‘Shared Leadership: Explore, Empower, Excel’

Leena PimpleyPrincipal, Bunts Sangha’s S M Shetty International School & Junior College, Mumbai

December 28, 2014

Decisive Factors for a High Achieving School

Be A Learni

ng School

Cultivate Effective Leadersh

ip

What is a Learning School?

A school that adapts a culture of learning in every aspect of its operation

Every member of the school is learning

Learning is a habit developed with purpose and perseverance

Cultivating Leadership

• Traditional School Set Up:

‘Principal’ or ‘Head of School’ = Leadership

Michael Fullan: ‘Leading a Culture of Change’

‘The litmus test of all leadership is whether it mobilizes people's commitment to putting their energy into actions designed to improve things. It is individual commitment, but above all it is collective mobilization’

Teacher in a Traditional School Set UP

• confined to the four walls of the classroom• restricted to the delivery of curriculum• Teaching, a ‘Flat Profession’ with very limited

scope for leading or initiating unless one leaves ‘academics’ and enters ‘administration’

Teacher in a Traditional School Set UP

• Responsibilities: more or less the same throughout career span

• Outcome: – too many teachers remained in isolated classrooms– lacked opportunities to explore and contribute

Demands from today’s Principal

• Instructional Leader• Visionary• Competent Manager• Custodian of Rules and

Regulations• Respondent to

Multiple Stakeholders

Shared Leadership

• An idea whose time has come…

• Varied leadership roles have begun to emerge and promise real prospects for teachers to impact educational change-without necessarily leaving ‘academics’.

The Wallace Perspective

• ..Shaping a vision of academic success for all students.

• ..Creating a climate hospitable to education. • ..Cultivating leadership in others. • ..Improving instruction. • ..Managing people, data and processes to

foster school improvement.

Wallace Foundation Report2012

Types of Teacher LeadershipFormal Leadership Informal Leadership

Apply for their positions No positional authority

Chosen through a selection process No formal selection rather emerge spontaneously and organically from

the teacher ranks

May receive training No formal training

Section Head, Coordinator, Head of Department, Member of the School

Governing Council

Share their expertisevolunteer for new projects

bring new ideas to the school

Evaluate other teachers and observations are considered during

teacher appraisals

take the initiative to address a problem or institute a new program

Shared Teacher Leadership (STL)

• Exhibits important skills, values, and dispositions

• Calls others to action and energize them with the aim of improving teaching and learning

• Offers to help colleagues to carry out their classroom duties and assist in the improvement of classroom practice

Conditions Promoting STL

Accommodating Risk Takers

Explore Potential Teacher Leaders• Shared Vision and Mission• Brain storming and Collaborative sessions

Competency Matrix

Lieberman A.: Essential Elements of ‘Teacher Leadership’

Structure

TimeSkills

Vision

Shared

Vision

Collaboration

Collective Accountability

Integrated Systems Approach

Widely Distributed Leadership

Shared Leadership Model

Leadership SkillsPromoting a clear vision

Taking initiative

Persevering in the face of obstacles

Communicating effectively

Building support with parents and community

Providing support and encouragement when needed

Celebrating and recognizing program successes

Beyond Skills: Values and AttitudeReflective

EQ

Empower Teacher Leadership

• Professional & Personal Development– In-house– Out-bound

6 Areas to create Teacher Leadership Opportunities

Set Examples• Impro

ve One’s own performance

Reflect• Organ

izing and Leading Reviews of School System and Processes

Extend Knowledge• Curric

ulum Development

• Classroom practices

Involve in Decision Making• Active

ly participate in school-level decisions

In-Service Education• Ment

oring new teachers

• Assisting peers

Peer Review• Buddy

System

• Peer Review and Constructive feedback

Responsibility-Authority Matrix

Benefits of Shared Teacher Leadership

Teacher leadership is the process by which teachers, individually or collectively, influence their colleagues, principals, and other members of the school community to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and achievement.

- The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, Washington DC

Benefit 1: Within the Department or Team

• Interpersonal Relationships• Teacher leader’s credibility and trust among

colleagues• A number of activities and projects can be

initiated

Benefit 2: Across the School

• Efforts can be mobilized towards enhancing programmes across school– Grading Policies– Co-curricular Activities– Events– Inter-school competitions– Competitive Examinations

Benefit 3: Beyond School

• Representing School at seminars and conferences

• Out reach programmes• Community service projects

Excel with Shared Teacher Leadership

• Reflection and Feedback• Acknowledging the Success and Efforts

Thank you

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?

- Martin Luther King Jr.