Leading and Managing People (Other (Not Listed) Sample)

Leading and managing people
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Introduction
Professional development plays a critical role towards increasing professional experience and teaching ability. Organizations and institutions need to put mechanisms in place to ensure that there is successful transfer of knowledge (Burke & Ng, 2006). Formal programs are popular approaches to facilitate transfer knowledge, with mentorship programs which pair mentors and protégés providing unique experience for professional development. Professional development has evolved over time for focusing on in-service workshops to integrate robust approaches towards continuing education. Teachers ought to seek professional development opportunities to advance their careers throughout a teacher’s professional cycle. In order to improve quality of learning in schools professional development is an important factor that can influence improved student achievement. The focus on standard based reforms has been one of the features of teachers’ professional development and this has helped in improving the knowledge base critical to transformation of quality schools.
 There are various benefits for mentorship to the mentor, protégé as well as organization. Since mentorship helps in developing leaders it results to improved productivity as well as link protégés with valuable information (Hellsten et al., 2009). This in turn enhances professional development where a work culture that promotes mentorship then promotes individual development for the workforce over time. Through providing feedback, the protégé understands the role of communication, change management, leadership skills as well as interpersonal relationships in influencing professional development (Delahaye, 2005). The protégé also gets advice on goal setting and this improves the level of commitment in professional development. At the same time, the mentor can gain insights on the most useful aspects to improving personal and professional development through interaction with the protégé. This paper focuses on mentorship programs and per coaching approaches to professional development.
Mentorship program
The role of mentors in leadership development has mostly received attention in business circles, but is increasingly applicable in the education system. The need for mentorship programs comes from the realization that it improves motivation and enhances skills; organizations also use mentorship to ensure that is better retention and leadership development, and in education mentorship programs also play a critical role towards improving and retaining skills. Mentorship facilitates learning and socialization whereby interaction, with the mentor enhances teacher practices through offering guidance support (Eby et al., 2007). The mentor typically has more experience and knowlede to provide advice and facilitate professional development. In any case, the need for integrating mentorship programs in education reforms makes it easier to adopt relevant policies.
Almanar High School in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia maintains mentorship program especially for new teachers which integrates both formal and informal approaches. The first approach to improving mentorship was supporting protégé’s in their professional development through a formal mentoring process. To achieve this, mentors were matched with teachers, but the junior staff members were then advised to plan for further development. Progression in the program was consistent with the needs of junior staff members as mentors offered guidance, while also highlighting on expectations from the program. The expectations were categorised depending on the objectives and responsibilities of junior teachers including teaching, practice and supervision.
In my case, the role of mentorship program was essential to improving interaction and understanding different teaching practices. The desire to participate in the mentorship program was a strong indicator of the success of mentorship for both mentors and protégés. Having already identified the need to veer into education leadership, the mentorship program provided an opportunity to supervise students while relying on the advice of the mentor. To further highlight on the benefit of the program it is worth mentioning that the mentor was interested in advancing the role of education leadership towards improving schools. In any spending sufficient time between the mentor and the protégé presents opportunities to focus on the role of mentorship in professional development.
Another important aspect of the mentorship program is the need to meet face to face regularly especially during the orientation meeting, as this makes it easier to identify clear goals to be met by the protégé. Similarly, assessment helps in identifying whether the program is effective. The main benefit of a protégé meeting with the mentor is that it shows initiative and urge to learn while also applying knowledge in teaching practice (Diaz-Maggioli, 2004). This then enables the protégé to assist the protégé with regards to the needs identified, and the mentor can also help to identify other potential mentors.   Having realized the immense opportunities presented through engaging the mentor it became clear that the mentor is integral to career development. It is through the mentor that one is directed on how to look for appropriate training and workshops that are aligned to goals.
When mentor actively participate in the mentorship program, protégés are motivated to learn and achieve their set goals better than situations where there is no active participation (Beijaard, 2005). In the beginning stages of the mentorship program the mentors appeared concerned, and this made it easier to ask questions and reflect learning however, at times it appeared as though I was left on my own to figure out what to do after being setting expectations. Over time, this situation improves as there was a mismatch of expectations. Mentors are willing to facilitate learning, but the protégé must also show initiative and the urge to learn. In cases, where an intern completes the assigned tasks it becomes easier to assess their level of commitment and highlight on the role of reflection in learning and teaching.
Despite best efforts to improve mentoring, the lack of proper mentoring guide is one of the challenges facing mentorship programs. According to Potter & Tolson (2014), a mentorship guide is of outmost importance while the mentor-protégé relationship needs to be guided for the mentorship program to be a success. The article is relevant on leading and managing people in the education sector as the authors also highlight on benefits of mentor-protégé relationship. Since the mentor nurtures leadership, the relationship is based on a professional background that is also engaging and meant to provide the best results form the mentorship program. Equally, setting expectations about the work environment as well as advice on co-mentoring are aspects that are relevant in having a mentor- protégé relationship.
Even with the best of intentions, the mentorship program may not achieve all the objectives especially if the administrators are not fully committed. The mentorship program was aided by assistance, support and guidance to protégés (Beijaard, 2005). Mentors establish positive rapport which ensures in an environment that fosters trust. Since the aim of the mentorship program was to transfer knowledge and improve performance, training was most applicable for enhancing teaching practices. Nonetheless, provision of opportunities to lead as well as supervise students increased opportunities to learn on leading and managing. Through utilizing skills as an affective teacher, the mentorship program helps in identifying appropriate approaches to classroom management (Richards & Farrell, 2005).
In order to improve mentorship and coaching for aspiring leaders in the education sector it is important to identify the specific tasks and roles to be accomplished (Lumby, Crow & Pashiardis, 2009). As such having sought to improve the learning environment curriculum and managing people was a crucial aspect in the mentorship program. It was easier to focus on relevant learning needs. The way school leaders think and act affects the outcome of learning during the mentorship program. This is especially in cases, where there is identification of a vision and direction, where there is an environment that encourages one to develop people (Ader & Hewitt, 2004). Additionally, the role of workplace conditions as well as staff motivation should not be ignored when focusing on issues to be highlighted when constructing knowledge during coaching and mentoring (Lumby, Crow & Pashiardis, 2009).
Peer coaching
Peer coaching takes into account the process through which two or more professionals collaborate to share ideas, build skills, and solve problems (Zepeda et al., 2013). This approach helps to increase feedback rather than deal with evaluation. Since one can use new strategies to improve results it is suited to assessing whether the interventions are effective through collaboration with a colleague. Coaching is one of the approaches to improve the supervisory role of education leader with mentor supervision applicable for companion teachers (Walkley, 1998.) Peer coaching improves student achievement through fostering a climate where there is instructional improvement as well as professional conversations with colleagues on best practices in education. Schools typically have different education needs, as such the peer coaching program at Almanar High School was aligned with the education program to achieve best results.
One of the benefits of peer coaching over Workshop and conferences is that there is better staff deve...