Syllabus
Leadership Theory & Practice
Leadership Track Component of Leadership and Nonprofit Administration - ENVS 584
Summer 2017
Overview: In this portion of the course, you will apply leadership theory, and experience from the residency, to a professional summer leadership track. Through a combination of full-time work and leadership-focused assignments, you will 1) develop and refine unique leadership styles and 2) acquire and practice requisite competencies for leading in the field of environmental education.
Goals:
1. Develop core leadership competencies
2. Develop and refine individualized leadership styles
3. Gain exposure to different forms of environmental education
My Expectations of You
1. To show up and be fully engaged in your primary leadership track position as well as portfolio requirements whenever you are scheduled.
2. To communicate early and often with me if you need any additional support in meeting your identified goals by the end of the summer.
3. To communicate with me if you have any extenuating circumstances that will prevent you from delivering course assignments or participating fully in your leadership track.
You can Expect of Me
1. To complete one observation of you in the field and one formal check-in. In addition, I will provide informal guidance, coaching, and feedback when requested.
2. To be available via email (response within 48 hours M-F) and phone.
3. To be present and listen.
Reading
Please read, The Leader Who is Hardly Known, by Steve Simpson, by the start of the summer course (July 7, 2016).
A series of articles has been uploaded to the “Leadership Track” Google drive folder. These are all short readings that you should read by June 30, as they will inform your work this summer and be integrated into various assignments.
Within the Google sheet titled “C16 Leadership Track Readings,” you will also find a list of leadership books. Please select one of these books by June 30 by listing your selection in the second tab of the readings googlesheet. Then, read by July 28, 2017.
Field Observation/Check-In
To serve as an additional place for feedback and support, I will observe and check-in with you at least once throughout the summer. Please propose a couple of dates/times that you would like for me to be available for this by June 21, so that I can build these into my summer schedule. In proposing times, think about when you might be delivering educational content that would benefit from a second set of eyes. These observations/check-ins will be catered to your needs.
Grading
Leadership tracks represent 20% of your Leadership and Nonprofit Administration course. The distribution of that 20% is below.
Areas of Assessment
Participation (10%): You will receive a general schedule from me prior to the start of your leadership track. This schedule will include your primary position workdays as well as portfolio requirements and peer learning group meetings. Specific schedule details will be coordinated by your supervisor and portfolio requirement lead. It is your responsibility to be present and engaged during your scheduled work time.
Goal Setting (5%): In collaboration with your supervisor, please develop at least three goals associated with 1) your desired leadership outcomes, 2) your written deliverables, and 3) your reflective process. (Due: June 21)
Self Assessment (15%): Please develop your own leadership rubric that you will use to evaluate your leadership throughout the summer. Use the required leadership readings, your MBTI results, the NOLS leadership session you did last summer, the leadership theory session you did in practicum, and your leadership goals for the coming summer to inform the rubric. This should be used as a tool throughout, but it must be submitted in writing mid-way through the summer and at the end (Due: July 7 and August 18).
Reflection (25%): Please submit a weekly reflection responding to the prompt that is sent out the week before it is due. (Due: each week Friday)
Peer Support (10%): Twice throughout the summer, you will meet with a small group of peers to discuss your experience. Prompts will be provided prior to your meeting. These sessions will be planned based on student availability.
Written Deliverables (10%): As outlined with your primary supervisor, you will be responsible for a set of deliverables that will help the program area or organization advance into the future. These will be sent to me and your supervisor. (Due: August 18)
Final Project (15%):
Complete a report responding to the following prompts:
· Describe the system within which you have been working. Please consider social aspects, geography, nonhuman aspects, key stakeholders, organizational structure, communication, and climate change. How does understanding the parts of the system and the interactions inform your leadership?
· Based on your understanding of leadership, environmental education, and the nested system within which you have been working this summer (program, organization/agency, community, and society scales), what three to five recommendations do you have for your program area or organization? Please explain your recommendations in enough detail that your supervisor could read and implement, and support your recommendations with examples.
(Due: August 18)
Final Presentation (5%):
You will do a 10-minute presentation on your leadership track experience on August 21. Your presentation
should include a brief description of your key learning and leadership outcomes, deliverables, and highlights.
Please include relevant visuals. Leadership track supervisors, NCI staff, your cohort, and Cohort 17 will all be
invited to these presentations. (August 21)
Survey (5%):
Please complete the survey that will be sent out by August 18 (Due: August 21)
Summary of Assignment Deadlines:
If you will be in the field and unable to submit an assignment on the dates below, please propose alternate due dates with me by June 21.
· Propose a check in and observation date/time with me
· Submit goals / June 21
· Reflection #1 / June 23
· Reflection #2
· Read articles
· Select book / June 30
· Mid-Summer Self Assessment
· Reflection #3 / July 7
· Reflection #4 / July 14
· Reflection #5 / July 21
· Reflection #6
· Book read / July 28
· Reflection #7 / August 4
· Reflection #8 / August 11
· Final Project
· End of Summer Self Assessment
· Written Deliverables / August 18
· Presentation
· Survey / August 21
Schedule
Leadership introduction in the context of environmental education: 2 hours, July, 2016
Read Steve Simpson’s, The Leader Who Is Hardly Known by this date
Leadership styles session: 1.5 hours, Summer, 2016
Introduction to traditional leadership theory: 2 hours, Spring, 2017
Sustainability leadership session: 2 hours, Spring, 2017
Leadership track: June 15 – August 25, 2017