School Leaders Shaping Professional and Student
LearningAIS Executive Conference
October 2011
Professor Helen Timperley
The University of Auckland
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5. Ensuring an Orderly andSupportive Environment
4. Promoting and Participating inTeacher Learning and
Development
3. Planning, Coordinating andEvaluating Teaching and the
Curriculum
2. Resourcing Strategically
1. Establishing Goals andExpectations
Effect Size
FIVE DIMENSIONS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIPDerived from Quantitative Studies Linking Leadership with Student Outcomes
(Robinson et al., 2009)
When Do School Leaders Promote Professional Learning and
Development?
• Formal professional development “events”
• Conversations throughout the school day– Staff meetings focused on PL– Analysing student learning– Addressing difficult issues by focusing on
teaching and learning interactions– Analysis of leadership and teaching practice
The Evidence Base
The Evidence Base in Practice: Professional Development Project
in LiteracyOver 300 primary schools in New Zealand
Writing: Average gains 2.5 to 3.2 expected rate over two years
Lowest 20% 5-6 times expected rate
Reading: Average gains 1.5 to 1.9 expected rate over two years
Lowest 20% 3 times expected rate.
Sustained over the three year monitoring period
What knowledge
and skills do our students
need?What knowledge and skills do we
as teachers need?
What has been the
impact of our changed actions? Deepen
professional knowledge and
refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences
Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes
Identifying Students’ Knowledge and Skills
• What do the students already know?
• What sources of evidence have we used?
• What do they need to learn and do?
• How do we build on what they know?
Within the LPDP Project
• Students assessed using curriculum-based assessment (gives a focus, provides diagnostic information and a baseline for assessing improvement)
• Facilitated interpretation of how to score it and what the results mean with teachers and leaders
- at the same time as…
What knowledge
and skills do our students
need? What knowledge and skills do we
as teachers need?
What has been the
impact of our changed actions? Deepen
professional knowledge and
refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences
Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes
Finding Out about Teachers’ Knowledge and Practice
Investigate together:• How we have contributed to existing student
outcomes?• What do we already know that we can use to
promote improved outcomes for students?• What do we need to learn and do to promote
these outcomes?• What sources of evidence / knowledge can we
use?
Within the LPDP Project
With expert facilitators, the leaders and teachers:– Related student data to programme emphases;– Responded to a scenario of (mostly ineffective)
practice and discussed ratings;– Discussed strengths and weaknesses of practice
from classroom observations– Set personal professional learning goals
What knowledge
and skills do our students
need? What knowledge and skills do we
as teachers need?
What has been the
impact of our changed actions? Deepen
professional knowledge and
refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences
Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes
Deepen Professional Knowledge and Refine Skills
Important considerations:• Base it on first two parts of the cycle (creates the
“need to know”)
• Consider research findings about different approaches with a track record of what works
What knowledge
and skills do our students
need? What knowledge and skills do we
as teachers need?
What has been the
impact of our changed actions? Deepen
professional knowledge and
refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences
Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes
Teachers make the difference
But they cannot do it alone
Beliefs, knowledge and Skills of School Leaders
• To lead effectively, leaders must know enough to:– Work through the inquiry and knowledge
building cycles with their teachers to improve outcomes in relation to your SIP goals
Deepen professional knowledge, engage
students in new learning experiences
What has been the impact of our changed
actions?
How can we as leaders promote
the learning of our teachers to bridge
the gap for our students?
What knowledge and skills do our students need?
What knowledge and skills do we as
teachers need?
All pedagogical leaders have a class
• Who is your class?
• Who is the class of others in the schools you lead?
Small schools
Principal
Teachers
Larger schools
Principal
Senior leaders
Curriculum leaders
Teachers
A more collegial structure
Task for you• Identify your class (as a leader)
• Draw a diagram of layers of classes for you and members of your class
• Identify what each class needs to learn to improve
• Think about some challenges you are likely to face in working with your class
Within the LPDP
• Effective leaders – Used outside experts to help them to learn
how to work with their teachers using evidence of student learning and teaching practice
– Recognised their need to learn in order to teach others
• Less effective leaders– Focused on structures and processes to
promote others’ learning
What knowledge and skills does
“my class” already have and
need?What knowledge and skills do I as
leader need?
What has been the impact of my changed actions on “my class”?
Deepen leader knowledge and
refine leadership skills
Engage “my class” in new learning experiences
Leader inquiry and knowledge-building cycle to promote valued teaching and student
outcomes
Students’ needs
Professional inquiry
Checking outcomes
Student opportunities
Students’ needs
Professional inquiry
Checking outcomes
Student opportunities
Knowledge Skills
Knowledge Skills
Refocusing New challenges
Figure 3 Keeping it all Going through Ongoing Inquiry
.