By Santosh Mahadeo, [email protected]

Leadership is the fundamental virtue associated with every well-thinking individual. Leadership is not the jewel in the crown of the politician or the religions mentor only. Even followers must be leaders. We are moving far from the concept of a single leader at the top with followers at different levels of the pyramid. Liberalization of the profession and human rights consciousness have given every single individual the presumption of potential leadership. In fact in a school every teacher is a potential leader.

A teacher who is an effective leader has a clear vision for the subject he/she teaches and its benefits for pupils. What is the context for the learning of English in Mauritius? Do we learn the language for examinations only? Do we become better global citizens by learning English? What is the use of literature in the school curriculum? Is it necessary to learn Chaucer?s Canterbury Tales and why? Not everybody will become a teacher of English. The pupil must feel the enthusiasm of learning the subject from a teacher who is an effective leader. Many generations have contracted the virus for a subject taught by a convincing, persuasive teacher. An effective leader is a good communicator, par excellence. Be it Chemistry, or Geography, the effective teacher-leader sows the seeds first by his/her overall personality, the generosity of his/her character, his/her magnetic interest in his/her subject, his/her ability to accommodate difference of opinion and levels of understanding.

The teacher as leader holds high expectations of teachers and pupils. There are behavior patterns that do not suit the teacher-leader. Too easy a familiarity with the pupil leading to mutual abuse on certain occasions vitiate the awe and respectful distance that should keep the teacher guarded from harm. The teacher respects his/her profession and never casts aspersion upon his/her colleagues. Never should the respectable teacher be heard backbiting another teacher. The teacher-leader is above all an educationist and expects the best from his/her pupils. He/she encourages his/her pupils to give their personal best and he/she is bountiful enough to recognize the worth of the least effort. The pupil feels capable of giving his/her best in the presence of such a teacher.

Effective leaders give clear guidance to other staff, specially non-specialists. At no point does the guidance of the teacher-leader sound paternalistic and highhanded. If the teacher-leader is effective, he/she is also successful. He/she is a person who:

(a) Sets high expectations of what pupils could achieve

(b) Carefully plans his/her lessons and shares the learning outcomes with pupils

(c) Uses a variety of approaches including direct teaching of classes, groups and individuals

(d) Provides planning opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning

(e) Sets interesting and purposeful homework

(f) Provides challenging tasks

(g) Gives opportunities to discuss and reflect on ideas and engage in critical analysis of views and opinions

(h) Ensures a pace of learning consonant with pupils? learnability

(i) Makes good use of pupils? own experiences or of relevant contemporary issues

(j) Uses a wide range of resources, including visits to places of significance and visitors into the classroom

(k) Makes good use of assessment, including the use of pupil self-assessment to evaluate courses and plan pupils? next steps in learning.

A teacher-leader is able to promote effective teamwork. He/she can deal with personalities wearing different hats. He/she can regulate his/her ego so that he/she promotes team-spirit, at times at his/her own expense. To be able to deal with different idiosyncrasies, different posturing with a facilitating humility is a distinctive quality of interpersonal communication skill. Too often a team cracks under the self-conceit of members. No one wants to yield because winning an argument is a victory one does not share. Too many initiatives have failed because all pseudoleaders want to exercise their authority. Leaders win finally and are ready to swallow their pride till victory is won by the team.

The effective teacher-leader makes sound contributions to other aspects of school life. The teacher who thinks he/she is a teacher of Biology with nothing to contribute to other strands of school life is a narrow, parochial worker who will gradually become fossilized in the profession because he/she serves only one interest. A successful leader is not just a teacher, but a full-fledged member of a learning community which seeks his/her contribution at multiple levels. As a person who has his/her department at heart, the successful teacher-leader monitors the overall quality of the work of his/her department. He/she need not be Head of Department to lead. Leadership is not an extrinsic award conferring a superior status upon the incumbent. Leadership is the nature of human behavior ? all encompassing interest in whatever is intellectual, the ability to contribute one?s share to all human endeavour that fortifies the social bonds binding him to the rest of humanity.

(g) Gives opportunities to discuss and reflect on ideas and to engage in critical analysis of views and opinions

(h) Ensures a pace of learning consonant with pupils? learnability

(i) Makes good use of pupils? own experiences or of relevant contemporary issues

(j) Uses a wide range of resources, including visits to places of significance, invites visitors into the classroom

(k) Makes good use of assessment, including the use of pupil self-assessment to evaluate courses and plan pupils? next steps in learning.

A teacher-leader is able to promote effective teamwork. He can deal with personalities wearing different hats. He can regulate his ego so that he promotes team-spirit, at times at his own expense. To be able to deal with different idiosyncrasies, different posturing with a facilitating humility is a distinctive quality of interpersonal communication skill. Too often a team cracks under the self-conceit of members. No one wants to yield because winning an argument is a victory one does not share. Too many initiatives have failed because all pseudoleaders want to exercise their authority. Leaders win finally and are ready to swallow their pride till victory is won by the team.

The effective teacher-leader makes sound contributions to other aspects of school life. The teacher who thinks he is a teacher of Biology with nothing to contribute to other strands of school life is a narrow, parochial worker who will gradually become fossilized in the profession because he serves only one interest. A successful leader is not just a teacher, but a full fledged member of a learning community which seeks his contribution at multiple levels. As a person who has his department at heart, the successful teacher-leader monitors the overall quality of the work of his department. He need not be Head of Department to lead. Leadership is not an extrinsic award conferring a superior status upon the incumbent. Leadership is the nature of human behavior- all encompassing interest in whatever is intellectual, the ability to contribute one?s share to all human endeavour that fortifies the social bonds binding him to the rest of humanity.