Learning-Centered Leadership for Schools - Enhancing Student Learning through Effective Leadership

1. Learning Centered Leadership for Learning-Centered Schools Ellen Goldring Department of Leadership, Policy & Organizations Peabody College, Vanderbilt University (see www.valed.com)

2. Agenda • What is learning-centered leadership? • What behaviors and actions can we take? • Starting the process: The LEAD Action Planning Cycle

3. “So after a day in which I was part cafeteria manager, registrar, disciplinarian, social worker, procurement officer, nurse, human resources officer, and chief financial officer of a multi-million-dollar budget, I took some time to reflect on the primary job I have ahead of me this year: being the instructional leader of a school that must raise its test scores by 10 percentage points across the board, or face increased sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind Law.” http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14442740 - Principal Lisa Moreno, one of 170 new principals in the Chicago public school system this year. Since 2004, more than 350 of the school system's principals have retired. Like Chicago, many other school systems across the country are facing the same turnover, as baby boomer principals near retirement age.

5. Fish is Fish

6. How do you spend your time? • Political Leadership (community) • Managerial Leadership (building, finances, paperwork) • Instructional Leadership • Planning/setting goals • Own professional development • Other

8. How principals report spending their time: Spring 2005. Based on 5 log reports

9. Principals spend 12-20% of their time doing instructional leadership S05 F05 W06 S06 F06 W07 S07

11. “The first step in learning, I decided was unlearning, casting off old habits and assumptions. No one had ever explained this to me. . . the unlearning happened by necessity, almost by force.” J. R. Moehringer, The Tender Bar

12. Leadership • Leadership matters. • In difficult times, leadership matters even more. • In periods of significant organizational transition, leadership is the major controllable factor in explaining organizational performance.

13. Leadership • Instructionally-focused and change- oriented leadership are especially effective frames for education. • Team leadership seems to offer promise for enhancing organizational performance.

14. Learning –Centered Leadership • Staying consistently focused on learning, teaching, curriculum, and assessment • Making all the other dimensions of schooling (e.g., administration, organization, finance) work in the service of improved student learning

15. Learning Centered Leadership I. Vision for Learning II. Instructional Program III. Curricular Program IV. Assessment Program V. Communities of Learning VI. Resource Acquisition and Use VII. Organizational Culture VIII. Social Advocacy

16. I. Vision for Learning A. Developing vision B. Articulating vision C. Implementing vision D. Stewarding vision

17. Actions Clearly guides and drives actions and decisions High standards for all students Rigorous learning goals Accountability Involvement of the whole school community Measurable goals for student learning and academic progress. Guides the daily practices and decisions of all stakeholders Unity and clarity of purpose Learning focus for all –teachers too

18. II. Instructional Program A. Knowledge and involvement B. Hiring and allocating staff C. Supporting staff D. Instructional time

19. Actions Quality Instruction and Time Support teachers and provide feedback to improve instruction Ensure all students have access to high quality instruction; opportunity to learn Extended and ongoing learning opportunities (after school, Saturday, tutoring) Focus on actions and strategies (differentiated instruction, flexible grouping and reteaching)

20. III. Curricular Program A. Knowledge and involvement B. Expectations, standards C. Opportunity to learn D. Curriculum alignment

21. Actions Rigorous academic content standards Provide depth and specificity High cognitive demand Coherence and alignment across grade levels and subjects Coordination Do not adopt any program or idea—focus on strategies and interventions that connect and are consistent

22. IV. Assessment Program A. Knowledge and involvement B. Assessment procedures C. Monitoring instruction and curriculum D. Communication and use of data

23. Actions: Actions of Frequent Monitoring Identify individual students who need remedial assistance, Tailor instruction to individual students’ needs, identify and correct gaps in the curriculum, Improve or increase the involvement of parents in student learning, Assign or reassign students to classes or groups. Use data to help teachers identify areas where they need to strengthen content knowledge or teaching skills. In other words, monitoring is used to focus professional development. What do students need to know and be able to do: (what) How will we know when they know it: Formative assessments and student work

24. V. Communities of Learning A. Professional development B. Communities of professional practice C. Community-anchored schools

25. Actions Culture of support and responsiveness Collaborative cultures, community of learners Professional communities focused on student learning, de-privatized practice and reflective dialogue Effective professional communities are deeply rooted in the academic and social learning goals of the schools

26. VI. Resource Acquisition and Use A. Acquiring resources B. Allocating resources C. Using resources

27. Actions • Ensures teachers have materials necessary for a rigorous curriculum • Allocates resources based on needs • Allocates resources to build student learning and culture • Partners with external agencies to secure resources • Uses resources to develop parent partnerships

28. VII. Organizational Culture A Production emphasis B Learning environment C. Personalized environment D. Continuous improvement

29. Actions • Implements programs to build a culture of learning • Discusses a culture of learning and professionalism with faculty • Monitors the culture through data

30. VIII. Social Advocacy A Stakeholder engagement B. Diversity C. Environmental context D. Ethics

31. Actions • Promotes avenues for reaching families who are least comfortable at school • Challenges others who blame others for student failures • Advocates that all students achieve at high levels • Challenges faculty to teach a rigorous curriculum to all students

32. Leadership Behavior Framework

33. Definitions of Core Components High Standards for Student Learning—There are individual, team, and school goals for rigorous student academic and social learning. Rigorous Curriculum (content)—There is ambitious academic content provided to all students in core academic subjects. Quality Instruction (pedagogy)—There are effective instructional practices that maximize student academic and social learning. Culture of Learning & Professional Behavior—There are integrated communities of professional practice in the service of student academic and social learning. There is a healthy school environment in which student learning is the central focus. Connections to External Communities—There are linkages to family and/or other people and institutions in the community that advance academic and social learning. Performance Accountability— Leadership holds itself and others responsible for realizing high standards of performance for student academic and social learning. There is individual and collective responsibility among the professional staff and students.

34. Definitions of Key Processes Planning—Articulate shared direction and coherent policies, practices, and procedures for realizing high standards of student performance. Implementing—Engage people, ideas, and resources to put into practice the activities necessary to realize high standards for student performance. Supporting—Create enabling conditions; secure and use the financial, political, technological, and human resources necessary to promote academic and social learning. Advocating—Promotes the diverse needs of students within and beyond the school. Communicating—Develop, utilize, and maintain systems of exchange among members of the school and with its external communities. Monitoring—Systematically collect and analyze data to make judgments that guide decisions and actions for continuous improvement.

35. Figure 1. Learning-Centered Leadership: Core components & Key processes

37. Leadership Action Goals From each core component select up to 2 or 3 specific leadership behaviors that you and a team can implement that you believe are most important given your school's priorities and needs. Once you have selected these behaviors, rewrite them as behavioral objectives or actions. 1. I will _____________________________________________________. 2. I will ______________________________________________________. 3. I will ______________________________________________________.

38. LEAD Action Planning Cycle Describe Evidence and Data to Monitor Implementation and Change LISTLearning Centered Leadership Behavior EstablishProcesses for Implementation Articulate Challenges and Needed Supports

39. Figure 4. LEAD Action Planning Cycle Guide

40. Building Community • Taking collaborative action as a school and community • Need to discuss shared values and aspirations • Choosing where to begin is important • Establish priority and focus direction • Ask questions—inquiry minded • Recognize important data • Which data are relevant • How can we use it to keep focused and learn