the system of education has become more standardized and have set higher achievement standards by adopting more challenging academic content for better student outcomes. However, though Education Secretary Margaret Spellings expressed that the NCLB is a success, yet according to (Smith 2005) the Act is not so successful because evidence gathered shows there is a reduction in student gains. In (Goodlad, 2002, pg. 19) opinion, this type of education system on the targets high scores but neglects democratic characteristics such as freedom in every sense of the word, honesty and sincerity and the inculcation of good habits. Teachers are forced to follow a scripted curriculum where the teaching becomes more focused on knowledge acquiring rather than promoting the practice of democracy in the classroom. By making use of a democratic approach, students learn to practice democracy and a safe atmosphere by taking an active part in the learning process. The Democratic Approach in Schools Dewey, the Father of American education had brought about many progressive theories related to education and advocated the teaching and learning of democracy in schools. According to (Mosher, Kenny & Garrod, 1994) Dewey advocated the child – centered approach as against the teacher-centered approach and strongly believed that democracy cannot be taught or learned in schools that are undemocratic. Piaget who was a developmental theorist introduced the constructivist theory, when children learn from their own experiences, build on them and reflect the same experiences in their day- to-day life. Piaget’s democratic ideas were reflected in his work and wrote extensively on the importance of democracy within the classroom. Traditionally, the teacher had to follow a more authoritarian approach that focused on teaching and lecturing. However, Dewey and Freire advocated that a shift in the role of education was crucial to promote a more democratic approach and broadminded thinking. Michael W. Apple (2000b) argues that presently we are facing a situation where educational institutions are being criticized, scoffed at, blamed an even considered to be failures. However, (Apple 2000b) explains that in order to understand the present educational system, we have to view it from had local context. In addition to stress for higher standards, more rigorous testing and educating students for vocations, is the looming fear of losing out in competitions in the international arena. Michael W. Apple (2000) predicts that we would be facing increased conflict in the curriculum in the next two decades and in order to cope with these problems, coordinated efforts between educators and society is inevitable. Gerald Grace (1995) conducted a field study with the cooperation of 88 school leaders in England between 1990 and 1994. He found that certain schools operated along the lines of market principles and this made it very difficult for other schools to ‘opt out of competitive marketing relationships.’ Gerald Grace (1995, pg. 209) According to Gerald moral accountability should be directed towards the community and not towards the market. He argues that the responsibility of educational leadership is to cultivate and develop core values that would help the students make good progress even when they leave the institution. According to Gary Fenstermacher (1995) economic concerns are given more privilege over knowledge for maintaining democracy in many countries. Presently the national curriculum guidelines are directed towards preparing students for the workplace. (Moos et al., 2000) argues that ‘School leaders could find themselves are blind-sided unless they are able to read the society they serve. Democratic Leadership for School Improvement A research study was undertaken by Alma Harris and Chris Chapman (2001) on the different aspects of democratic leadership, and how challenges within the democratic environment can impact upon the internal working of the school. This study that included 10 schools in the U.K was funded by the National College for school leadership in the U.K. The study explored a number of secondary schools that faced many challenges and examined the strategies they used for school improvement with regard to the successful practices used in the school. According to the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) most of these schools belonged to the Urban area (almost 8% in the UK) Alma Harris and Chris Chapman (2001) Findings from the study showed that only about 25% of students were successful in the national examinations (16 yr olds) The results of the study showed that there were three chief areas where these schools faced challenges – 1) Trying to cope with conflict, problems, unpredictability and tensions on a regular basis, 2)The leadership principles practiced in most of these schools were more people – centered where human needs and commitment surpassed organizational needs and commitment, and 3) Promoting collaboration through team-work and extending the boundaries of democratic leadership. Alma Harris and Chris Chapman (2001) Democracy and Education Stable democracies are quite rare outside countries that have higher levels of education (Glaeser et al., 2004) Researchers believe that there is a close connection between education on one hand and political participation on the other and the best place to experience the impact of education on political participation is by student activism. During the 19th century, students played key roles during the revolutions and other liberal movements across Europe. According to (Randers-Pehrson, 1999, p. 145) “If the revolution had a core, it was the young educated elite”. Student participation in the political arena has contributed immensely towards ushering in democratic values and attitudes in the educational system. It is quite evident that students favor a democratic set up because they value their freedom a great deal. Educated democracies are found to be more stable than the lesser educated democracies and it is evident that education is a major contributing factor that causes democracy. The benefits of democracy are spread over a greater number of citizens, whereas in dictatorship, the benefits are spread over a small group. Democracy needs a larger number of supporters with a high level of political participation and it is education that supplies such supporters. ‘Across the world, the correlation between education and democracy is extremely high’ Alvarez et al. (2000), Barro (1999), Boix and Stokes (2003), Glaeser et al. (2004), and Papaioannou and Siourounis (2005) According to many educators ‘socialization’ plays a major role in the school curriculum as it teaches children how to understand, appreciate and accept the perspective of others around them and to successfully communicate and interact with each other. All these points are very useful and come into play in a democratic set up. (Bowles and Gintis, 1976) are of the opinion that proper communication helps to ‘control any innate anti-social tendencies, and as a consequence become more productive participants in group activities.’ Gordon and Browne (2004) shed light on the importance of children engaging in enjoyable social contacts and say that they have to be motivated to join and interact with others because “enhancing social intelligence builds a set of skills that may be among the most essential for life success of many kinds.” Gordon and Browne (2004) In the UK, the National Curriculum plays a major role in promoting Democracy in schools and the community. It encourages the students to ‘play and active role as future citizens and members of society.’ According to Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the ‘Rights of the Child’ children have to be encouraged to express their views freely and have them given due weight according to their majority. Conclusion Currently, the traditional norms of democratic accountability are being time and again questioned about its effectiveness and hence the true spirit of democratic leadership is undergoing a gradual change. According to the new understanding of values that are embodied in the present system of education and the new understanding of accountability, education is based on cost-effectiveness and efficiency. It is only through experience that better democratic structures could be enhanced. Understanding the norms and regulations of the school help students to engage in social participation and thereby build better relationships in the school and beyond. School Councils could encourage students to participate in all the important educational experiences and decision making in the school thereby encouraging a more democratic outlook in life. www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk/lib_res_pdf/0104.pdf References Alvarez, Michael et al. 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Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management Eugene OR. http://www.vtaide.com/png/ERIC/Shared-Decision-Making.htm Smith S. Marshall (2005) Leaving NCLB Renewal behind. www.educationevolving.org/pdf/mikesmithoped.pdf Teresa. A. Wasonga School Leader’s Perspectives on Democratic Leadership for Social Justice. http://www.topkinisis.com/conference/CCEAM/wib/index/outline/PDF/BOSKE%20Christa.pdf A. Harris, Democratic Leadership for School Improvement (2004) www.googlebooks.com Read More