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by Wayne A. Secord
As this "Vision and Values" series comes to a close, let’s reflect on the major issues or concepts presented in the articles, which took a look at how vision and values combine to fuel instructional leadership and promote clinical and educational excellence in the schools. In three "visionary articles," Judy K. Montgomery, Barbara Ehren, and Nickola Nelson—all national leaders in school speech-language pathology—described how they would approach school-based practice today, if they could do it all over again. The nature of educational leadership was examined in my article, and Steven Griffin provided an example of instructional leadership in language and literacy at work today in the schools.
Each author articulated an individual vision for school-based leadership as well as the bedrock beliefs (values) upon which that vision is based. Each leader stressed the importance of a "systems-oriented" approach, one that involves the implementation of scientifically sound, evidence-based practices that focus on school success in language in literacy.
It was also clear throughout the series that the classroom is the most important learning context for students and the main venue for service delivery. If SLPs want to broaden their impact and become instructional leaders in the schools, they must take risks and be open to change. SLPs must reach out to others by going to them, and they must learn to work productively as team-based collaborative partners. But most importantly, SLPs must be able to clearly state the values that constitute their vision for excellence and change.
My article provided a backdrop for understanding the nature of educational leadership, what educational leaders have in common, and why instructional leadership is an essential component of highly effective schools. It also provided a lens for viewing the visionary articles of Montgomery, Ehren, and Nelson and for appreciating the instructional leadership Griffin demonstrates every day in central Ohio.
But let me leave you with one more thing to consider. Leadership is more than acting on values and beliefs. It is more than articulating a vision and acting on that vision. In reviewing all of the articles, one factor emerges: we all lead from the heart. Leadership is as much a passion for what we do as it is a labor of love, if you will. I hope this series helps you gain a vision for excellence and change in serving others. Most of all, I hope you are inspired to lead from the heart.
Wayne A. Secord is a senior research scientist in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at The Ohio State University. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles, books, tests, and intervention programs on assessment and treatment of speech and language disorders, and served as the editor of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools from 1992–1998. Contact him at secord.2@osu.edu.
Visit The ASHA Leader to read other articles in this series, and visit ASHA's Podcasts to listen to a podcast interview with Steven Griffin on literacy intervention.
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