Table of Contents
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Copyright 2022 by Dr. Crystal Bullock Wyche
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ISBN 978-1-66786-475-4
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Author Bio
Dr. CRYSTALWYCHE, EDD.OL
Dr. Crystal Wyche is a motivated selfstarter, with years of long-term career experience demonstrating superior professional expertise in business, communication, and educational leadership. As a native of Oxford, North Carolina, she gained her education from Granville County Public Schools. Prepared to thrive in a changing world, Dr. Wyche earned a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University in Atlanta, a Master of Arts in Leadership from Shorter University located in Rome, Georgia, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Winston Salem State University located in Winston Salem, North Carolina.
Considering a substantially fitting role, she was formerly employed in television media, working for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and FOX News. In the transition to later career endeavors, Dr. Wyche served as a Professional Development Specialist with the Atlanta Board of Education, managing, alongside teachers and principals within Atlanta Public Schools. Along with being an advocate for socio-political reform between schools and the community, she also served as President of the Local School Council.
Dr. Wyche is a leadership and professional development consultant, currently appointed to serve within the Cobb County Government on behalf of the Georgia General Assembly. She is also a business owner and an active member of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
www.crystalwyche.com
Dedication
I dedicate this book to the many educators seeking to teach with heart, and to the educational leaders who are willing to demonstrate the passion needed to pursue excellence in supporting their followers through continuous professional development.
Acknowledgments
It is with gratitude and faith in Christ that I accomplished my purpose, with the ability to complete this fantastic milestone. I express special appreciation to my loving husband, Timothy Wyche, and our daughters for the hugs, love, and support they provided to nurture the stages of my life as a wife, educator, and career mom.
In addition, I extend my gratitude toward my devoted statistician, Dr. Kathy Stansbury, for her expertise and interpretation of numerical compositions applied to all published work. A special thanks to my professors and dissertation chair, Dr. Haywood and Dr. Russell Fail. Also, my dear friend and former classmate, Dr. Kaye Citizen Wilcox, I sincerely appreciate your light and shared strength to help maximize my leadership potential - I finally authored a dissertation turned book. Lastly, a special thank you to each and every one of my fellow readers!
Preface
Leading Relationships in Education is written as a resource for educators who aspire to evolve the teacher and leader within. Whether it is a time for reading, reflecting, and recharging, it is during the demanding career that educators seek to find ways to help navigate the days between. The idea of this book grew from the authors educational experience in teaching, mentoring, and day-to-day professional work with teachers and principals to develop a critical appraisal to appropriate professional contexts. The author offered support, from evaluating school administrators from authentic teacher responses, to quantifying data correlations about leadership styles and job commitment into the use of professional research procedures relevant to educators. Supporting the professional development of teachers and others interested in fulfilling similar educational job roles, this book invites readers like you to develop a leaders potential.
It is fortunate that you decided to read more about ways to develop a self-led inclination approach toward your work endeavors to define or refine your leadership potential and job commitment. Upon completion of the book, you will be able to measure your return on your work investment, analyze a self-study of your relationships with others and promote your career life history. Whether a new or an experienced educator, you can receive a broader articulation in your day-to-day work experiences as you pursue a healthier lifelong balance. Prepare to take the lead in navigating from a job to your vocation in education.
Introduction
Our nations education system is failing to meet the needs of principal leaders, teachers, and millions of students leaving an overwhelming number of teachers unemployed and students unprepared for the career and life ahead. In such a case, one out of ten is reported to graduate from college in the United States. The result is not only an opportunity gap among social or economic classes but also a teacher retention issue. Although policy makers at every level of the school system are talking about teachers, they rarely talk to the teachers.
For too long, teachers have been treated as subjects of change rather than agents of change. We live in an extremely vulnerable society, challenged to excel in our work-life while escaping the barriers of unethical behavior, poor organizational structure, and mass communication. Too often, we allow the expectations of others to affect the way we show up in the world! You are meant to live on your own terms.
So, here is where I decided to show up, share my former research perspectives, and address the facts of the matter. I decided to release my words to inspire the minds of those across the areas of leadership, empowering themselves, and others to lead in their own efforts and with self-confidence in their work endeavors.
Through recent study and professional experiences in organizational leadership, I continue to advocate for work-life balance among primary-level teachers and their leaders, including those employed in higher education and stay-at-home educators as well. Honestly, I always tell my children the home is a foundation for learning; what you acquire in the home will reflect how you oversee and respond to circumstances beyond the home. Years ago, I, too, received the same advice as a child. At a point in this life, you, too, may find the moment to reminisce about your life-long mentors or influencers.
Perhaps, your church and community involvement, something special grandma taught, or your parents modeled beneficial to your personal level of self-expectation, attributing to your professional gain.
Okay, so you got the education, that promotion on the job, and obtained a role in leadership through election or self-intuition. As you continue reading, you will find out that the ideology of leadership begins before adulthood. Have you ever had a moment where you stepped into a role or position and wondered why or if based on illogical reasoning? Perhaps you are placed in a role by peoples choice an election, promotion, or self-intuition.