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INTRODUCTION:
In education, I believe I have seen it all. I have seen teachers who love what they do
and would probably do it for free. I have seen teachers who, it seems, are punching a 
time clock and would not dream of working over forty hours a week. And lastly, I have
seen teachers who undoubtedly must live at the school in which they work because they
never leave the building before dark, no matter what the season. I have made friends,
enemies, partners, and developed friendships with just about every person I have come
into contact with in the field of education. I create friendships with all teachers
because I believe it is in the best interest of children, and, because I want to make the
difference in the life of a child.
No matter what the intent of being in a school setting may be, there should be only one
goal: making the difference in the life of a child. How often is this simple thought
forgotten when it comes to the students' learning? As part of the educational system, my
first concern is that of the children. For the first three years of my career, I have
been fortunate enough to work for administrators who, I feel, had the same beliefs I do,
a child-centered attitude. As they worked, I watched and I learned. I wanted to some day
have the type of climate in my building as they had in their own. And, as I start to
pursue my dream of being a building administrator, I often think I have the same desires
as the wonderful building principals I have worked for. I want to create an atmosphere
that matches theirs - a positive place for students to learn, created by all the
stakeholders of the district.
PUTTING THE CHILD IN THE CENTER 
"One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child." 
The first and primary goal I would have as an administrator would be all to hold the
belief that there are no disposable students. Some students may not learn how or exactly
what we want them to, but at the same time, that does not make them disposable. "A large
part of our population believes that many children are not fully educable. Trainable for
a job, but not educable for the duties of citizenship and the things that are essential
to a hood human life" (Adler, 1982). Having disposable children is a belief of some
teachers because of how schooling has traditionally been delivered. A change in this
thought process must be met by each and every adult the student comes in contact with
during his or her schooling to ensure both his or her academic and personal development
of every child. There should be one adult advocate for every child in the school, giving
the student the feeling there is someone in his or her corner.
In order for this to occur, students need to be actively involved in the learning
process. "The (student-centered learning) environment provides interactive, complimentary
activities that enable students to address their unique learning interests and needs
(Land, 1996). A major part of student-centered learning is the empowerment of the student
to make choices concerning their individual learning. This style, in turn, would help
students to feel valued and respected, which would also help with a student's
self-esteem. Because of the environment created, students in the building, I hope, would
feel more motivated to be actively involved in their own learning, and therefore, would
be responsible stakeholders in their own education. In this educational environment,
students would build stronger relationships with students and adults, and hopefully would
help provide a sense of community in the school.
WHAT KIND OF PROGRESS IS BEING MADE? 
"Schooling has traditionally been about people memorizing a lot of stuff that they don't
really care too much about, and the whole approach is quite fragmented" (O'Neill, 1995).
This is why I believe we "lose" some students in the educational process. If students
were actively involved, were interested in what was being taught, and worked
cooperatively with other students in a hands-on learning environment, more students would
feel empowered by the opportunities they were given, and, they would respond in a more
positive manner toward the educational process. "Learning by doing rather than by drill
would lead the students to development, formation, integration, unification, continuity,
progression, and especially growth" (Diggins, 1989). 
Progressivism, which was introduced in the United States and Europe in the late 19th
century, is a collection of beliefs that opposed traditional schooling, a movement
originally led by John Dewey. This non-traditional system emphasizes "concern for the
emotional and physical well-being of the child," (Grollier Multimedia, 1993), rather than
the usual focus on rote memorization. Progressivism would hopefully provide a basic
philosophy for my staff to operate. The first concept within the model would be for the
students working together to problem-solve, and the second would be that students would
have the ability to make a positive contribution to society as adults. These two concepts
tie together to help create a democratic society, one in which people must work together
in order to make a positive societal contribution. "Schooling must prepare all of them
for the continuation of learning in adult life, during their working years and beyond.
How? By imparting to them the skills of learning and giving then the stimulation that
will motivate them to keep their minds actively engaged in learning and provide
guidelines for exploring" (Adler, 1982).
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
I feel it is important for educators to grow professionally, and I believe that one way
to do this is through professional development. If teachers and educators alike are there
to make a difference in the life of a child, there should be no question as to whether or
not professional development opportunities are offered and participated in. Professional
development is a factor in the reformation of our school system, both for the teacher and
students. "Professional development, in contributing to the advancement of school
improvement is evident in several state and national reports, as well as in research
reports on school restructuring initiatives" (Abdal-Haqq, Ismat, 1996). Many times,
teachers get lost in the "box". Teachers are afraid of two things: change, and thinking
outside the box. It is quite simple to "get by" as an educator, considering all the
ready-made curriculums, workbooks, and teacher guides. But, how creative and innovative
is this approach, and even more importantly, how much does this type of teacher challenge
the students? '
Answering this question honestly would help many teachers see the value in attending
professional workshops, in developmental seminars, and even in taking more college
credits. If teachers are afraid to think on their own, how can they expect their students
to think on their own? As principal, I would instill in teachers of the building I work
the importance of professional development. I feel Adler gave excellent insight to
professional development in his book The Paideida Proposal - An Educational Manifesto by
saying, "All skills of teaching are intellectual skills that can be developed only by
coaching, not by lecture courses that are required for certification" (Adler, 1982)
LEADERSHIP STYLE:
As was previously stated, I want the building in which I am an administrator to be one
with a publicized vision of the child-first attitude. In order to achieve this, I believe
the administration must remove the thought of a top-down model of leadership where "what
the principal says, goes". If administration is to create a child-centered atmosphere,
the principals must work to achieve consensus from stakeholders about the school's
vision, but they must also intervene with those who hold values inconsistent with
commonly shared goals. In other words, the administration must have everyone who is a
stakeholder on its side by being less direct and more collaborative. Sergiovanni, in his
book Building Community in Schools, states, "Relationships are based on shared values
rather than bureaucratic roles, resulting in individuals who care, listen, understand,
respect others and are honest, open and sensitive" (1994).
This type of leadership is considered to be facilitative and is defined as, "the
behaviors that enhance the collective ability of a school to adapt, solve problems, and
improve performance" (Conley, Goldman, 1994). But instead of just saying, "This is the
way it is going to be," principals are able to invite followers to commit effort to the
common cause. This type of leadership offers teachers a daily opportunity to bring the
vision of the school to life. 
As I continue to pursue my first professional goal, I believe deep down I have a passion
for student success, both in the classroom and outside. I will create a climate that is
in the best interest of the children and I will continually ask myself and those around
me, "Is it good for the children?" This question in itself will help to keep this
deep-burning passion alive in my heart.