Daniel Allen, SLP'11: Building Networks

Daniel Allen’s reasons for entering the School Leadership Program (SLP) were simple enough: to become an effective school leader. But now that his time at HGSE is coming to an end, he realizes that in order to get there, he needs to know the right questions to ask. “I realize that leadership is largely an exercise in building networks of committed individuals who share a vision for what can be possible,” he says.

During his time in SLP, Allen definitely impressed his cohort.

“Often working with other SLP students, he has done a wonderful job of using his knowledge, skill, research, and practical experience to benefit the learning of all of us,” says Lee Teitel, director of SLP. “Daniel collaborated with other classmates to create an online community for students to post and share their work and their ideas for this year and beyond…. We — the teaching staff and the peers that nominated him — are proud to give him this award.”

Upon learning that he had been honored with the Intellectual Contribution/Faculty Tribute Award for SLP, Allen answered some questions about his time at the Ed School and beyond.

What is something that you learned at HGSE that you will take with you throughout your career in education? There is a powerful notion expressed in a lot of classes that what has brought personal success in the past is not necessarily what will ensure success for the organizations that you lead. What gets you accepted into HGSE might not be enough to transform an organization. This work is about building capacity in others, and not about a narrow effort to build an attractive resume.

Is there any professor who significantly shaped your experience at the Ed School? [Adjunct Lecturer] Elliot Stern. For the first time in my life I had a teacher who was not afraid to tell me the way I do things is not good enough. He was never interested in stroking our egos, and he was ready to deal with the backlash when people were held accountable for developing their leadership. He modeled the challenges of leadership in an authentic way in a classroom setting. While I have a stack of memorable Elliot quotes, my favorite is “I’m concerned with all the happiness that is going on around here.” Unbelievable.

How did you stay inspired throughout the year? Inspiration comes easily when you are engaged in the most important work being done in our society with a cohort of future leaders whose dedication and commitment demand nothing less than your personal best. As a SLP cohort, I think we have gotten progressively better at holding ourselves accountable for our individual contributions to the work.

What advice do you have for next year’s students going through your program? Figure out a way to survive. I remember our program director, Lee Teitel, wrote in his first email to us that SLP was not for the faint of heart. He was right.

What will you change in education and why? I would prefer to frame the question as what will “we” change in education. I won’t be doing much alone, but hope to build and strengthen the networks and learning communities that will transform the instructional culture of education in the country.

Favorite place to get a slice of pizza in the Square? Crazy Dough’s, potato and bacon pizza. Easy decision.