communication apprehension in the professional setting

Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) The concept of instructional leadership posits that strong leadership in education focuses on curriculum and instruction (Mitchell, Kensler & Tschannen-Moran, 2015). As an instructional leader, therefore, it is important to have a deep understanding and personal sense of the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL). This paper will examine PSEL’s Standards 1-10, summarize each standard and describe my role in relation to each standard.

Standard 1: Mission, Vision, and Core Values This standard holds that effective educational leaders create, promote and embody and mission, vision and core set of values that can be shared by all stakeholders within the educational system (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015). As I do not have a great deal of experience in creating such a vision, this is one standard that I need improvement in.

For most of my educational career, I have followed others in the sense of accepting and adhering to their vision or to the common values and ideals presented in my workplace and academic environment. To go out and prepare this vision for others, as a leader, is a skill that I need to develop.

Standard 2: Ethics and Professional Norms This standard holds that leaders should always be ethical and behave in accordance with the accepted norms of their profession, the end goal being to assist students in their academic development ((Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015). This is an area that I feel especially proficient in, as I have always adhered to the ethical principles and values of the community and profession in which I am situated.

As an instructional leader, I believe that it is my duty to lead others by way of example and, therefore, it is incumbent upon me to demonstrate the ethical values expected of a leader within my profession. Standard 3: Equity and Cultural Responsiveness Equal opportunity for all students and educational practices that respect all cultures serve as the bases for this standard. The object of this standard is to advance all students’ academic careers, and I am confidently proficient in this area (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015).

My experience in multi-cultural schools and my global perspective frees me to be supportive of all cultures and to promote equity among all students. Cultural responsiveness is a critical aspect of promoting inclusiveness and fostering a spirit of community within the school. Standard 4: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Educational leaders should foster systems of education that are challenging and solid in terms of curriculum, instruction methods and methods of assessment (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015).

In this area, I could use some improvement, as I have too little experience in truly creating a curriculum or implementing an instruction method that can really help all my students. In my experience, I feel like even when I use a variety of approaches and assessments, I am always still losing a handful of students between the cracks—so I would like to address this issue as an instructional leader in the future.

Standard 5: Community of Care and Support for Students While I struggle with finding ways to reach all my students in the classroom, I truly do care for them all and—even if their grades do not reflect it—I foster a strong community of care and support both in and outside the classroom, which is the essence of this standard (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015).

By showing students that you, as a leader, care for them and are there to help them achieve their goals, a better spirit of unity and commitment can be achieved in the school and in the teacher-student relationship. Standard 6: Professional Capacity of School Personnel This standard holds that truly effective leaders help to strengthen the professionalism of their school’s personnel in order to strengthen their students (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015).

I would like to improve my performance in this area, as I have not always been the most active in leading my colleagues upward to higher levels of engagement. As a leader, I see it as my duty to do this and I would like to be an example in this way for others by always demonstrating professional behavior whenever I am in the public view, whether that is in school or in the community.

Standard 7: Professional Community for Teachers and Staff However, when it comes to developing a real community of colleagues, I am proficient. This standard focuses on having the ability to foster a spirit of community among teachers and staff so that students can be more successful (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015). I enjoy being there for my colleagues and passing on this concept of paying it forward: when teachers support teachers, students pick up on the positive outcomes and are the real winners.

Standard 8: Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community This standard holds that effective educational leaders interact with and communicate with families and the school’s community in ways that are positive, mutually reinforcing, and beneficial for students (Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, 2015).

One of the ways I have demonstrated my proficiency in this area is through the practice of home visits, which Stetson, Stetson, Sinclair and Nix (2012) have shown to be an effective way for teachers to reach out to families of students and really connect the educative process with the lives of stakeholders in the community. Standard 9: Operations and Management As my experience is limited, I feel I need improvement in this standard, which holds that effective educational.