Student Centered Leadership vs. Critical Leadership

School Leadership

student centered leadership vs. critical leadership

Three key capabilities and five dimensions of student-centered leadership vs. applied critical leadership

Recently, a number of educational theorists have attempted to provide an epistemological framework for approaching leadership in a school setting. The concept of student-centered leadership is framed within three key capabilities: applying relevant knowledge, solving complex problems and building relational trust. Leaders do not need to be experts in their fields of study, but they do need to know how to bring relevant organizational members together to pool their expertise in various areas and succeed (Robinson 2011: 21). Leaders must listen to the direct input of organizational actors to build their relevant knowledge. Soliciting information also builds trust with teacher and students alike and gives the leaders the necessary information to solve the multidimensional problems that afflict learning environments. High-trust and highly informed environments are more successful educational environments. These capabilities must affect all of the dimensions of student-centered leadership, which include: establishing goals and expectations; resourcing strategically; ensuring quality teaching; leading teacher learning and development; and ensuring a safe and orderly environment (Robinson 2011 45-125). Leaders must 'lead' in the sense that they set expectations, but those expectations are informed by a dialogue with teachers, and the school must make a substantial investment in the capabilities of the teachers.

However, one notable dimension lacking in student-centered leadership is what many consider to be a critical component of analyzing problems in American education, namely that of race and socioeconomic status. Applied critical leadership is an alternative form of leadership theory in which educators use an informed and critical perspective of their communities to empower members of those communities, based upon the educator's perceptions of community needs (Santamara & Santamara 2011: 6). Rather than focusing on listening to the community, like student-centered leadership, this form of leadership theory stresses the degree to which leaders come from the community and are a part of the community. Critical leadership theory (CRT) allows the leader to reflect upon how aspects of his or her personal identity (such as racial identity, gender, sexual orientation) can affect his or her leadership dimensions in a positive fashion. Leadership is not viewed as something which is static, enclosed, and applicable to all situations. It is mutable, much like the characteristics of leaders themselves. It should be noted that CRT does not exclude persons who are European-American or White from applying its lens. Any person can use his or her identity, even an identity of privilege as a springboard of further reflection upon the nature of leadership and power dynamics.