Few jobs are as important as that of a leader. Saying this does not imply that I have an inflated view of myself or of my job. Nor do I mean that leaders have any more value than others who are working in an organization. Rather, I want to make two points in introducing this chapter.

First, schools are a complex web of interactions and social relations which receive pressure to move in many different directions. These pressures come both from within and from without the organization. Such forces often push in different directions and at times are even at odds with each other. Someone needs to be charged with keeping the ship sailing on course under such conditions.

Middle schools are also subjected to such forces and movements. Without capable and willing leadership, all the goals and good intentions for middle level education will not be realized consistently or on a regular basis. Leadership is crucial to ensure that the mission of the middle school will be achieved.

Second, I sense that many who are in administration have come to know their own weaknesses and shortcomings. The problem comes when administrators confuse their person with their positions. It is one thing for them to know their own weaknesses, but that in no way should color their attitude toward the job that needs to be done. The job is a high calling, and people must step into it with confidence that God uses imperfect people to steer the institutions in his kingdom to their proper destinations. From time to time all leaders need to reflect on the significant role which they have. If their job is done halfheartedly or timidly, it will certainly affect the success of their institution.

Leadership, curriculum, and program development need to work together. Without effective leadership, it is not likely that the ideals written about in this book will ever become a reality. This chapter explores how leadership can bring about and maintain a caring ethos in the Christian middle school.

A leader is often needed in human society to make decisions or to balance conflicting interests. Added to this basic fact of life, Christians have always recognized the effects of sin on human beings and their institutions. Greed, pride, indolence, animosity, and revenge can all come to play as human beings gather for a common purpose, regardless of how noble that purpose may be. This pervasive effect of sin and evil in our society means that authority is required to keep forces in check so that people can move In the same direction to achieve something worthwhile.

To say that Christians have accepted the concept of authority is not to say that they have endorsed unlimited authority. In fact, the Scriptures spell out a unique "servant-leadership" style of authority. In Genesis 1:28 God puts humans in charge of his universe, accountable to him but required to exercise dominion over the earth. We read in Genesis 2:15 that people were placed in position to care for the garden and to till It. The Idea of royal rule or authority is linked up early in Scripture with serving the good of the earth. Authority and servanthood are inseparable as Christians think about leadership in light of Scripture.

This inseparable link is best demonstrated for us in the life of our Lord. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us that Christ did not consider his authority something to be held onto for Its own sake but rather humbled himself to become obedient to death for redemption's sake. Christ Is here pictured as the living model for us to reflect on as we set out to be In positions of authority, Christian leaders need to manage, direct, encourage, and define limits so that others can most effectively plan and work toward goals which have been agreed upon.

Much has been written in the last few years on effective school leadership. A research team from the University of Texas at Austin (Rutherford, 1985) compared effective school administrators with those who were less effective. While the team did not study middle school administrators in particular, many of the findings are useful to our present discussion.

The results of the study showed that effective school administrators demonstrated the following qualities more often than did less effective administrators:

1. clear and informed vision,
2. ability to translate the vision into goals,
3. ability to maintain a supportive environment in a way that maximizes student achievement,
4. ability to monitor teacher effectiveness, and
5. ability to intervene with support and assistance that would yield improvement.

When we speak about the effective school administrator having the quality of vision we usually mean that he or she has clearly in mind an ideal for which the school should strive. In Christian schools we also usually mean that the principal is able to articulate that vision for the parents, board, and teaching staff and is able to lead them in discussions so that together they may determine what changes need to take place and how to implement change.

In interviews with administrators and with teachers on their staffs, the Texas researchers found that effective administrators had a clear vision for what they wanted their schools to be. These visions usually included goals related to the learning needs of students as well as goals related to new or changing needs within the community.

Less effective administrators, on the other hand, responded quite differently. When asked what their vision for the school was, these administrators often paused for a long time before answering. Their statements were often couched in general terms such as, "We have a good school and a good faculty, and I want to keep it that way." Often their responses included lower level maintenance goals. "We want to have a safe and orderly school." Some even had to go to their shelves to find the school mission statement. These less-effective administrators lacked a specific vision for their schools and thus couldn't display great enthusiasm for the direction of the school.

What does this mean for those who lead in the Christian middle level grades? It means that they must clarify their goals. It also means they must be open to refining their goals when involved in discussions with teachers and parents or as a result of new information concerning student development.

Principals must be convinced that Christian middle level education is best when it provides students the opportunity to explore created reality. Students at this age need to go beyond the traditional curriculum to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are. They need to be carefully mentored during this exploration, so their valuable time is well spent in learning about themselves, about others, and about the creation around them.

Middle level administrators should also understand that time must be set aside for socialization. This requires more than providing playgrounds or recess time for the students. It may mean finding time and money for a counselor to be on the staff, even if only part time. It may mean establishing advisor-advisee relationships between staff and students. It may mean structuring devotions or chapels with this theme in mind. It may mean structuring the curriculum to encourage a more serious and helpful interaction between students. It may mean arranging for in-service sessions to help teachers work toward this goal. It could mean rearranging the school schedule or sponsoring social events during the year to encourage students to develop wholesome relationships with their schoolmates.

Effective middle school administrators need to study, know, and understand the developmental needs of their students and be able to translate those needs into a vision for their schools. This vision contributes to effective leadership and can become the basis for effective middle level education and nurture.

The researchers in the Texas study also found that effective principals were able to weave their vision into the fabric of the everyday operation of their schools. In schools with effective leaders the staff could also articulate the goals and visions of the school. They shared the vision because they had been involved in describing and shaping it. The comment that these faculty members often made was, "We are all pulling together." The unity and consensus seemed to be related to the leader's enthusiasm for the vision and his or her ability to convey this vision to the school community.

Schools with less effective administrators had faculty who were far less unified in their purpose. They seldom spoke with enthusiasm about their school or about their work. Teachers in these schools seemed to lack a common understanding of schoolwide goals and mission. They more frequently talked about departmental goals or grade level expectations or their own personal goals. They seldom mentioned the effect that their administrator was having on the school.

What does this mean for leadership in the Christian middle school? First, principals need to have enthusiasm for and commitment to the vision. Second. principals should take advantage of opportunities to communicate the vision and the mission to the faculty. Administrators need to consciously tie the vision into the hundreds of small pieces of the school day.

Not to be forgotten in this translation process is the leader's interaction with parents. The principal's interaction and communication with parents must build support for the mission of the school. The leader in the school is the one who directly communicates this vision to new parents and directly or indirectly continues communicating the vision to parents who have been involved with the school for some time.

Students also need to feel that they are part of the team, and they also need to be brought into the vision. This happens indirectly through communication with teachers, but it needs to more regularly be done by administrators directly through hallway interaction, discipline situations, handbooks, announcements, chapels, small group meetings, student councils or in the office on a one-to-one basis. Students must be constantly informed of the vision In order to be brought along effectively as members of the team.

The researchers found that schools with effective leaders had positive, supportive environments in which teachers were effective and students grew and flourished. Schools with less effective administrators were found to have more negative, somber environments.

Teachers who worked with the more effective administrators felt that their creative ideas were seriously appreciated, even when the implementation of those ideas might not appear workable to the administrator or fit in with other parts of the program. Less effective administrators were often seen as "not wanting to rock the boat." At best, they would consider a new idea if it didn't disrupt or create any kind of problem.

Schools with effective administrators had environments in which risks were taken and teachers were supported and recognized when they tried innovative approaches. This supportive atmosphere bred success. Teachers seemed to raise their own expectations in such environments. Schools with less effective principals had atmospheres which encouraged an increase of negative attitudes. They became placid places with atmospheres of unstimulating predictability.

What should Christian middle schools be doing to help create a more enlivened, supportive learning environment? One way is for the principal to refrain from practicing sole authority in problem

Solving and leadership and to actively encourage teachers to participate In management. Middle school students watch their adult models closely, and such students benefit from a school setting in which there is shared decision-making. Principals who promote participation find their authority not lost but increased.

Another way to provide a supportive environment in the Christian middle school is to make certain that parents are kept closely informed and involved in their children's education. Curricular change is impossible without parental support, and that support cannot be taken for granted. Some communities are receptive to change because they believe that Is the road to better education for their children. Others, however, want nothing to do with change. Middle school administrators should work toward developing attitudes toward change which are open, honest, searching, and helpful.

Another way is for middle school administrators to encourage faculties to be innovative with curriculum and with programs so that teachers will come up with new approaches to better meet the developmental needs of the preadolescent. Innovative teachers need support, interest, and affirmation from their administrator and from one another. For real enthusiasm to develop within a school, experienced and seasoned teachers need to feel as though their insights and Innovations are worth something and have merit. The effective administrator will support such innovation and work with the teacher or with the teaching team to help implement change in such a way that it fits in with the school's overall mission. Staff members need to feel reassured that the risks they take in trying new methods are worth the effort.

The research also found that effective leaders knew what was going on in and around their buildings. They tended to spend the larger part of their working day out of their offices, and so they were in touch with the ebb and flow of their schools. One teacher commented about her effective principal, "He is always around and about the school-in the classrooms, in hallways, at special events. You see him everywhere. He really knows what is going on in this school."

Less effective principals spent more time in their offices tending to management and administrative details. They were far less able to give detailed accounts of what was happening in the classrooms. These administrators were much less likely to get very deeply involved in the evaluation of their teachers. Where evaluation did take place, it was done with a minimum of effort.

What can Christian school middle level administrators do to enhance their monitoring capabilities? They should constantly be gathering data about their schools. Visiting classrooms frequently can do this. It can also be done by doing some substitute teaching from time to time. Principals should attend grade level meetings, team meetings, and committee meetings or should read the reports of these meetings so as to stay informed.

A serious and systematic approach to evaluation can also be a powerful way of gathering data. An attitude of mutual concern for better Instruction will promote trust and professional growth. Frequent observation will help the principal become more aware of different instructional strategies. It will also lower the stress level of the typical evaluation procedure.

Judging in various fairs and doing final reading and judging in writing contests also can reveal a great deal of what is going on by way of student learning. One-on-one and roundtable discussions with students can be as good a source of information as casual contact with teachers In the lounge or hallway. "Management by walking around" has great merit as a data gathering technique.

The research also found that effective administrators acted directly and sincerely on their collected data. When they discovered something commendable, they did not weigh the pros and cons of recognition. They directly let the teacher and/or student know of their approval and told others about it enthusiastically. This approval not only affirmed the teacher or student, but it also gave the administrator the chance to remind everyone of the vision and goals that were important within the school.

Problem areas also received intervening. When their monitoring techniques revealed a problem, these administrators seemed to sense the need for immediate and corrective action. They were able to confront situations and people, and they worked constructively toward a successful resolution of the situation. When the desired improvement was not achieved, these principals moved in clear and decisive ways to make final corrections to the problem.

Administrators in Christian middle schools should make a practice of praising the positive things happening in their schools. This must not be artificial but must be done sincerely. Some write notes, and others offer an encouraging word. Sometimes recognition is public, but at other times it is better given privately. Whatever the method, praise must occur often or something is drastically wrong, either with the school

or with the administrator.

Teacher evaluations are a natural format to let a teacher know what things deserve praise. The vast majority of teachers have many more strengths than weaknesses, and they need to be reminded of this during their careers. This kind of intervention encourages positive actions to increase and weaknesses to decrease.

Discussions that take place in the teachers' lounge have a profound effect on the ethos of the school. Negative comments about students. about the curriculum, or about attempts to meet students' needs in new and different ways lower the morale of the staff. Positive comments by teachers as well as by the administrator make a profound difference on the life of the school. It is important for the administrator and staff to discuss this aspect of school life and for the administrator to provide leadership in avoiding negative comments.

Many administrators find that confronting problems in their schools is an unpleasant side of their job. However, when a working relationship can be maintained and communication is honest and impartial, improvement usually can be achieved. Administrators should suggest solutions or help to develop solutions with the person or persons affected.

Finally, administrators must make certain that adequate recognition is being provided for student achievement. In the middle school this should not just be in areas of academics and sports. It needs to be as broad as the goals of the school. If the vision includes integration, exploration, and socialization, the recognition must reflect this fact. This could be in the form of pats on the back, written notes, awards assemblies at the end of the year, ribbons for fairs, or featured writers of the week. Whatever the method, the administrator must also intervene in the lives of the students to ensure there will be continued improvement and growth toward the shared vision.

The qualities of leadership come more naturally to some people than to others. Some administrators will find that they already have many of these qualities but other qualities will have to be developed. It is important to believe that people can change, and most leaders will want to return to the list periodically in order to be reminded to keep improving in different areas.

The same can be said of the list of key character traits for the leaders of successful middle schools found below. The list has been accumulated over the years from various places.

Serving attitude: Successful leaders are always guided by the human and spiritual goals they seek to attain.

Team member. Successful leaders say "we" more than "I" and say "Let's go" rather than "Go."

Integrity: The word of a successful leader can be counted on.

Approachable. Successful leaders are open to receiving good news as well as bad news, the enjoyable as well as the less enjoyable parts of life.

Inclusive. Successful leaders work hard to make everyone in the organization feel part of the team.

Trust others, Successful leaders share responsibility easily and are not overbearingly repressive.

Positive. Successful leaders readily see the good in others and readily praise them.

High expectations. Successful leaders set high standards for themselves as well as for others around them.

Show initiative. Successful leaders don't wait for things to happen but move in to make them happen.

Resourceful. Successful leaders will not settle for limits of available resources but will work to find other ways to accomplish goals if needed.

Trusting. Successful leaders see God's hand in the successes and difficulties of the school.

Communicative. Successful leaders get information out effectively as well as listen to others' concerns and ideas.

Organized. Successful leaders plan for improvement and harmony.

Risktakers. Success is often gained through many failed attempts. Successful leaders must be willing to accept this as a condition of life.

Mature. Successful leaders are willing to work with and accept a variety of people in productive ways.

Tactful. A successful leader is able to get others to accept the direction that is being set.

Sense of Humor. Successful leaders are willing to laugh at themselves as well as enjoy the presence of others.

Common sense. A successful leader shows good judgment based on all the available facts.

This chapter has given an outline of what it takes to be a leader in a successful Christian middle school.

Much of what has been said applies to leadership in any level of schooling or in any organization. Effective Christian middle school leaders need to constantly keep the vision and the mission of the school before the school community. The vision and mission must be the driving force of their actions and attitudes if the middle school is to be all that it has set out to be.

1. Are you, as a staff, able to articulate the vision you have developed for your school?
2. Would you characterize the environment of your school as positive, cheerful, and conducive to teaching and learning? What is the responsibility of the administrator in creating such an environment? What is the responsibility of the teaching staff in creating such an environment? Does the board have a responsibility in this matter? Do the parents?
3. What are the best ways for the monitoring of instruction to occur in your school? Should the administrator visit classes? How often? How should you plan for such visits? Should teachers visit each other's classes?
4. Should the principal be the instructional leader in your school? What does that mean? Does the teaching staff allow him or her to carry out that role? Are there other instructional leaders in your school?
5. In what ways does your school presently translate the vision? What are some additional creative ways in which this could be done more effectively?
6. What factors can have negative impact on a school climate? What strategies might be used to effectively change these factors?
7. Brainstorm ways in which instruction can be more appropriate for middle level learning. How can the leader effectively support and encourage these methods?