Final Ireland 2

7/30/2019 Final Ireland 2

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LDS/RTU SUMMER SCHOOL 2008

Leading Learning in Diverse Contexts

Learning-centred Leadership

Leadership which really makes a difference

August 2008


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Geoff Southworth

Learning-centred Leadership

Growing amount of research and evidenceto support this thinking

My work began in small schools and thenlarge ones

NCSLs research took the ideas forward inprimary and secondary schools

International studies also provide support


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How leaders influence whathappens in classrooms

Direct effects

Indirect effects

Reciprocal effects Indirect effects are the largest and most

common

Effective leaders work directly on theirindirect influence


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How leaders influence what happensin classrooms

3 strategies

1. Modelling

2. Monitoring

3. Dialogue


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Geoff Southworth

Modelling


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25 years of research

School-based

Interviewing and observing leaders atwork

Found 2 things:

1. Never found a teacher with nothing to sayabout her headteacher!

2. When they talk about school leaders they

usually talk about what they do


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Modelling

Leading by example

Walk the talk

Actions speak louder than words

The walk is the talk

Behaviour really matters its what we do

Every action is a chance to lead

You are closely observed you arewatched


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Modelling

Example is not the main thing in

influencing others,

it is the only thing.

Albert Schweizer


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Monitoring

Knowing what is going on

Using data

Observing classrooms

Using leaders classroom practice

as an example for other teachers

Action research


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Monitoringwhat it is not

Not surveillance

And it is important to establishwhat it is and isnt to avoid

mis-understanding,

defensiveness or even threat.


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MonitoringReflections [1]

Monitoring is a challenge in yourschools

Q1 - What data do you or might you

use?Q2 - Are there ways of observing

teaching

and learning?Q3 - What is the place and role of self-

evaluation?


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Modelling and monitoringpedagogy

What we know about high performing school

systems and those that close the achievement

gap.

1. They get the right people to becometeachers

2. They develop them into effective instructors3. They ensure the system is able to deliver

the best possible instruction for every child


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The quality of a school system cannotexceed the quality of its teachers

(Michael Barber & Mona Mourshed 2007)


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The quality of a schoolcannotexceed the quality of its teachers

Therefore the task of learning-centred

leaders is to improve the quality of

teaching in their schools.


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Monitoring

Monitoring should therefore include identifying

teachers pedagogic strengths and development

needs.

Who could mentor whom?

Who could coach whom?

Subject knowledge

Teaching strategies and tactics open

questions; group work; AfL; plenary sessions


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Geoff Southworth

MonitoringReflections [2]

Q1. How is teachers craft knowledge shared

and transferred in your schools?

Q2. How might this be strengthened andimproved?

Q3. What are the obstacles to teachers

sharing and developing their pedagogy?Q4. Which of these can you do something

about and will you?


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Dialogue

Opportunities to talk about learning and

teaching

Sharing craft knowledge

Transferring - reinvestingintellectual capital


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Dialogue

Describing

Analysing

Reflecting

Articulating


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Dialogue

Conversation

Co-construction of professional knowledge

Constructivist professional learning


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Reflections and questions [3]

What do staff in your school talk about?

How much professional conversation isthere?

Who provides stimulus to theseconversations?


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3 strategies = one powerful effect


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Modelling Monitoring Dialogue


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What do leaders in highperforming schools with lots of

disadvantaged pupils do?

#1.They focus on what they cando,rather than what they cant.


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#2. They dont leave anything aboutteaching and learning to chance

An awful lot of our teacherseven brandnew onesare left to figure out on their

own what to teach and what constitutes

good enough work.[US Study]


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#3. They set their goals high.

Expectations matter behaviour,attendance, effort, attainment


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#4. Higher performing secondaryschools put all pupils not just

some in a demanding, highcore curriculum


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#5. Principals are hugely important,

ever present, but

NOT

the only leaders in the school


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High performing schools

Teachers regularly observe otherteachers;

Teachers have time to plan and work

collaboratively; New teachers get generous and careful

support & acculturation;

Teachers take on many other leadershiptasks at the school


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#6.In good schools, leaders know how

much teachers matter and they acton that knowledge


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Good teachers matter a lot

But some dont get their fair share of qualityteachers

Low-performing students of all races most

likely to be assigned to least effective teachers.

Leaders in high performing schools dont let

this happen


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Nearly there!!

Good schools are nice places to be

both for students and for teachers.


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Saying that they are nice doesnt meanthey are easy places to work.

Principals and teachers work hard.

But there is also a kind of shared sense

of mission and camaraderie.

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Final Ireland 2