Leadership: Whare are we at?

Leadership: Where are we at? 1

LEADERSHIP:WHERE ARE WE AT?

A Curriculum Committee presentation


Why report of Leadership?

An identified area for Professional Development

Seeking to lead, rather than just manage Departments


RESEARCH ON SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

“Current Issues in Educational Leadership”Neil Cranston, Lisa Ehrich and Leanne Morton (2007)

(a recent article published in The Australian Educational Leader, ACEL, Vol 29, No. 2)

“Quality Teaching and School Leadership: A Scan of Research Findings”

NIQTSL, Canberra Louise Watson (2005)


IMPACT ON STUDENT OUTCOMES

Leadership is second only to quality teaching

A probable understatement of the impact

Leadership is associated with “patterns of influence in social interaction” (Ingvarson, 2006, p.27).


CURRENT ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP


Theme 1:Theme 1: A critique of the competency approach

To simplistic

Reductionist

Not future orientated

A-contextual


Understanding of emerging developments

Use to engage school community Capacity to work with different groups Effective leadership in times of

change and challenge Advocacy role for community

Theme 2:Theme 2: Need to contextualise leadership thinking


Human/finance and resources Expectations, policies, pedagogies Legislation and legal External relations Accountability requirements

Theme 3:Theme 3:Management is important


Student learning and development is the fundamental focus

Critically reflective, life-long learner Theory-practice links Leaders of learning Formal/informal P.D The learner-centred school (for all)

Theme 4:Theme 4: Educational leadership is about learning


Theme 5:Theme 5: Educational leadership is a purposeful, values-driven activity

Aware of own values/beliefs/principles School values/beliefs/principles School community service and social responsibilities

Learning-centred focusToleranceInclusivenessCompassion

Equity, social justice, fairnessWhole-person developmentEmpowermentEthics/ethical behaviour

Key Values include:Key Values include:


Empowerment Working with/through others Working in non-hierarchical, trusting

and mutual respective ways Know staff Communication

Theme 6:Theme 6: Educational leadership as distributed activity


Interpersonal skills

Developing relationships

Manage micro-politics

Theme 7:Theme 7: Educational leadership as a relational activity


Literature awash with lists of knowledge, skills, attitudes and dispositions

The more notable that have emerged in recent years are:

Theme 8:Theme 8: Leadership qualities and capabilities



Modeling the way

Challenge and risk taking

Influencing others

Optimism and confidence

Adaptable and responsive

Intuition Commitment Passion



Advocacy Creative and

innovative Personal

responsibility Courage

Relational capabilities

Resilience Self-confidence Tough-

mindedness



Compassion and fairness

Integrity Political and

legal astuteness

Acting ethically

Micro-political astuteness

Managing diversity

Visioning Leading and

managing change


REFLECTION!!REFLECTION!!

HOW DO WE MEASURE UP?


Responding to local/national demands that conflict?

Acting as “leader” while empowering others?

Work/life balance

Theme 9:Theme 9: Paradoxes and tensions inherent in Educational leadership


Future orientated while managing the “here and now?”

Professional learning in face of competing demands

Effective allocation of limited resources

Theme 9:Theme 9: Paradoxes and tensions inherent in Educational leadership


MODELS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

1. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

2. TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

3. DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP


1. INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

Leadership inteaching and learning

to improvestudent outcomes

(Watson, 2005, p.67)


1.Defining a School Mission (or Strategy)

2.Managing the Instructional Program (or Structure)

3.Promoting a Positive Learning Climate (or Culture)

There are 3 Dimensions:


Five attributes were identified:

1. Leadership Vision2. Focus on school level activities3. Importance of school culture4. Engagement of teachers5. “Dedication” to needs of students

In Australian context


2. TRANSFORMATINAL LEADERSHIP

Definition:The use of facilitative powers to

construct strong cultures that empower individuals, rather than simply exercising authority over

them.

INFLUENCE, NOT AUTHORITYINFLUENCE, NOT AUTHORITY


Liethwood et al (1996):Six dimensions of Transformational Leadership

1. Building School Vision and Goals2. Providing intellectual stimulation3. Offering individualised support4. Symbolising professional practices

and values5. Demonstrating high performance

expectations6. Developing structures to foster

participation in school decisions


3. DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP

A set of functions distributed amongst community members

Models look at: Forms or functions of leadership Members Processes that distribute

leadership


A collective activity

The spanning of task, responsibilities and power

Expert, not hierarchical authority

Three common understandings of D.L:


Recent Research

TEACHER LEADERSHIP (Crowther et al – USQ)

Teachers leaders should:

1. Convey a better world2. Strive for authenticity in teaching, learning and

assessment3. Facilitate communities of learning4. Confront barriers to school culture and structures5. Translate ideas into sustainable systems of action6. Nurture a culture of success


Recent Research

“ACTIVE PROFESSIONALISM” (Sachs. 2000)

Broad principles are:

1. Inclusiveness2. Collective/collaborative action3. Effective communication of aims, expectations, etc4. Recognition of expertise of all5. An environment of trust and mutual respect6. Being responsive and responsible7. Acting with passion8. Experiencing pleasure and fun



WHAT STYLE DO I EMPLOY ?


WHAT DOES EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP LOOK LIKE?


Effective Leadership was invariably indirect

School goals the most consistent variable

Hallenger/Heck found:


Providing Direction

Exercising Influence(influencing others to achieve the direction)

Leithwood’s two generic functions:


1. Leadership is a Social Concept2. Leadership involves Purpose

and Direction3. Leaders exercise Influence4. Leadership is a Function5. Leadership is Context Specific

Five Broad Characteristics of Successful School Leadership



What have you identified as the common

“elements” in each of the three models thus far?


WHAT DO EFFECTIVE LEADERS

DO?


SETTING

DIRECTION(Visionary/Strategic)

Clear goals

Owned by the people

Fostering a shared sense of purpose

“Shared Vision” more likely to motivate

Specific practices include:

Identifying and articulating a vision

Fostering the acceptance of group goals

Creating high performance expectations


DEVELOPING PEOPLE(Culture)

Support and sustain teacher/student performance

Depends on knowledge of teaching and learning (Instructional Leadership aspect)

Skills in building relationships in social context


Providing Intellectual stimulation

Providing individualised support

Empowering others to make decisions


REDESIGNING THEORGANISATION (Structural)

Assumed schools need to change to meet new challenges

Must be willing to change the status quo

Capable of implementing school reform


Strengthening the school culture

Modifying organisational structures

Building collaborative practices


A Summary then … Vision is the most important

Must be a shared vision

Vision linked to cultural/structural aspects

REALITY: all three need to develop in concert


STANDARDS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

Many overseas (UK, US, Scotland, Dutch)

Professional organisations in Australia: APAPDC, ACEL, APC, Cath. Ed. (Qld,

Sydney) Governments (WA, SA, NSW) Nationally: Teaching Australia


DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP

Developed through authentic task and opportunities for effective collaborative decision making

Principles for developing such tasks:


Tasks should:

1. Be authentic and, thus, complex

2. Allow for variety of forms of leadership practice

3. Be open ended4. Be fair

5. Provide opportunity and encouragement of analysis and reflection

6. Have Research based knowledge

7. Encourage leaders to exemplify good practice


CONCLUSION SUMMARY

Current research centred on Transformational and Distributed Leadership

Broad characteristics:1. A social concept2. Purpose and direction3. Exercising influence4. Is a function5. Context specific


CONCLUSION SUMMARY (Cont’d)

SETTING DIRECTION

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

REDESIGNING THE ORGANISAION


WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Can we “lead” our own departments?

A new role/model for HOD’s at TGS?(Job design issues)

Increased Leadership for HOD’s?(through practical, authentic, dec.mak. tasks)


ATTACHMENTS Responsibilities of Balanced

Leadership

10 Proposition for Transforming Learning

The Framework (with self reflection guide)

AAPDC’s Educational Leadership Model


ARTICLES “The only way to go – shared

leadership”

“Leadership tips for HOD’s”

“Strong leaders build great teams”


FURTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Australian Principals Association Professional Development Council:

http://www.apapdc.edu.au/

Australian Council for Educational Leaders:

http://www.acel.org.au/



Teaching Australia:

http://www.teachingaustralia.edu.au/ta/go

Mind Tools:

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_LDR.htm

Leadership Survival Guide:

http://resources.sai-iowa.org/index.html



Articles Previously supplied include:

“Building Collaboration” “HR management and

development: a framework for school subject departments”

Others can be supplied from my own collection


P.D. OPPORTUNITIES

ISQ 2007 State Conference, 25-27 July 2007 (Surfers Paradise)

Directions for Catholic Educational Leadership in the 21st Century, 29 July – 1 August 2007 (Sydney)

“The Leadership Challenge,” The 2007 Research Conference of the ACER, 12-14 August 2007, (Melbourne)

“New Imagery for Schools and Schooling: challenge, creating and connecting” International Conference of ASCD and ACEL, 10-12 October 2007, (Sydney)

Leadership: Whare are we at?

Education

Transcript of Leadership: Whare are we at?