Change leadership: concepts, strategies, and organizational implementation

School Overcrowding

Just Where Are We Going to Put Them All?

School overcrowding is a serious concern in districts across the country. While many school administrators, researchers, and families are looking for solutions, there has been little progress made. Part of this lack of progress -- indeed a large part -- arises from the fact that there simply is no easy answer in many cases. But even more importantly, the failure of districts arises from the fact that the most effective type of leadership has not been brought to the fore. A solution to a complicated problem is always in need of the kind of leader to organize and inspire others in the group (Mealiea & Baltazar, 2005).

The technological change that I would suggest for classrooms is distance learning in which students watch lectures via a television screen or on their computer monitors. (Obviously this would only work with older students and there would have to be a monitor, although this person would not have to be a licensed.) Students would then work individually or in groups to complete their assignments, with the option of emailing their instructors to get answers for questions.

Classrooms for distance learning do not have to be on the school grounds, which opens up more space for younger students and reduces the burden on joint resources like the library and cafeteria. Classroom space could be borrowed from community colleges and non-profit organizations, both of which often have rooms open during traditional school hours. A small payment should (if at all possible) be given to these institutions.

There are numerous typologies of leadership styles, but the majority of them can be broken down into a version of one of these three (Mealiea & Baltazar, 2005). There is a hierarchical style, which is a top-down style. This would seem to be the opposite of what is needed in the case of trying to reduce overcrowding in classrooms, especially for the institution of a distance-learning program, which requires a high level of cooperation among different organizations.

The next generally recognized style of leadership is the transformational style. While a hierarchical style relies on rules and efficiency, a transformational approach is based on a more democratic sense of group formation. While a group guided by a transformational leader still relies on a small group of leaders (and possibly only a single leader), this leader works to make everyone feel that they are a part of the process and that their ideas are valued (Somech, 2008, p. 98).

While this style of leadership would work better for the implementation of a distance-learning program, it is still too centralized given the need to include the leadership of other organizations (such as the community colleges where secondary school might use classroom space).