Special education requires particular care and attention when it comes to selecting teaching strategies and especially the style of leadership to be applied in the target context. The described issue is by no means an attempt at minimizing the credibility of special education teachers and their experience (Maggin). Instead, it is an attempt at introducing a cohesive and coherent framework into the special education setting to ensure that the applied strategies are uniform across different institutions (Coleman and Glover). However, administrative leadership in the context of special education may imply multiple challenges, including the difficulty of choosing an appropriate leadership style, the issues associated with the promotion of cross-disciplinary collaboration, and other concerns (Rushton 137). In order to introduce a standardized approach while also maintaining the promotion of innovative techniques and strategies, one should enhance the efficacy of interprofessional communication and data management.
However, opportunities for building an effective leadership framework are yet to be explored. Presently, there seems to be a gap in the body of research regarding the impact that different leadership strategies and approaches have on the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration and effective data management (Lathan). Specifically, while a range of approaches concerning the use of leadership as an administrative tool in the environment of special education exists, there is a noticeable lack of consistency in the choice of leadership strategies for teachers (“Six Highly Effective Education Leadership Styles”). Therefore, the specified gap needs to be examined and explored in depth to produce the leadership framework to guide teachers and support them in the special education environment. Thus, the needs of students and educators will be met respectively, allowing for the further development of the teaching strategies and the improvement in the quality of special education.
Annotated Bibliography
Coleman, Marianne, and Derek Glover. Educational Leadership and Management: Developing Insights and Skills. Open University Press, 2010. Web.
Coleman and glover introduce a multi-perspective approach for handling leadership issues in the special education context. Specifically, the authors explain the importance of introducing a proper conflict management strategy, an effective communication framework, and the tools for delegating tasks and responsibilities in the academic context. Therefore, the insights that Coleman and Grover provide will be crucial in developing a framework for leadership in the special education context.
Lathan, Joseph. “10 Traits of Successful School Leaders.” University of San Diego, n.d., Web.
Lathan considers the crucial characteristics that he deems as vital for an effective school leader to possess. The author regards the skills of building a community and empowering teachers as especially valuable abilities that an administrator must have in order to lead a team of teachers. Being concise yet informative, this article can be used as the source of studying leadership traits in educators.
Maggin, Daniel M., et al. “School Administrators’ Perspectives on Special Education Teacher Leadership.” Journal of Special Education Leadership, vol. 33, no. 2, 2020, pp. 78–89. Web.
Maggin et al. add to the discourse regarding the role of school administrators as leaders in shaping teachers’ motivation and professional development. Namely, the study outlines the vital role of a student-centered approach and the importance of introducing the Transformational Leadership style to change teachers’ attitudes and behaviors. The article will be used as the basis for developing an approach toward leadership for special education teachers.
Rushton, Kenzie. Instructional Leadership: The Art of Asking Questions to Promote Teaching Effectiveness. University of Calgary, 2017.
Rushton strives to outline the most successful teaching practices, in general, thus, creating a platform for the further refinement of these approaches so that they could be adjusted to specific settings. Namely, Rushton emphasizes the significance and the tremendous role of a professional learning opportunity in guiding teachers. The study will be used as a general reference for building a framework for leading teachers in the special education environment.
“Six Highly Effective Education Leadership Styles.” School of Education, 2019, Web.
In education, leadership can take many forms, each being suitable for a specific set of scenarios. This source specifies six key leadership approaches in teaching, namely, coercive, authoritative, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, and coaching approaches to leadership in education. Providing examples of each being used accordingly, the article promotes flexibility in academic leadership. This resource will be utilized to outline key perspectives on leadership in special education.
Works Cited
Lathan, Joseph. “10 Traits of Successful School Leaders.” University of San Diego, n.d., Web.
Maggin, Daniel M., et al. “School Administrators’ Perspectives on Special Education Teacher Leadership.” Journal of Special Education Leadership, vol. 33, no. 2, 2020, pp. 78–89. Web.
Marianne Coleman, and Derek Glover. Educational Leadership and Management: Developing Insights and Skills. Open University Press, 2010. Web.
Rushton, Kenzie. Instructional Leadership: The Art of Asking Questions to Promote Teaching Effectiveness. University of Calgary, 2017.
“Six Highly Effective Education Leadership Styles.” School of Education, 2019, Web.