Unit 5 Final
Unit 5 Final
A. DEFINING LEADERSHIP
What is Leadership?
• Leadership is having the capacity to influence and guide individuals or groups to
common objectives.
• It is a complex procedure necessary for success in any social setting, including
education, that includes the use of personal characteristics, which include beliefs,
values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills to form harmonious groups and
accomplish common goals.
• Historically, leadership has also been referred to as "management," emphasizing the
importance of providing technical expertise and direction.
Principle of Leadership
1. Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement: A fundamental leadership principle that
emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and continuous growth.
• For Educators: Teachers should reflect on their strengths and weaknesses,
seeking professional development opportunities to enhance their teaching skills,
classroom management strategies, and understanding of diverse learners. This
includes staying updated on educational research and best practices.
• For Education: Schools and districts can encourage self-reflection and
professional growth by providing resources, mentorship programs, and
opportunities for peer observation and feedback.
2. Be Technically Proficient - As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid
familiarity with your employees’ jobs.
• For Educators: Teachers need strong pedagogical knowledge, mastery of their
subject matter, and an understanding of educational technologies. They should
continuously learn new teaching methods and adapt to changes in curriculum
and educational trends.
• For Education: Schools should invest in teacher training, provide access to
relevant resources and technology, and offer opportunities for teachers to
specialize in their areas of expertise.
3. Seek Responsibility and Take Responsibility for Your Actions: Analyze the
situation, take corrective action, and move to the next question.
• For Educators: Teachers should be accountable for student learning, take
ownership of their classroom environment, and actively seek solutions to
challenges. They should be willing to analyze their teaching practices and make
adjustments to improve student outcomes.
• For Education: Schools should create a culture of accountability, provide
support for teachers to address challenges, and encourage a growth mindset
where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities.
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• For Educators: Teachers need to make informed decisions about curriculum,
lesson planning, student assessments, and classroom management. They
should be able to analyze data, prioritize tasks, and make decisions that benefit
student learning.
• For Education: Schools should equip teachers with the tools and training they
need to make data-driven decisions, provide opportunities for collaborative
decision-making, and encourage a culture of continuous improvement.
5. Set the Example: To be a good role model, they must not only hear what they are
expected to do but also see.
• For Educators: Teachers are role models for students. They should
demonstrate respect, responsibility, ethical behavior, and a love for learning.
Their actions and words should inspire students to strive for excellence.
• For Education: Schools should promote a positive culture that values hard work,
integrity, and respect for all members of the school community.
6. Know Your People and Look Out for Their Well-being: Know human nature and the
importance of sincerity in caring for your workers.
• For Educators: Teachers should understand the individual needs of their
students, be sensitive to their backgrounds and experiences, and create a
supportive and inclusive classroom environment.
• For Education: Schools should provide resources and training for teachers to
address student mental health, social-emotional learning, and diversity.
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10. Train Your People as a Team: Although many so-called leader call their organization,
department, or section, they are not really teams, they are just a group of people doing
their jobs.
• For Educators: Teachers should collaborate with each other, share best
practices, and work together to support student learning.
• For Education: Schools should foster a collaborative culture, provide
opportunities for professional development, and encourage teachers to work as
a team.
11. Use the Full Capabilities of Your Organization: By developing a team spirit, you will
be able to employ your organization, department, or section to its fullest capabilities.
• For Educators: Teachers should leverage the strengths of their students, create
opportunities for them to shine, and provide them with a challenging and
engaging learning environment.
• For Education: Schools should create opportunities for students to participate in
extracurricular activities, provide access to a variety of resources, and
encourage a culture of innovation and creativity.
The trait theory of leadership focuses on identifying different personality traits and
characteristics that are linked to successful leadership across a variety of situations. This line of
research emerged as one of the earliest types of investigations into the nature of effective
leadership and is tied to the "great man" theory of leadership first proposed by Thomas Carlyle
in the mid-1800s.
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Carlyle's theory of leadership was based on the rationale that:
• Certain traits produce certain patterns of behavior.
• Patterns are consistent across different situations.
• People are "born" with leadership traits.
The trait approach to leadership concentrates on the idea that great leaders are born
with the given abilities, and not a learned ability.
According to Northouse (2016),” the situational approach stresses that leadership is
composed of both a directive and a supportive dimension, and that each has to be applied
appropriately in given situation.
According to this theory, the most effective leaders are those that are able to adapt
their style to the situation and look at cues such as the type of task, the nature of the group,
and other factors that might contribute to getting the job done.
Successful leaders could look at situations with different perspectives. They assess
the situation and behaviors of the team members in play, after which they determine the type
of leadership approach to use to get the best result. The situational leadership theory and
situational leadership model work to ensure success, due to the following:
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Adopting positive leadership behavior can motivate your team to be more effective and
increase its ability to reach goals. It also helps you to retain top talent within your department,
as team members will value the opportunity to work alongside you. Learning how to behave like
a leader can take practice and a strong sense of self-awareness as you monitor your own
actions.
People-oriented leaders
People-oriented leaders focus on behaviors that allow them to meet the needs of the
people they interact with, including supervisors, employees and clients. They are primarily
driven by interpersonal connection and communication. People-oriented leaders build
relationships with their team members to motivate them to perform well. This type of leader
favors behavior related to:
• Encouraging collaboration
• Rewarding success
• Observing their team's progress
• Mentoring team members
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Task-oriented leaders
Task-oriented leaders are primarily focused on setting goals and achieving objectives.
Task-oriented leaders thrive in a well-structured environment and often show authoritative
behavior. They are typically more focused on their team's final results rather than the day-to-
day developmental process. Behaviors that are common for a task-oriented leader include:
• Initiating projects
• Organizing processes
• Clarifying instructions
• Gathering relevant data
Participative leaders
Participative leaders make an effort to include their entire team in decision-making
processes. They prioritize active communication, collaboration and feedback. Participative
leaders know their team's strengths and weaknesses and assign tasks accordingly. This
leadership style allows every team member's voice to be heard and considered. Participative
leaders are likely to:
• Facilitate team meetings
• Ask for constructive feedback
• Take suggestions for improvement
• Delegate tasks to other team members
Status-quo leaders
Status-quo leaders make an effort to prioritize both productivity and employee satisfaction.
They ensure that all tasks are finished on time while also providing support and encouragement
to their team members. Staus-quo leaders typically meet the needs of their team without going
above or beyond expectations. Some behaviors associated with status-quo leaders include:
• Distributing tasks evenly
• Requiring regular progress reports
• Enforcing company policies fairly
• Responding to feedback neutrally
Indifferent leaders
Indifferent leaders do not prioritize interaction or communication with their team. They
usually oversee progress from a distance and do not contribute to their team's daily efforts.
They are primarily focused on personal success and advancement. Due to the lack of
cooperation, an indifferent leadership style is widely considered the most ineffective of the
behavioral leadership types. Behaviors typical for indifferent leaders include:
• Avoiding questions
• Procrastinating
• Self-preserving
• Assigning unwanted tasks to others
Dictatorial leaders
Dictatorial leaders often value results more than they do people. They may pressure their
team members to perform well even during stressful or challenging periods. Dictatorial leaders
are often successful in delivering high-quality results but may experience high-turnover rates
due to employee dissatisfaction and burnout. The behaviors of a dictatorial leader include:
• Setting inflexible deadlines
• Disregarding excuses
• Ignoring feedback
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• Achieving short-term goals
Sound leaders
Sound leadership is considered the most effective type of behavioral leadership. However,
it is typically difficult to practically implement. Sound leaders equally prioritize productivity and
team morale. They value their team members, set achievable goals and deliver high-quality
results. They are intrinsically motivated to succeed and find satisfaction in supporting their
team's progress. Sound leaders exhibit behaviors like:
• Encouraging open communication
• Allowing employees to work independently
• Listening to and implementing feedback
• Providing training and continuing education to team members
Opportunistic leaders
Opportunistic leaders pick and choose different behaviors from the previous styles. They
can adjust and adapt their leadership style to fit a particular situation. They are goal-oriented
and will use whatever methods are necessary to achieve their objectives. For example, they
might adopt a dictatorial persona in the weeks leading up to a major deadline and then shift to
country club leadership afterward to repair their relationship with their team. The specific
behaviors of an opportunistic leader vary, but may include:
• Lack of consistency
• Pursuing results regardless of cost
• Enforcing their own standards for success
• Caring for their team to improve performance
Paternalistic leaders
This leadership style strives to be stern but fair, much like a father with a child. Paternalistic
leaders are goal-oriented but are willing to be flexible regarding methodology. They frequently
set lofty goals and reward team members that achieve them. They value their team members'
individual skills and offer opportunities for them to develop professionally. Other behaviors
associated with the paternalistic style include:
• Rewarding positive behavior or success
• Disciplining failure
• Disregarding feedback
• Offering leadership opportunities to promising employees
4. Leadership Effectiveness
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The leader's ability to effectively influence, motivate, and guide their team or
organization towards the achievement of desired goals and objectives.
To lead a team, you need to understand leadership effectiveness. Leadership
Effectiveness is the key analyst of organizational success or failure while examining the
factors that lead to organizational success.
1. Personality
Successful leaders have pleasing personalities. Personality is a person's unique
collection of characteristics, behaviors, and emotional tendencies. It's what makes someone
different from others.
2. Human skills
Interpersonal skills that allow leaders to understand and connect with the emotions
and expectations of their subordinates.
3. Communication skills
The ability to convey information clearly and effectively, ensuring that the team
understands the organization's goals and shares relevant information.
4. Administrative skills
Administrative skills are about organizing tasks and making sure that everything
runs smoothly. Leadership should be administered as required to undertake management
functions such as planning, organizing, directing, and controlling.
5. Decision making
The process of identifying problems, evaluating alternatives, and selecting the best
solution to address challenges effectively.
6. Conceptual
The ability to understand and think deeply about problems, allowing leaders to plan
for the future and solve complex issues. A top-level leader considers a long-term
perspective.
7. Innovation
The skill to come up with new and creative ideas to improve things and find better
ways to do task.
8. Initiative
Effective leadership can take place only when the leader is at the position to do the
right things at the right time without being reminded.
9. Intelligence
An intelligent leader is efficient enough to make decisions and to deal with people.
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People are naturally drawn to leaders whom they trust and respect. To build a loyal
team, a leader must be trustworthy.
12. Delegation
The ability to assign tasks to the team members based on their strengths and skills,
allowing everyone to contribute and feel important.
13. Appreciation
A leader should value each member and make each member feel valued.
The Fiedler Contingency Model was created in the mid-1960s by Fred Fiedler, a scientist
who studied the personality and characteristics of leaders. The model states that there is no
one best style of leadership. Instead, a leader's effectiveness is based on the situation.
This theory suggests that successful leaders exercise control over a situation that’s
influenced by three distinct factors.
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• Leader-Member Relations: This aspect focuses on the level of trust, respect, and
confidence that team members have in their leader. If you’re well-liked and trusted by your
team, you can communicate your ideas with greater conviction and it’s easier for you to
exercise effective leadership.
• Task Structure: This refers to how well-defined a task is. Tasks with clear objectives,
procedures, and defined roles enable leaders to guide their teams effectively. When there’s
a structured approach to work, your team finishes their work on time. A well-specified plan
of action directs everyone to their goals.
• Position Power: This factor considers a leader's formal authority, including the power to
reward or discipline team members. The more power (and influence) you have over your
team, the greater control you have over your situation to exercise successful leadership.
• Delegating Style: You empower your team to take on responsibilities and make
their own decisions.
• Participating Style: You build strong connections with your team, peers, and
coworkers by encouraging collaboration and fostering a spirit of teamwork.
• Selling Style: You convey ideas and strategies in a persuasive manner to
enhance your team’s productivity.
• Telling Style: You offer guidance and closely oversee your team’s progress.
• Directive Leadership: You communicate your expectations and assist your team
in organizing their work accordingly.
• Supportive Leadership: You treat everybody with equal importance and create a
friendly and supportive work environment.
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• Participative Leadership: You consult your team members during decision-
making; this establishes trust between you and your team.
• Achievement-Oriented Leadership: You set challenging milestones and expect
everybody to perform their best; you guide them wherever necessary.
Advantages
1. Contingency theory is based on empirical research and has evolved over time, expanding
the understanding of leadership.
2. It acknowledges that no single leadership style is ideal, allowing you to define leadership on
your own terms, including your rules, goals, and expectations.
3. Since the theory is tailored to specific situations, it adapts well to changing business
demands, making it suitable for fast-paced environments.
Disadvantages
1. Because there is no standard definition of effective leadership, you lack concrete
examples to learn from.
2. Your interpersonal relationships and contexts often take precedence over your skills,
placing excessive emphasis on the situation.
3. Since there is no one-size-fits-all solution to problems, you may find yourself spending
considerable time before finding a resolution.
C TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
C. TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
1. Idealized Influence
A leadership style that involves behaving as a role model to inspire and
motivate followers. Leaders become models for their followers through their friendly
behavior. They admire, respect, and trust their followers. They pay more attention to
the needs of their followers than their own needs and avoid using the power for
personal interests.
2. Intellectual Stimulation
The act of challenging your mind and encouraging others to think creatively and
critically. It can involve exchanging ideas, questioning assumptions, and exploring
new ideas.
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• They seek other paths to goals that stray from the norm and openly push others
to challenge their own beliefs and values, as well as those of the company.
3. Inspirational Motivation
Inspirational and motivational leaders are those who challenge their followers
in their jobs and create a clear perspective to reach goals and go toward the future by
increasing efficiency in the workplace.
4. Individualized Consideration
This component can be defined as the support and encouragement provided
by the leaders for their team members by identifying their abilities and needs and
fulfilling them. This component is shown by transformational leaders as they treat their
team members as a whole individual, not just as one of their followers.
You should now have a good understanding of the behaviors and attributes that Bass
considers all true Transformational Leaders to possess.
Becoming one is not an overnight phenomenon - individuals have to work to become a
leader of high inspiration, and it may be suited to some personalities over others - but here are
some steps that one can take to drive themselves towards the next level of leadership:
1. Identify individual strengths and weaknesses
2. Develop an inspiring vision for the future
3. Motivate everyone to buy into the vision
4. Manage and involve yourself in delivery
5. Reinforce your relationships with the team: trust, loyalty
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• Evolutionary Leadership
It is a leadership approach that focuses on personal and systemic
transformation. It’s based on the idea that leaders must evolve themselves to
lead transformation in others and the organization.
• Evolutionary Leadership Theory (ELT)
It is a framework for leadership development that focuses on personal
and systemic transformation. It was developed by Richard Barrett, a renowned
author and consultant.
1. Personal Evolution
- This competency refers to the leader’s capacity for self-awareness,
introspection, and deliberate development of their own emotional, social,
and cognitive capacities. Prioritizing personal development helps leaders
become more resilient, successful, and adaptive, which eventually
promotes growth and positive change inside their organizations.
2. Emotions and Generative Language
- Emotions are our feelings in response to different situations, people, and
events. They can be positive, like happiness, love, and excitement, or
negative, like sadness, anger, and fear. Emotions play a key role in how we
see the world and interact with others.
- Generative Language is how we use language to create and shape our
reality. It involves using words and communication to come up with new
ideas, possibilities, and outcomes. This concept shows that the language
we use can affect our thoughts, behaviors, and the world around us.
- In short, emotions are our internal reactions to the world, while generative
language is how we express and shape our experiences and interactions.
3. Systems Thinking
- It refers to a leader’s capacity to comprehend, evaluate, and manage
complex systems while acknowledging the interdependence and
connectivity of different elements. By cultivating systems thinking, leaders
can more effectively manage the complicated nature of their organization
and its surroundings, resulting in better decision-making, improved
teamwork, and enhanced resilience and adaptability.
4. Systematic Sustainability
- This idea refers to the leader’s capacity to develop sustainability practices
and principles into the organization’s DNA, guaranteeing long-term viability
and success. Leaders can positively influence the organization, its
stakeholders, and the environment by incorporating systematic
sustainability into their leadership style, ultimately fostering a more
sustainable future.
5. Ontological Design
- Involves a leader’s capacity to influence and create the foundational beliefs,
values, and assumptions that dictate an organization’s behavior, culture,
and reality. By mastering ontological designing, leaders can purposefully
mold the organization’s culture, values, and reality, thereby fostering a
more positive, adaptable, and resilient organizational environment.
6. Adaptive Work and Collaboration
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- This idea is about a leader’s ability to handle complicated and unpredictable
situations by teaming up with others to adapt, come up with new ideas, and
learn. By developing skills for flexible teamwork, leaders can navigate tough
environments, drive innovation, and build strong organizations that can
handle uncertainty.
7. Evolutionary Visions, Scenarios and Wisdom
- This concept refers to a leader’s skill in picturing, imagining, and building an
inspiring future for the organization, while considering different possibilities
and using collective knowledge. By developing forward-thinking visions,
scenarios, and wisdom, leaders can shape an attractive future for their
organization, foresee and prepare for possible challenges, and use shared
insights to guide decision-making and strategy.
E TEACHER LEADERSHIP
E. Teacher Leadership
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• Benefits: Being a teacher leader can give more confidence and professional
development.
• Challenges: It also means that there are more workloads that need to do, which
can lead to stress and make it hard to balance work and personal life.
2. Intellectual and Professional Growth:
• Benefits: Teacher leadership enables professional development, skill
enhancement, and an expanded understanding of education.
• Challenges: Teacher leaders may not always be adequately recognized for their
accomplishments, and prospects for growth or development as professionals are
limited.
3. Decreased Isolation:
• Benefit: It increases the connection and communication to their work
environment, and it brings teachers together, creating a sense of community and
reducing the isolation towards others.
• Challenge: Some teachers might resist working together because they prefer
working alone, and sometimes some teachers get more opportunities to lead
than others, which can lead to problems.
4. Confronting Obstacles:
• Benefit: Teacher leadership builds problem-solving skills and adaptability.
• Challenge: The constant pressure of handling challenges can result in burnout
and overwhelm.
5. Role Definitions:
• Benefit: Clearly defined roles foster effective teamwork and collaboration.
• Challenge: Establishing and clarifying roles can be complex. Roles that are
unclear or enforced without teacher involvement can lead to conflict and reduce
openness.
6. Time:
• Benefit: Teacher leadership improves time management and prioritization skills.
• Challenge: Increased responsibilities result in a significantly higher workload
and time demands.
7. School Culture:
• Benefit: A supportive school atmosphere is necessary for effective teacher
leadership.
• Challenge: Resistance to change and a lack of administrative support can
hinder development.
F INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
F. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
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student in their schools. These individuals often strive to empower teachers to become leaders
themselves, distributing the weight of the school's responsibilities more equitably and providing
a model of teamwork for students to look up to. This method of leadership in education became
popular in the '80s and '90s and continues to evolve based on societal and educational needs.
Communication skills
Verbal and written communication skills are essential to leadership success. An
instructional leader must be able to effectively communicate their intentions regarding students'
education. This may involve emails and other written communication, or it could mean holding
meetings with teachers to set goals and assess lesson plans.
Effective planning
An instructional leader's ability to research and provide necessary resources improves
learning and allows teachers to be more effective at their jobs. For example, a principal may
adopt new technology for teaching tools and for overseeing staff initiatives, and this process
requires planning. Instructional leaders must be able to maintain a balance between procedure
and adaptability to support creativity and innovative teaching in their schools.
Trustworthiness
A positive and fair leader easily earns the trust of their staff, allowing the staff to look to
the leader in good times as well as challenging times. A good instructional leader can remain
calm and fair during a discussion where people present opposing ideas, weighing the merits
and drawbacks of each while gathering feedback from other members of staff who would be
affected by any changes in plans. An instructional leader's balanced judgment leads their
teachers to trust and respect them, and this trust helps build a united educational community.
Competence
Teachers rely on instructional leaders for information associated with instructional
methods, current trends in education and other pertinent news related to effective teaching.
Additionally, principals are expected to be a visible representation of positivity and
transparency in the institution, leading by example and focusing on important learning
objectives to promote innovations in teaching.
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methods. They must be able to create a dependable team that works together to create a more
effective and positive learning environment.
Optimism
Staff and students often adopt the disposition of their leader, so an instructional leader
must maintain a positive attitude regardless of their current situation. The more upbeat and
excited a leader is, the more this attitude spreads to teachers and students, creating an overall
environment of positivity. This is also true when providing encouragement, rewarding a good
job and focusing on the success and happiness of teachers, students and the institution as a
whole.
SBM and the Principle of Subsidiarity SBM is in keeping with the principle of
subsidiarity which States that it is the people at the lowest level who will know best their
problems and so are in the best position to address the same. This tenet holds that “nothing
should be done by a larger and more complex organization which can be done as well by a
smaller and simpler organization. In other words, any activity which can be performed by a
more decentralized entity should be done by that more decentralized entity. Those in the
higher echelon are far removed from the scene and are therefore not as involved and as
informed as those from those below.
Advantages of SBM
The following are strengths of SBM:
⚫ Allow competent individuals in the schools to make decisions that will improve
learning;
⚫ Give the entire school community a voice in key decisions;
⚫ Focus accountability for decisions;
⚫ Lead to greater creativity in the design of programs;
⚫ Redirect resources to support the goals developed in each school;
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⚫ Lead to realistic budgeting as parents and teachers become more aware of the
school’s financial status, spending limitations, and the cost of its programs; and,
⚫ Improve morale of teachers and nurture new leadership at all levels.
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⚫ Higher authorities must actively encourage thoughtful experimentation and
innovation in an atmosphere where mistakes are viewed as learning experiences.
They must be willing to share their authority with the academic and the larger
community.
⚫ Teachers must develop reflection, problem solving.
The SRC is a tool for advocating and communicating the school situation,
context, and performance to internal and external stakeholders. Its objective is to increase
the participation and involvement of the community and other stakeholders in making the
school a better place for learning.
The School Improvement Plan (SIP) Guidebook is provided which details the
procedure in preparing the enhanced SIP and SRC. The enclosed guidelines and the
Guidebook shall serve as the official reference in the preparation and implementation of the
SIP and SRC. Concerned offices, local government units (LGUs), and development partners
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are urged to conform to these guidelines as they implement projects and activities related to
school planning in DepEd schools.
The Brigada Eskwela Program is one of the most important programs in DepEd. In
the spirit of Bayanihan, private institutions/individuals, government agencies, local government
units, and other organizations contribute to the DepEd campaign to ensure accessible and
quality basic education. The components of the program are the following:
⚫ Brigada Eskwela (National Schools Maintenance Week),
⚫ Brigada Eskwela Plus (Partnership Support for Access), and
⚫ Brigada Pagbasa (Partnership Support for Quality Education).
All regional directors (RDs) and schools division superintendents (SDSs) shall mobilize
their partnership focal persons to ensure the effective implementation of the Brigada Eskwela
Program in all public elementary and secondary schools and the involvement of the community
and local stakeholders. School heads (SHs) shall lead the planning of activities geared towards
making schools ecologically conscious, resilient, clean, safe, and conducive to learning. No
Brigada Eskwela fee shall be collected from parents or solicited from other volunteers.
All DepEd employees are encouraged to join the Brigada Eskwela activities by offering
their skills, sharing their time or providing their in-kind assistance and support to public schools
near their residence. Interested employees are given two days to do volunteer work on official
time, provided that such work is approved by their heads of offices. Further, nonteaching
personnel shall earn Compensatory Time Off (CTO) for the complete eight hours of
participation in the maintenance effort on the last day of Brigada Eskwela Week, which is a
Saturday.
Teaching personnel is entitled to earn vacation service credits arising from their active
involvement in the Brigada Eskwela activity. Teachers shall earn a one-day service credit for
the accumulated eight hours of participation in the maintenance effort.
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• In Chapter 1, Section 5, E of RA 9155 the school head is an administrative and an
instructional leader.
• National Competency-Based Standards for School Heads (NCBSSH) issued in
Deped Order No. 32, s. 2010 on April 16, 2010.
Instructional Leadership
He/she supervises instruction by observing teachers while they teach, conducting post-
observation conferences with individual teachers, mentoring and coaching them, and ensuring
that teachers have the needed resources for teaching.
Administrative Leadership
Help improve schools, the more important concern is the improvement of instruction as
this has a direct bearing on learning.
CORE PRINCIPLE
School heads are competent, committed, and accountable in providing access to quality and
relevant education for all, all through transformational leadership and a high degree of
professionalism.
Stakeholder Engagement
Strands
1. Promoting Shared Responsibility for School Improvement
2. Managing Education Alliances and Networks
3. Sustaining Collaborative Relationships with Stakeholders
4. Managing Staff Performance
5. Managing School Resources and Systems
6. Managing Sustainable School Programs and Projects
Instructional Leadership
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Strands
1. Leading Curriculum Implementation and Improvement
2. Creating a Learner-Centered Environment
3. Supervising and Evaluating Teacher's Performance
4. Delivering Planned Learning Outcomes
Personal Excellence
Strands
1. Managing Personal Effectiveness
2. Acting on Challenges and Possibilities
3. Pursuing Continuous Professional Development
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Elements of a Positive School Culture
To build and sustain a positive school culture, several key elements must be present:
1. Collegiality: A friendly and supportive environment where teachers and staff
work together as a team. Leadership is shared rather than imposed.
2. Experimentation: Encouraging innovation and learning from mistakes without
fear of punishment. A growth mindset is promoted.
3. High Expectations: Teachers and students are expected to aim high.
However, it is crucial for teachers to be aware of their biases and ensure their
behaviors reflect positive expectations for all students.
4. Trust and Confidence: Strong relationships between students, teachers, and
parents are built on mutual trust and open communication.
5. Tangible Support: Providing necessary resources and assistance, such as
functional classroom equipment, to support effective learning.
6. Reaching Out to the Knowledge Base: Teachers continuously update their
teaching strategies and knowledge to improve student learning outcomes.
7. Appreciation and Recognition: Acknowledging achievements and positive
behaviors fosters motivation and a positive learning atmosphere.
8. Caring, Celebration, and Humor: Students respond better to teachers who
genuinely care about them. Using praise and a light-hearted approach can
enhance engagement and motivation.
9. Involvement in Decision-Making: Including teachers, students, and parents
in school decisions fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility.
10. Protection of What is Important: Schools should establish and protect
traditions and policies that uphold their values, such as promoting health and
cleanliness.
11. Traditions: A strong school culture is reinforced by meaningful traditions that
promote a sense of community and shared values.
12. Honest and Open Communication: Encouraging respectful discussions
where everyone feels safe to express their thoughts without fear of judgment.
Importance of Policies
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Schools, in partnership with their communities, have a shared vision and
mission. The vision represents what the school aspires to be, while the mission defines the
actions required to achieve that vision. However, for these goals to be realized, structured
policies must be in place. Policies serve as guidelines that ensure the proper functioning of the
school system and help maintain order and discipline among its members.
In an ideal world where everyone behaves perfectly, policies might not be necessary.
However, reality is far from ideal. Schools are composed of individuals with different
backgrounds, values, and behaviors, making policies essential for maintaining fairness and
accountability. For example, the Department of Education (DepEd) has implemented stringent
policies regarding the collection of contributions by Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to
prevent issues such as financial mismanagement and corruption. Similarly, policies prohibiting
partisan political activities within school premises are in place to ensure that educational
institutions remain neutral and focused on their primary function—educating students.
Policies also play a key role in academic assessment. A well-defined grading policy
ensures that students and parents understand how grades are computed, promoting
transparency and fairness. Without clear policies, grading could become subjective, leading to
disputes and inconsistencies. In the same way, policies on student attendance help reduce
tardiness and absenteeism, ensuring that students maximize their learning opportunities.
Without these regulations, students might take school attendance lightly, negatively impacting
their education.
A school head should not single-handedly create policies. Instead, they should lead a
collaborative process that involves teachers, students, parents, and other members of the
community. When multiple stakeholders contribute to policy development, the resulting policies
are often more effective and widely accepted. This participatory approach also fosters a sense
of ownership among those involved, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation.
SUMMARY
Teacher leaders play a crucial role in shaping school culture, fostering collaboration,
and driving educational improvements. They go beyond classroom instruction by mentoring
colleagues, advocating for innovative teaching strategies, and promoting inclusivity. Their
ability to lead is built on integrity, adaptability, and a commitment to lifelong learning. By
embracing different leadership styles, such as transformational and situational leadership, they
create an environment that encourages both student and teacher growth. They understand that
effective leadership involves taking responsibility, making informed decisions, and continuously
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reflecting on their practices. Through school-based management, they work alongside parents,
students, and administrators to ensure shared governance and a more responsive education
system. Their resilience and openness to feedback allow them to navigate challenges while
maintaining a strong commitment to student success.
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