Leadership in Education: A Journey

1. Leadership in Education: A Journey Education Leadership Canada: a division of the Ontario Principals’ Council Joanne Robinson

2. Focus for Today • Background information about OPC and the Ontario education system • Principals as the key to student success • The changing role of the principal • Challenges and opportunities for school leaders

3. Ontario has: • 40% of Canada’s 33.6 million people (it is the most populous province) • 60% of 225,000 immigrants who come to Canada annually • Over 1 million square kilometres of land • 2.1 million students • Almost 126,000 teachers (unionized teaching and support staff) • About 5,000 schools in 72 school districts • Funding of $20.2B (CDN) in 2010-11 (40% increase compared to 2002-03) • Principals are not unionized but supported through OPC • Budget announced this spring allocates $22.8 billion for education – 45% increase since 2002-03

4. What is the Ontario Principals Council? • A professional association representing elementary and secondary vice-principals and principals in the public education system in Ontario. • Three main roles on behalf of our members: • Advocacy • Consultation, advice and legal support when necessary • Professional learning and training • Relatively young organization, since April 1, 1998 • Not part of the government, political but non-partisan

5. Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 • From 65 countries, only Shanghai, China scored significantly better in reading. In mathematics Ontario scored very well. • In Ontario, the difference in achievement between students in the top socio-economic quarter and the lowest quarter was half the OECD average. • Within Canada, Ontario has the highest proportion of immigrant students.

6. Elementary Outcomes: Achievement Results 150,000 more students at provincial standard 4 key levers for elementary reform: • Improving classroom teaching and learning • Improving school effectiveness • Leadership capacity building • Research and evaluation

7. Secondary Outcomes: Achievement Results 6 key levers for secondary reform: • Leadership infrastructure • Engaging and relevant programming • Effective instruction • Focused Interventions for students at risk of not graduating • Legislation and policy development • Research, monitoring and evaluation

8. Ontario The exemplar for high performance is established and transparent: • District Effectiveness Framework • School Effectiveness Framework • Leadership Framework • Standards of Practice for Teaching • Curriculum Expectations • Growing Success (Assessment)

9. Professionalism Ontario College of Teachers: • Teacher certification • Principals qualification program • Supervisory Officials qualification program • Additional qualifications

10. Ken Leithwood’s Theory of Action RationalPath (Academic press, Disciplinary climate, TLCPs) LSA Initiatives School-wideExperience EmotionsPath (Efficacy, Trust) Leadership Practices StudentLearning OrganizationalPath (Time, PLC ,TLCPs)) FamilyPath (Expectations, Reading ClassroomExperience

11. Principals and Student AchievementDimension One: Establishing goals and expectations Specifies the importance of a strong sense of purpose Talks enthusiastically about what needs to be accomplished Talks optimistically Describes a compelling vision for the future

12. Dimension One: Establishing goals and expectations Expresses confidence that goals can be achieved Talks about their most important values and beliefs Includes setting, communicating, and monitoring of learning goals, standards, and expectations Involves staff and others in the process so that there is clarity and consensus about the goals

13. Dimension Two: Strategic resourcing Includes aligning resource selection and allocation to priority teaching goals Includes provision of appropriate expertise through staff recruitment This may be particularly important in regions where there is a chronic resource shortage and the principal influence will be critical

14. Dimensions Three: Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum Direct involvement in the support and evaluation of teaching through regular classroom visits and formative and summative feedback to teachers Direct oversight of the curriculum through school-wide coorfination across classes and year levels and alignment to school goals

15. How? Discussions about explicit achievement standards for the subjects they teach Asking for evaluation results or progress of their students in a subject (like reading) Make suggestions about the choice of instructional methods in the subject Encourage collaboration among teachers Initiate professional development for teachers Make suggestions about the content that must be covered in the subject

16. Dimension Four: Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development Effective leadership not only promotes but is actively involved in professional development; the leader participates as the lead learner Principals are more active participants in teacher learning and development and discussions of teaching and learning Effective leaders are more accessible and knowledgeable about instructional matters

17. Dimension 5: Ensuring a safe and orderly environment Reduce distractions and external pressures and interruptions Clearly and consistently enforced social expectations and discipline codes Establish an orderly and supportive environment both inside and outside the classroom Protecting time for teaching and learning

18. Student-Centred Leadership The ability to apply relevant knowledge to the appropriate situation Taking complex problems and seriously engaging others in solutions Mentoring and coaching others to lead complex problem-solving processes Building relational trust and building trust while tackling tough situations

19. PERSONAL LEADERSHIP RESOURCES • COGNITIVE RESOURCES: • PROBLEM-SOLVING EXPERTISE • KNOWLEDGE OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES THAT AFFECT STUDENT LEARNING • SOCIAL RESOURCES: • PERCEIVE AND MANAGE EMOTIONS • ACT IN EMOTIONALLY APPROPRIATE WAYS • PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES: • OPTIMISM • SELF-EFFICACY • RESILIENCE

20. Tri-Level Focus SCHOOL Professional Learning Communities DISTRICT Principal Learning Teams INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP LEADING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP PROVINCE LSA STEERING TEAM (ADFO, CPCO, OPC, EDU, CSC)

21. Leadership and capacity building related to instruction – Focus, alignment and coherence

22. Supporting School and System Leadership DistrictSchool Boards Institutes of Leadership ) Ministry of Education Collective voice for the advancement of evidence-based leadership practices in Ontario Research Practice Policy

23. Levers to successful improvement systems • A small number of ambitious goals • A guiding coalition at the top • High standards and expectations • Investment in leadership and capacity building related to instruction • Mobilizing data and effective practices as a strategy for improvement • Intervention in a non-punitive manner • Reducing distractions • Being transparent, relentless and increasingly challenging

24. “How do the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better?” Three Main Findings: • It’s a system thing, not a single thing • Prescribe adequacy, unleash greatness • Common but different

25. Good to Great – focus on building professional capacity • Great to Excellent – focus on learning through peer collaboration and innovation • Ontario: sustained improvement, from 2003-2009 moved from “good” to “great”, now moving from “great” to “excellent”. McKinsey Report (2010)

26. School Effectiveness Framework • Assessment for, as and of Learning • School and Classroom Leadership • Student Voice • Curriculum, Teaching and Learning • Programs and Pathways • Home, School and Community Partnerships

27. School Improvement Planning 2. Smart Goals 3. Targeted, Evidence Based Strategies • 1. Needs Assessment • Student achievement data • Demographic data • Program data • Perceptual data • Analysis of data 4. Resources 5. Professional Learning 8. Evaluation 6. Monitoring 7. Responsibility

28. ONTARIO LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK SETTING DIRECTION BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE DEVELOPING THE ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT DESIRED PRACTICES IMPROVING THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM SECURING ACCOUNTABILITY

29. Workshop For Principals and Aspiring Principals • Goals of the Session: • Identify the key role principals have in leading the student achievement agenda • Build an understanding of the common challenges and opportunities we all face • Identify the features of instructional leadership • Introduce the leadership framework as a tool to guide our work

30. You • Think, Pair, Share: • What is the most rewarding experience that has happened to you in your school recently? • What is the most frustrating thing that has happened recently? • What do you wish you had more time to do?

31. You … • Coach • Problem-solver • Project manager • Strategic planner • Leader

32. YOU… • Personal performance • Motivated / inspired staff • Professional growth • Achieving your goals

33. Leadership Frameworks • Inspire a shared vision of leadership in schools and boards • Promote a common language that fosters an understanding of leadership and what it means to be a school and system leader • Identify the practices and competencies that describe effective leadership • Guide the design and implementation of professional learning and development for school and system leaders

34. Benefits of a Framework Common Language Flexible Approach Platform for Team-Building Guide for Professional Learning Powerful Self-Reflection Tool

35. Ontario Leadership Framework Leadership is the exercise of influence on organizational members and diverse stakeholders toward the identification and achievement of the organization’s vision and goals.

36. ONTARIO LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK SETTING DIRECTION BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE DEVELOPING THE ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT DESIRED PRACTICES IMPROVING THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM SECURING ACCOUNTABILITY

37. PERSONAL LEADERSHIP RESOURCES • COGNITIVE RESOURCES: • PROBLEM-SOLVING EXPERTISE • KNOWLEDGE OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES THAT AFFECT STUDENT LEARNING • SOCIAL RESOURCES: • PERCEIVE AND MANAGE EMOTIONS • ACT IN EMOTIONALLY APPROPRIATE WAYS • PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES: • OPTIMISM • SELF-EFFICACY • RESILIENCE

38. Core Leadership Capacities: • Developing Expertise in Using Data: • - Gathering, Analyzing, and Making Decisions • Setting Goals Collaboratively • Promoting Collaborative Learning Cultures • Engaging in Courageous Conversations: • - Providing and Receiving Feedback Effectively • Aligning Resources with Priorities

39. Professional Learning Cycle Plan Reflect Act Observe

40. Wexford CSA: An Ontario Case Study Why were we selected for the SSI? Grade 9 Achievement Rates (2005) – 65% of students earned all 8 credits Grade 10 Achievement Rates (2005) – 58% of students earned 16 credits Clearly a need to look at how the achievement rates could be improved!!

41. Wexford CSA What is preventing our students from being successful? To find the root issue: Needed to look at the data to determine where the successes and the non-successes were focused and determine any patterns in the data

42. What did the Principal do? Convened all of the Curriculum Leaders (18 out of a staff of 80) and gave each leader the data related to his/her curriculum area. Leaders worked in pairs to pin point areas of greatest concern based on poor achievement results. Determined as a group the most troubling academic subject, grade and level.

43. What Else did the Principal do? With the Curriculum Leaders reviewed the School Effectiveness Survey to determine areas that we were scoring lower then we should have been. Examined in depth with the CL what our School Improvement Plan should reflect. Started the discussions around what we need to do as a school to have our achievement results better reflect what we believe they should be.

44. The Plan! All of the CLs agreed that the most glaring lack of achievement was in Mathematics specifically at the grade 9 Applied level. Our plan for improvement as part of the SSI would have as a specific focus the grade 9 Applied Math BUT all curriculum areas would be mirroring the same foci within their area. The concern and appropriate data was then presented to all of the teaching staff.

45. Teaching Staff React Everyone agreed that there was a concern about the poor achievement results. Many of the teachers voiced the idea that if the students did not come prepared (insufficient academic background from the elementary school), didn’t do homework or just didn’t show up it was not the responsibility of the teacher. Extensive discussions around the responsibilities of the teachers vs. the responsibilities of the students.

46. Setting the Stage for the Process of Change Understanding the Need to Use Data • Each Curriculum Area had to create a Department Improvement Plan (DIP) that focused on one pillar within the School Improvement Plan (SIP). It had to be data determined and a specific goal created that would be the focus of the Semester. • Each teacher had to create a Personal Improvement Plan (PIP) that connected with their DIP. It also had to data determined and have a specific goal attached.

47. Setting the Stage for the Process of Change Focus on Teaching Strategies: • looked at the strategies being used in the most successful classes • Introduced the concept of High Yield Strategies • Each Curriculum Area selected one High Yield Strategy that they would focus on for the semester. • Professional Development was arranged for each of the High Yield Strategies selected

48. High Yield Strategies (School Wide) • Differentiated Instruction • Three Part Lessons • Higher Order Thinking Skills • Moderated Marking • Assessment for Learning

49. High Yield Strategies Grade 9 Applied Math • Assessment for Learning • Three Part Lessons • Differentiated Instruction

50. School Wide Support for Grade 9 Applied Math • Each curricular area in the school had to select a component of the Grade 9 Applied Math curriculum that they could include in a practical way within their own area. • After school math support was mandated for all grade 9 Math students who scored less than level 3 on the Grade 6 EQAO Math.