Leadership Matters June 2014

Nothing normal about public education these days, but it has never been a more noble profession

By Dr. Steve Webb IASA President

(the types of program evaluations many of our schools are currently forced to conduct), but most importantly for the learning-benefit of our students -- as if I needed to remind them of the reasons we chose the teaching profession in the first place. In a recent class, one of my students asked, “So how much benefit to a child is necessary for the costs to be justified?” To this question, there is no quantifiable answer. In my experiences as a school administrator, I have often been involved with those who look for some tangible way to quantify what we do as teachers and administrators in the name

Organizational research specialist Margaret Wheatley in 1999 stated “We live in a society that believes it can define normal and then judge everything against that fictitious standard.” She added that our future lies in institutions based on principles and relationships rather than simply rules. As President of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) for this past year and over my 20 years as a school administrator, I have

witnessed countless instances in our state and nation that provide ample evidence that we as a society not only believe we can define normal – but we also believe the calibration largely on the ebb and flow of voting polls and what some might deem “palatable” or even “less unconstitutional.” Although frustrating and at times defeating, I am always reminded by my children that of norms should change in chaotic fashion depending

of “accountability” when there is no one single true way to determine how much benefit we are providing to a child because there is no single design of inputs for us to construct a means tested evaluation of outputs. That is what is so special develop programs and we develop the educators to administer those programs to every single child no matter what “inputs” they carry with them when they enter our doors. That is about what we do as school leaders. We

school and the art of schooling is much more than being willing to change with the times or even willing to acquiesce to the ever-changing norms. Schooling is about opening the doors to thousands of children every day and greeting them with adults who have pledged their life and their very being with providing our next generation of politicians, educators, engineers, and all other change agents a fighting chance at success. Period. Please allow all bureaucrats and negativists to begin their rebuttal now, but it is what it is. As we traverse the mountains of paperwork and canyons of hollow promises, the doors stay open, the lights still shine, and the students still learn. In one of the graduate courses I teach as an adjunct professor, I am constantly reminding aspiring superintendents that proper program evaluation techniques are essential in schools today not only for the cost-benefit a particular program might present

why there is no such thing as a definition of “normal” when it comes to helping kids. It is just what we do and I am so proud to be a part of that process. As I become the Past-President of this great organization in July, please allow me to thank you all for your words of encouragement and your support in my tenure as your President. As we unveil the framework for our “Vision 20/20” to help finally provide the masses with true education leadership for transformational change, I believe we have reached a pinnacle of cooperation and collaboration across our state that is truly unprecedented. I am proud of the direction of this organization and the individuals we have running the operation. I deeply appreciate you welcoming me into your regions and your communities and allowing me the opportunity to represent you and the goals of this organization. It is truly an honor.

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