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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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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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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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Geoff Southworth
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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Geoff Southworth
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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Geoff Southworth
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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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.