Educational Leadership

1. Educational Leadership Post Graduate Diploma Of School Management 2007 Simon Craggs, Arvind Raj, Sachida Naidu, Rachel Peak, Justine Driver, Michael Malins

2. Definition Educational and professional leadership enhances student outcomes through the creation of an environment where learning permeates the organisational culture. The educational leader is able to promote a shared community vision, mobilise people, lead curriculum and pedagogical practice, administrate effectively and reflect critically on all practice.

3. Supporting Literature • Starratt (2003) states “I believe that the core work of school leaders must be involved with teachers in seeking to promote quality learning for all children, and that all management tasks serve that core work” (p.11). • Robinson (2006) discusses the role of new research into professional leadership as “putting the education back into educational leadership – that is, to ground leadership in the core business of teaching and learning. This new research is helpful in two ways: 1. It tells us about what school leaders need to know and understand if they are to lead the improvement of teaching and learning. 2. It identifies some of the features of school and teacher culture which support principals or their designees in the leadership of teaching and learning” (p.63).

4. Concepts of Educational Leadership Student Learning & Well-Being Relationships Reflection Operational Leadership Curriculum & Pedagogical Leadership Values, Vision, Strategy Community

5. Te Whare ōRangatiratangaThe House of Leadership Student Learning & Well-Being Relationships Reflection Values, Vision, Strategy Operational Leadership Curriculum & Pedagogical Leadership Community

6. Te Whare ōRangatiratangaThe House of Leadership Student Learning & Well-Being Relationships Reflection Values, Vision, Strategy Operational Leadership Curriculum & Pedagogical Leadership Community

7. Community • Communication is a major factor when linking the community to the institution’s core value of teaching and learning. “Managers in schools and colleges have to engage with both internal and external audiences in leading their institutions” (Bush, 2003, p.1). • To enhance collective ownership of the strategic direction of the school, Robinson (2007) suggests educational leaders need to focus on cultivating shared beliefs and a feeling of community. • By encouraging a sense of togetherness within the school and the wider community the core business of teaching and learning is paramount. “School leaders should not only run efficient, safe and caring learning environments – they should also be leaders of teaching and learning” (Robinson, 2006, p.62).

8. Vision and Values Vision is: A shared understanding for the future direction of the organisation • Clearly understood by all stakeholders • Negotiated in conjunction with the community “Vision is increasingly regarded as an essential component of effective leadership.” (Bush, 2003, p.6) “The articulation of vision is crucial.” (Starratt, 2003, p.15) “…core leadership activities…includes vision building…” (Harris, 2005, p.80) Values are: • The shared ideals which underpin the practice in an organisation • A determining factor in the ‘culture’ of the organisation “…the need for leadership to be grounded in firm personal and professional values…” (Bush, 2003, p.5) “…fosters shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation.” (Robinson, 2006, p.67)

9. Strategy Strategy is: • A future-focused view of the organisational direction • Developed in concert with all stakeholders in the school community • The basis for operational decision-making “…strategic curriculum leadership is likely to lead to more effective practice.” (Cardno & Collett, 2004, p.15). “…success as a curriculum leader depended on a determination to…think strategically…” (Cardno & Collett, 2004, p.26). “…transformational leadership in schools may be identified by…core leadership activities: setting directions…” (Harris, 2005, p.80).

10. Curriculum & Pedagogical Leadership Instructional/Pedagogical/Curriculum leadership has the ability to focus the curriculum on learning areas that are considered very important, and in doing so, increase students’ achievement. Curriculum is the school’s formal plan to fulfil its mission and expectations for student learning. The curriculum links the school’s beliefs, its expectations for student learning and its instructional practices.

11. Curriculum & Pedagogical Leadership Curriculum and pedagogical leadership is: • Leaders having the curriculum insight and the transformative ability to enhance student achievement in schools (Elmore, 2000). • Carrying out the school’s core function being teaching and learning in classrooms (Cardno & Collett, 2004). • Targeting the schools central activities, teaching and learning (Bush, 2003). • Strategic curriculum leadership is likely to lead to more effective teaching and learning practice (Cardno & Collett, 2004).

12. Operational Leadership The interrelationship between strategic and operational leadership must not be undervalued. The sound management of operational leadership must align with the school strategic direction; to ensure the core function of improving student achievement and well being remains at the forefront of implementing school wide initiatives. • Middlewood (1998) emphasises the importance in recognising the central link between strategy and its implementation as an essential component of effective strategic planning. • Bush (2003) Supports this by affirming that “leadership and management need to be given equal prominence if schools and colleges are to operate effectively and achieve their goals” (p.8). • Within this model strategic leadership refers to strategic resourcing as defined by Vivian Robinson (2007), who discusses that this leadership dimension is about securing and allocating material and staffing resources that are in line with the strategic direction best serving pedagogical improvement.

13. Relationships Building positive relationships with all stakeholders is an essential part of Educational Leadership These aspects are all related to building positive relationships with staff • Talking with teachers to promote reflection • Promoting professional growth • Strong influence on professional dialogue Positive relationships are needed with all stakeholders to implement the vision • Southworth (2004) explains that leaders “work with and through their colleagues. Leaders are dependent upon others putting into practice the ideas and policies agreed and adopted by the school” (p.99). • Research suggests that leaders who develop relationships and communicate goals by informing community of achievements and recognise student achievement are found in higher performing schools (Robinson,2007). • Weber (1987) suggests that “leaders are listeners and talkers, they are collaborators with teachers and students, whose needs present the most important demands in an instructional leader’s role” (p.2).

14. Reflection A reflective leader gives thoughtful consideration to their own leadership practice to gain a better understanding of their actions to become aware of what is happening within the school in a wider context, to ensure quality management. • According to Bush (2003) effective instructional leadership comprises aspects of talking with teachers, promoting teachers professional growth and fostering teacher reflection. • Our model of effective instructional leadership consists of the two major themes: principals talking with teacher to promote reflection and promote professional growth (Blase and Blase, 2000). • Effective principals value dialogue that encourages teachers to critically reflect on their learning and professional practice (Blase & Blase, 2000).

16. Definition Educational and professional leadership enhances student outcomes through the creation of an environment where learning permeates the organisational culture. The educational leader is able to promote a shared community vision, mobilise people, lead curriculum and pedagogical practice, administrate effectively and reflect critically on all practice.

17. Self-Appraisal Tool

18. Te Whare ōRangatiratangaThe House of Leadership Student Learning & Well-Being Relationships Reflection Values, Vision, Strategy Operational Leadership Curriculum & Pedagogical Leadership Community

19. References Blase, J. & Blase, J. (2002). Effective instructional leadership: Teachers’ perspectives on how principals promote teaching and learning in schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 38(2), 130-141. Bush, T. (2003). Theories of educational leadership and management (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications. Cardno, C. & Collett, D. (2003). Curriculum leadership: Secondary school principals’ perspectives on this challenging role in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Educational Leadership, 19(2), 15-29. Drucker, P. (1955). The Practice of Management, London: Heinemann. Elmore, R. (2002). Improving school throught principal professional development. Retrieved 5 July 2007 from http://www.nsdc.org/library/leaders/leader_report.cfm Harris, A. (2005). Leading from the chalk-face: An overview of school leadership. Leadership, 1(1), 73-87. Middlewood, D. (1998). Strategic management in education: An overview. In D Middlewood & J. Lumby, (Eds.) Strategic management in schools and colleges (pp. 1-17). London: Paul Chapman. Ministry of Education (1999) Principal Performance Management. Wellington: Ministry of Education. Ministry of Education (2006) The New Zealand Curriculum Draft for consultation 2006. Wellington: Ministry of Education Robinson, V.M.J. (2006). Putting education back into educational leadership. Leading & Managing, 12(1), 62-75. Robinson, V. (2007). ‘How School Leaders Make a Difference to their Students; Keynote Address to International Confederation of Principals’, A paper presented to the International Confederation of Principals. Southworth, G. (2004). Primary school leadership in context: leading small, medium and large sized schools. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Starrat, R. J. (2003). Centering educational administration: Cultivatingmeaning, community, responsibility. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Weber, J. R. (1987). Instructional leadership: A composite working model. ERIC Digest Number 17. University of Oregon: Clearinghouse on Educational Management.