Educational leaders must ensure that all students have equal opportunities for success academically, socially, and emotionally.
Education goes well beyond just learning things from books. While at school, students develop many skills they use to interact with others socially and in a work or team environment.
Educational leaders need to acknowledge and learn about different backgrounds.
More and more places are increasingly diverse. Students come from many socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. There are very personal differences that also must be acknowledged. To ensure that educational opportunities are inclusive, an educational leader must know the challenges different types of students face in their communities.
Some challenges may be poverty-related. For example, a lack of access to adequate food, clothing, or housing can greatly impact how well a child can concentrate in a learning environment and, unfortunately, how their peers treat them socially.
To combat this problem, some educational leaders have helped pass policies that allow free breakfast and lunch for all students or those who meet some household income criteria. Free meals for all have become popular because it levels the field so that students are not aware if a peer needs free or reduced-price meals.
Leaders must strive to offer a variety of approaches to learning
Some people learn better using some methods than others. It is important to allow students different ways of learning the same concepts. This ensures that students do not fall behind. When a student is allowed to learn in the way that is best for them, they are more likely to stay interested and not get bored.
On the other hand, it is critical to recognize students who show a lot of interest and excel in specific areas. This can build a lot of confidence in a student when teachers see that they are very good at something and avoid boredom when a student is placed in classes that are not advanced enough for them.
Leaders need to work with parents and keep them informed about student progress
Schools can be very busy places. It is critical that parents are regularly kept up to date about their children’s progress. If a child is experiencing trouble in a specific area, it is important to make sure to not concentrate too much on the negative things going on and highlight the student’s positive traits. Finding ways to use positive traits and academic success to address challenges in other areas should be the goal. When parents are aware of a problem then they can help their child in that area by working with educators.
In person conferences with parents used to be the normal course of events at schools but in the modern age this is not always possible. The use of teleconferencing apps such as Google Meet or Zoom are an excellent substitute for in person meetings.
Having an open-door policy that makes it easy for parents to talk to educational leaders when they have a question or concern is also helpful.
Encourage diversity among teachers and administrators
While it is important for students to be comfortable working with people of all racial groups and backgrounds, it is also important that there be teachers and administrators that are the same race as the student. For example, ideally students who are black, white, and Latino would have teachers from all those groups as well. This way, there are teachers from similar backgrounds to their own but also others so everyone can learn from each other and appreciate the beauty of diversity and other cultures.
Learning to work with others from different backgrounds is very important for students on a social level but also when it comes time for them to join the workforce.
Evaluate school dress codes and discipline policies
It is important to evaluate dress codes and discipline policies to ensure they are not inadvertently discriminatory against any specific group of students. While standards are needed, there are still some instances where dress codes may be antiquated. For example, stating that some hairstyles or hats are not acceptable may be discriminatory.
Discipline policies like zero tolerance have been shown to sometimes result in some groups of students being disciplined more often than others. Taking a long look at data and records at a school may be needed to recognize a problem and work towards better and more inclusive policies.
Educational leaders are needed for a brighter future for students from all walks of life
There is a strong demand for educators that want to take a leadership role and help improve the options and chances of academic success of students no matter what their background might be. An Ed.D. degree from Rockhurst University can be achieved online while you continue to work your regular job. This is a great way for a current teacher to advance their career and take on a leadership role at practically any school or university. You can earn your Ed.D in just 2 years fully remote.
What types of jobs are open to someone with an advanced degree in education?
With an advanced degree you are qualified for roles as a chief academic officer, post-secondary education administrator, school principal, and more. Some education leaders find that they wish to pursue a job teaching at the college level as well. Teaching is an option that is always open to an educator with an advanced degree no matter where they are in their career.
Conclusion
Educational leaders can make a big difference when it comes to providing equitable educational opportunities and experiences to students of all backgrounds. Through a better understanding of diverse groups and working with parents and community leaders, the educational system can be vastly improved.
Now is a great time for teachers to take the next step in their career and get an advanced degree that teaches them the skills they need to be a strong educational leader and make a big difference in the world around them.
