Principals Leading Learning & Managing Change

PrincipalsLeading Learning&Managing Change Jan Coleman 2007

Traditional Models of Leadership • Managerial / Transactional • Transformational • Interpretive • Instructional / Pedagogical.

Quality Teaching Leadership Improved student outcomes

“If you want to go fast – go alone, If you want to go far – go with others.” Al Gore on receiving the Nobel prize.

Think about changes you have been a part of… • What were the factors or influences leading to effective change? • What were the factors or influences leading to ineffective change? • How is ownership developed? • How do we overcome resistance? • What supports are needed?

Think about changes you have been a part of… • How to we ensure there is a balance between drive/desire for change? • How do we ensure the successes are: • seen • shared • celebrated

A framework for change Values & Beliefs Why? Principles How? Practices What?

Lessons on change • Moral purpose is complex and problematic– be inspired by moral purpose but not naive about it • Theories of change and theories of education need each other –programmes include theories of action, no one change model fits all circumstances • Conflict and diversity are our friends –problems are inevitable, you can’t learn without them, it is better to incorporate differences at an early stage • Understand the meaning of operating on the edge of chaos – get used to a degree of uncertainty, this is also on the edge of order

Lessons on change • Emotional intelligence is anxiety provoking and anxiety containing –live with what cannot be changed and take responsibility for those that can • Collaborative cultures are anxiety provoking and anxiety containing – collaboration to be effective must foster a degree of difference • Attack incoherence: Connectedness and knowledge creation are critical – create mechanisms of integration, connect to what you are doing • There is no single solution: craft your own theories and actions by being a critical consumer – Change is too important to leave to the experts, no one can solve your change problems except yourself Fullan, 1999, Change Forces: the sequel

School leadership + External leadership is powerful IF The development of internal leadership is clearly identified and planning for sustainability is explicit

“Principals and leaders were seen as experts and sources of solutions to classroom problems in high performing schools”

What can you do? • Clarify priorities – everything is important. What are the relative importance? • Set goals and expectations – vision is only good if embedded in goals and developed into action • Develop commitment and motivation – these are the most important. (expertise is part of the discussion / dialogue)

Principals have a key role in leading learning through: • Provide strategic resourcing - $s must support initiatives not drive them • Provide a supportive and orderly environment BALANCE! Care v accountability

Adaptive expert Frustrated novice Innovation Optimal adaptability corridor (Target space) Routine expert (total efficiency) Efficiency Adapted from Darling-Hammond & Bransford, 2005

Learner Development (levels) Traditional content New knowledge Low risk Feelings (anger, discomfort, loss) High risk Generic skills Learning to be (ideal place) Learner Transformation (the ‘Ahah’ moment) Alfer Barnett, 2004 – Learning for an unknown future

Expect troughs • How do we ensure the troughs are short and shallow?

Models of Change • Initiating • Envisioning • Playing • Sustaining • Appreciative inquiry

Barriers to change • Failure to recognise the need • Habit • Security • Fear of the unknown • Previously unsuccessful efforts • Threats to expertise • Threats to social /power relationships • Threats to resource allocations

Issues with change • Depth • Sustainability • Spread • Ownership Deep reform takes time, requires courage and is evidence driven

Evidence of change • Attitude • Teacher knowledge • Pedagogical content knowledge • Teacher practice (observation) • Student achievement

Distributed Leadership - implications for professional development in schools

Also known as: • Learning-Centred leadership • Pedagogical leadership • Distributed leadership is directed towards improved practice and is related to institutional change and improvement

Key Understandings of Distributed Leadership • Distributed Leadership is not new • There is an increasing advocacy for this concept in recent times • Essentially, it is a sharing of leadership • A movement from the power of one to the power of many

Distributed leadershipin action • Traditionally team / syndicate leaders • Heads of departments • Deputy / associate principals • Examples of teacher leadership • Timperley - South Auckland - early literacy project.

Related leadership issues: • Senior leaders must ‘let go’ • Need to hold individuals accountable • Multiple leaders requires co-ordination • Leader- follower: • Traditional relationship: saint, saviour, charismatic leaders • Expectations under distributed leadership

What exactly is distributed? • Process • Focus • Content • Roles???

Why use this to enhance Professional Development? • Ownership increased • Sustainability • Relationships established • Time • Proximity of support

Development of Distributed Leadership • Leadership teams • Leadership of teams • Teacher-leaders • Support networks • Mentoring • Coaching • Formal ‘change management’ training.

Issues: • Leadership is a function rather than a hierarchical position • It supplements the traditional hierarchical positions rather than replacing these positions • Not for every school or every issue • Context and timing matter

Timperley, H. (2005) Distributed leadership: developing theory from practice. Journal of Curriculum Studies, Vol 37, No 4, 2005 • “Increasing distributed leadership is only desirable if the quality of leadership activities contributes to assisting teachers to provide more effective instruction to their students, and it is on these qualities we should focus.” (Timperley, 2004, p417)

Issues • Lack of clarity around what matters most in the role of principal • Easier to think of it as ‘this job’ rather than ‘membership of profession’ • Time out of the classroom – issues of ‘currency’ • Multiple demands of the role of principal

Goals • Identify important & critical goals • Goals are the outcomes of gathering and evaluating evidence • Model goal setting and development • It does not matter who sets the goals – can be co-constructed or taken up

Group dynamics Stages of group performance • Forming • Storming • Norming • Performing • Reforming / mourning

Personalised learning • Individualised • Customised • Programmed • Learner centred • Includes computer assisted learning

References • Copland, M. (2003) Leadership of inquiry: building and sustaining capacity for school improvement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 25(4), 375-395. • Spillane, J. P. and Sherer, J. Z. (2004) A distributed perspective on school leadership: leadership practice stretched over people and place. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (Institute of Policy Research, North-western University, Evanston, IL, USA). • Timperley, H. (2005) Distributed leadership: developing theory from practice. Journal of Curriculum Studies, Vol 37, No 4, 2005

Principals Leading Learning & Managing Change