"But That's Just Good Leadership"

In 1995 Gloria Ladson-Billings wrote an article entitled "ButThat's Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy." She explains in the article that what is considered good teaching must be reexamined to understand that teaching that does not serve ALL students cannot be described or understood as good teaching.

I agree with George Theoharis in his article "Social Justice Educational Leaders and Resistance: Towards a Theory of Social Justice Leadership" that the same issue that Ladson-Billings addresses to teaching applies to educational leadership. To be an effective leader with diverse learners goes beyond what the literature defines as good leadership. Leadership that is not focused on what it takes for all children to be successful is not indeed good leadership.

According to Theoharis (and I would concur!), in order to provide "good" leadership (hopefully, excellent leadership) for all students, the content of leadership preparation programs need to provide content in required courses related to the following areas: special education, English Language Learners, curriculum, differentiation and teaming, using data, presentation skills, race, poverty, working with diverse families, taking a global perspective, etc.

When so many of our diverse learners are still not experiencing academic success, we must not only reexamine and redefine good teaching and good leadership, but also do whatever it takes to prepare educators to be excellent teachers and leaders for ALL students.