0.4 The art of successful school-based management  (Page 21/36)

Another area of concern for schools and technology emerged from these interviews. Several principalsrelated that they believed that contact with central office staff was decreased because of a heavy dependence on e-mail. Instead ofseeing the personnel director, or the superintendent, or the curriculum coordinator, the principals and teachers receivedmemoranda via e-mail“almost exclusively”and the e-mail technology actually did little to remove barriers or psychological distancesbetween central offices and schools. Several principals commented that this separation might seem just the opposite of what ought tohappen with e-mail. Principals believed that the schools' morale suffered from this exclusive reliance on technologicalcommunication. Central offices often are accused of being disconnected from students and teachers. There is a need to examinethis possible separation broadened by technology. Further study is underway to clarify this apparent“entrapment”of central office personnel by e-mail technology.

In conclusion, communicating by e-mail is not likely to replace qualitative, interpersonal contacts. In manyways, words without physical context can be hollow. Empathic writing, however, can have many of the same benefits that effectiveinterpersonal communication has. It can provide another means for principals to paraphrase teachers’feelings and content and, in so doing, enhance a sense of efficacy and trust among theirinstructional staff. Empathic writing tells teachers that principals care in significant ways about what is going on in theteachers’lives. Teachers can never have too many messages like that from principals. It would seem prudent that principals work tocommunicate well and often with their staffs through both personal and technological contacts. Given that effective communication iscentral to the form of effective building management and given email continues to be an important technology for communication, itstands to reason that building capacity for empathic communication, either electronically or in person, is an important part ofsuccessful leadership in today’s schools.

Space: area around, between, above, below, or within an object

The Artist’s View:

All the area that exists around, between, above, below, and within an object is considered to be space. Formsand shapes are considered to be positive space and space that occupies the area in and around the form and shape is callednegative space. Artists that utilize large negative spaces may express loneliness or freedom. Crowding together positive spacereflects tension or togetherness. Depending on each other, positive and negative spaces interact with one another to create meaning.Space in three-dimension is considered to be the area that is over, under, around, behind, and through. Sculpture, jewelry,architecture, weaving, and ceramics are three-dimensional art forms. They are artworks that take up real space.

ISLLC Standard #2: A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students byadvocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staffprofessional growth.