Distributed LeadershipDistributed Leadership
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
What is What is distributed distributed leadership?leadership?
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Co-leadershipCo-leadership
Shared leadershipShared leadership
Teacher leadershipTeacher leadership
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
MobilisingMobilisingleadership at leadership at every levelevery level
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"Engaging the many – so there is a greater skill set, energy potential, shared responsibility and will to improve.” (Spillane et al, 2001)
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
How important is distributed How important is distributed leadership for schools?leadership for schools?
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
How important is distributed How important is distributed leadership for schools?leadership for schools?
"School leadership has a greater influence on schools and students
when it is widely distributed"(Leithwood et al, 2008)
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
How important is distributed How important is distributed leadership for schools?leadership for schools?
“Sustainability is the ultimate goal for leadership in a complex, knowledge-sharing society." (Hargreaves & Fink, 2006)
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
PositivePositiveRelationshipsRelationships
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Emphasis OnEmphasis OnPeople RatherPeople RatherThan SystemsThan Systems
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
““Consider how much smarter a school Consider how much smarter a school could become if it was able to identify could become if it was able to identify and share the collective experience and and share the collective experience and learning of all its teachers?” learning of all its teachers?” (Little, 1999)(Little, 1999)
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
ICT
Enquiry-based learning
AfL
Metacognition
Enterprise
Planning
SSE
Assessment
No one is an expertNo one is an expertat everything!at everything!
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
What Does It What Does It Look Like In Look Like In
Practice?Practice?
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Teachers sharing best practice through dropping into colleagues’ lessons; systems of appreciative enquiry well embedded
Peer observations as part of PM systems; dialogue centred on learning
Team teaching as a key tool in staff development
Real involvement in decision making – working parties, sub-groups
Learning walks and learning talks integral to School Evaluation Systems
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Conducted in April 2012
Comparison of perception and practice
Understanding of distributed leadership
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Link between student learning and Link between student learning and teacher collaborationteacher collaboration
Importance of staff sharing ideas about Importance of staff sharing ideas about learning & teachinglearning & teaching
Importance of planning/reviewing with Importance of planning/reviewing with colleaguescolleagues
Importance of sharing PD with teamsImportance of sharing PD with teams
Questions probed views on:Questions probed views on:
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
All teachers are leaders in their All teachers are leaders in their own classrooms.own classrooms.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
All teachers are leaders in their All teachers are leaders in their own classrooms.own classrooms.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"Everyone in JESS is a leader in a unique "Everyone in JESS is a leader in a unique way and takes responsibility for different way and takes responsibility for different
areas. Everyone's opinion is valued."areas. Everyone's opinion is valued."
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Teachers should be given Teachers should be given opportunities to exercise leadership opportunities to exercise leadership
beyond their classroom.beyond their classroom.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Teachers should be given Teachers should be given opportunities to exercise leadership opportunities to exercise leadership
beyond their classroom.beyond their classroom.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"Everyone gets the opportunity to grow "Everyone gets the opportunity to grow and be part of the decisions that are and be part of the decisions that are
made in school. All teachers are valued."made in school. All teachers are valued."
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"Different staff have different areas of "Different staff have different areas of expertise so it makes a huge difference to expertise so it makes a huge difference to
us when they share it."us when they share it."
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Teachers have more direct influence Teachers have more direct influence on student learning than the principal.on student learning than the principal.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Teachers have more direct influence Teachers have more direct influence on student learning than the principal.on student learning than the principal.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"Our role impacts learning in every way, "Our role impacts learning in every way, from planning, assessment, assessment from planning, assessment, assessment
analysis to communicating with team analysis to communicating with team members, parents and children about members, parents and children about
their learning journey "their learning journey "
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Senior management listens to Senior management listens to teachers' voicesteachers' voices
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Senior management listens to Senior management listens to teachers' voicesteachers' voices
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"I feel that my views are listened to by the "I feel that my views are listened to by the management team and I am given the management team and I am given the freedom to explore new opportunities freedom to explore new opportunities
that may benefit the school."that may benefit the school."
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Positive stance on Distributed Leadership
Understanding the need for collegiality
Teachers having a voice of major importance
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
L&T working party set up to L&T working party set up to review L&T policyreview L&T policy
Timetabled opportunities for Timetabled opportunities for regular learning walks and regular learning walks and talkstalks
Leadership more widely Leadership more widely distributed to include studentsdistributed to include students
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Engaging Engaging students as students as
leadersleaders
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Student CouncilTech LeadersEco-WarriorsArt Leaders Line Leaders/ MonitorsCharity Committee Heritage Heroes
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Students Students teaching teaching TeachersTeachers
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
1 to 1 tech mentors1 to 1 tech mentorsDelivering tech professional developmentDelivering tech professional developmentPresenting at internal and DSIB linked trainingPresenting at internal and DSIB linked training
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
School management should ensure School management should ensure that the student voice is heard in the that the student voice is heard in the
decision making process of the school.decision making process of the school.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
School management should ensure School management should ensure that the student voice is heard in the that the student voice is heard in the
decision making process of the school.decision making process of the school.
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
STUDENTS GIVEN VOICE IN:STUDENTS GIVEN VOICE IN:
ArabicArabicCurriculum BalanceCurriculum BalanceUniform designUniform designSport/ Extra Curricular Sport/ Extra Curricular opportunitiesopportunitiesHomeworkHomework
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Students get an opportunity to make Students get an opportunity to make suggestions about their learningsuggestions about their learning
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Students get an opportunity to make Students get an opportunity to make suggestions about their learningsuggestions about their learning
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
To continuously improve and develop our organisations so that pupils’ experiences and learning opportunities nurture and develop skills and attitudes to equip them as lifelong learners
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Develop energy and purpose that pulls others in
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
Focus on building professional learning communities
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
"The Best Leader Is The One Who Has Sense Enough
To Pick Good Men To Do What He Wants Done, And The Self-Restraint To Keep From Meddling With Them
While They Do It."
—Theodore Roosevelt, American President (1901 -
1909)
Ruth Burke, Head Teacher Jumeirah English Speaking School
It Is Said Of A Good Leader That
When The Work Is Done, The Aim Fulfilled, The
People Will Say "We Did This Ourselves."
— Lao Tzu, Founder of Taoism
(Sixth Century B.C.)