LEADERSHIP STYLES IN CLASSROOM ROCKS!

MA. LIEZEL C. GARUNG

I was once a student and now a teacher. I still wonder what leadership styles portrayed by teachers best preferred by students. I still ask myself which style best fits every learner. I was once a student so I know how it feels being with different kinds of teachers, with different personalities, ways of teaching and of course leadership styles. Bryan West defines leadership styles as a manner by which the leader provides overall direction as well as specific instruction. It involves the way leaders communicate with the followers and how they involve them in the work environment, the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people.

According to studies there are five leadership styles in classroom that we could use as a basis which leadership style should prevail. First is Autocratic style of leadership. Autocratic teachers uses group discussion techniques, but the topics and discussion procedures are tightly controlled by the teacher, with no input from students. Second is Authoritarian. In this type of teaching style, a teacher acts as a dictator and students are considered as subordinates, where the order comes from the teacher and students lack freedom. The third one is Democratic style. Democratic teaching style, as the name suggests, is based on democratic principles and is best among the three. Teachers who follow the principles of democracy in their classroom give an adequate opportunity to their students to have maximum learning in form of creativity and critical thinking. Fourth, Bureaucratic Leadership. A bureaucratic leader follows the dictates of the school administration or corporate training hierarchy with no questions and no variation. Lesson plans and workshop materials are developed in accordance with acceptable institutional practice. Fifth, Benevolent Leader. The teacher is there to serve as a friend and mentor, allowing maximum freedom of individual choice and action.

In my own perspective, every situation and every learner requires each kind of leadership styles. You could be autocratic, authoritarian and bureaucratic as long as the situation needs it, by hook or by crook. As a teacher, you should always know what leadership styles to employ since we are catering learners with unique individualities. One leadership style will not be good for everybody. It is not the ideal one size fits all situations. We should have a develop mind set for us to identify which one to use, as the need arises. The decision is all in our hands.

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The author is Teacher III at Mancatian Balik-Brgy. Elementary School