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Leading from the Middle

Leading from the Middle. Wanda Snitch & Candice Ferey. Growing great deputies. Educational leadership in the secondary DP role. Secondary Deputy Principals. ‘Principals are interesting, deputies are not’* Minimal research, little empirical, mostly descriptive, small scale and anecdotal

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Leading from the Middle

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  1. Leading from the Middle Wanda Snitch & Candice Ferey

  2. Growing great deputies Educational leadership in the secondary DP role

  3. Secondary Deputy Principals ‘Principals are interesting, deputies are not’* • Minimal research, little empirical, mostly descriptive, small scale and anecdotal • Succession TO the DP role not a focus - Dean Fink • Transition from ‘middle’ to whole school role not a focus • Preparation for educational leadership not a focus • Confirmed by own experience as DP and professional learning co-ordinator

  4. Themes in research • Little role definition or control; delegated ‘assigned, expected and assumed tasks’* • Administrative and reactive duties: maintenance of organisational stability, ‘daily operations chief’** • Little opportunity to undertake ‘educational leadership’ • Satisfaction – heavily influenced by Principal and senior leadership team • Imagery: custodian, crisis manager, neglected, forgotten, invisible, and ‘flight steward rather than co-pilot’ *

  5. Deputies as educational leaders • Interest in preparing deputy principals to be educational leaders within the role and beyond • Requires understanding of ‘educational leadership’ • Viviane Robinson* - focus on student learning • What impacts on ability to operate in this way? background, preparation, context • Need for educational leadership at all levels, not just principal - OECD** • Other system approaches – Singapore

  6. Growing Great Deputies – proposed research • DEC secondary deputy principals (>700) • Links with NSWSDPA • 2 phases • Questionnaire to all – large scale, quantitative • Follow up 4 case studies – qualitative • What are ‘enablers’? • Positive and future focus. • PhD thesis by publication – 6 papers

  7. Contact details Wanda Snitch Insider Learning 0412 027 484 insider@y7mail.com or wanda.snitch@students.mq.edu.au

  8. Investigating the relationship between Principals and Middle Management inIndependent Secondary Schools NSW Australia

  9. Existing Research • Definition • Situated between Principal and Class Teachers in the hierarchy • Involving the management of a team of people • An overarching title that incorporates many positions (1) • Management of secondary school departments (2) • Need to organise staff and curriculum into areas of responsibility • Role • Hard to define role due to • Large scope of responsibilities (3) • Complex interactions (4) • Variance between schools (5) • Change in expectations from shift in purpose and responsibilities (6, 7) • Department Whole School • Administration Leadership

  10. Existing Research • Importance in schools • Sustaining change (1) • Rising influence at whole school and department level (2) • Underutilised emerging leadership (3) • Distributed (4) • Transformational (5) • Impacts on effectiveness (6) • Time • Curriculum changes • Professional Development • Lack of direction/vision from and communication between more senior executive

  11. Principals and Middle Management • Work together to develop whole school vision (1, 2, 3) • Build effective relationships (3, 4, 5, 6) • Inclusive and distributive leadership (7, 8) • Alludes to positive interactions • Seems to be a gap in the research where particular aspects of the relationship between Principals and middle management are investigated for impact and effectiveness in support the work and wellbeing of middle managers and, in turn, school outcomes

  12. Proposed research • To investigate the working relationship between Principals and Middle Management so as to distinguish the aspects that contribute to the effectiveness and job satisfaction of those in Middle Management positions. • Combination of interview and focus group discussions to explore dimensions and expectations of the Principal-Middle Management relationship. • Case Study approach for each participating school • Individual interview with Principal • Choice of individual interview or focus group with middle managers • Foundation research on which to build further understandings and test initial findings of what the significant aspects of the relationship are.

  13. Some things to think about… • What is my understanding and expectations of the different roles of Middle Management in my school? • What expectations might my Middle Managers have of me? • What do my middle managers think about their leadership role in the school or department? • In what ways might I actively support, encourage and utilise the leadership of my Middle Managers?

  14. Contact details Ms Candice Ferey Coordinator Learning Enrichment 6-12 Santa Sabina College 97450140 c.ferey@ssc.nsw.edu.au candice.ferey@student.mq.edu.au

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