Leadership in Education: A Journey

International School Leadership: a division of the Ontario Principals’ Council

Dr. Joanne Robinson

Focus for Today

1. Background information about OPC and the Ontario education system

2. Principals as the key to student success

3. The changing role of the principal4. Challenges and opportunities for

school leaders

Ontario has:

• 40% of Canada’s 33.6 million people (it is the most populous province)

• 60% of 225,000 immigrants who come to Canada annually

• Over 1 million square kilometres of land• 2.1 million students• Almost 126,000 teachers (unionized teaching and

support staff)• About 5,000 schools in 72 school districts• Funding of $20.2B (CDN) in 2010-11 (40% increase

compared to 2002-03)• Principals are not unionized but supported through OPC• Budget announced this spring allocates $22.8 billion for

education – 45% increase since 2002-03

What is the Ontario Principals Council?

1. A professional association representing elementary and secondary vice-principals and principals in the public education system in Ontario.

2. Three main roles on behalf of our members:• Advocacy• Consultation, advice and legal support

when necessary• Professional learning and training

3. Relatively young organization, since April 1, 1998

4. Not part of the government, political but non-partisan

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009

From 65 countries, only Shanghai, China scored significantly better in reading. In mathematics Ontario scored very well.

In Ontario, the difference in achievement between students in the top socio-economic quarter and the lowest quarter was half the OECD average.

Within Canada, Ontario has the highest proportion of immigrant students.

6

Elementary Outcomes: Achievement Results

4 key levers for elementary reform:1. Improving

classroom teaching and learning

2. Improving school effectiveness

3. Leadership capacity building

4. Research and evaluation

150,000 more students at provincial standard

6 key levers for secondary reform:1. Leadership

infrastructure2. Engaging and

relevant programming

3. Effective instruction

4. Focused Interventions for students at risk of not graduating

5. Legislation and policy development

6. Research, monitoring and evaluation

7

Secondary Outcomes: Achievement Results

Ontario

The exemplar for high performance is established and transparent: District Effectiveness Framework School Effectiveness Framework Leadership Framework Standards of Practice for Teaching Curriculum Expectations Growing Success (Assessment)

8

Professionalism

Ontario College of Teachers: Teacher certification Principals qualification program Supervisory Officials qualification program Additional qualifications

9

Ken Leithwood’s Theory of Action

LSA Initiatives

Leadership Practices

RationalPath (Academic press, Disciplinary climate, TLCPs)

EmotionsPath (Efficacy, Trust)

OrganizationalPath (Time, PLC ,TLCPs))

FamilyPath (Expectations, Reading

School-wideExperience

ClassroomExperience

StudentLearning

Ontario Leadership Framework

Leadership is the exercise of influence on organizational members and diverse stakeholders toward the identification and achievement of the organization’s vision and goals.

Setting Direction Building Relationships and Developing

People Developing the Organization Improving the Instructional Program Securing AccountabilityPersonal Leadership Resources Cognitive Social Psychological

Ontario Leadership Domains

Leadership Frameworks

• Inspire a shared vision of leadership in schools and boards

• Promote a common language that fosters an understanding of leadership and what it means to be a school and system leader

• Identify the practices and competencies that describe effective leadership

• Guide the design and implementation of professional learning and development for school and system leaders

Setting Direction• Build a shared vision• Identify specific, shared short-term goals

• Create high expectations• Communicating the vision and goals

Building Relationships and Developing People

Providing support and consideration for individual staffStimulating growth in the professional capacities of staffModeling the school’s values and practicesBuilding trusting relationships with and among staff, students and parents

Developing the Organization

Build collaborative cultures and distribute leadershipStructure to facilitate collaborationBuilding positive relationships with families and communitiesConnect the school to wider environment Maintain a safe and healthy environmentAllocate resources to support the vision and goals

Improve the Instructional Program

Staffing the instructional programProviding instructional supportMonitoring progress in student learning and school improvementBuffering staff from distractions to their work

Securing Accountability

Building staff members’ sense of internal accountabilityMeeting the demands for external accountability

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP RESOURCES

COGNITIVE RESOURCES:• PROBLEM-SOLVING EXPERTISE• KNOWLEDGE OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL AND

CLASSROOM PRACTICES THAT AFFECT STUDENT LEARNING

SOCIAL RESOURCES:• PERCEIVE AND MANAGE EMOTIONS• ACT IN EMOTIONALLY APPROPRIATE WAYSPSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES:• OPTIMISM• SELF-EFFICACY• RESILIENCE

Specifies the importance of a strong sense of purpose

Talks enthusiastically about what needs to be accomplished

Talks optimistically Describes a compelling vision for the

future

Principals and Student AchievementVivane Robinson

Dimension One: Establishing goals and expectations

Expresses confidence that goals can be achieved

Talks about their most important values and beliefs

Includes setting, communicating, and monitoring of learning goals, standards, and expectations

Involves staff and others in the process so that there is clarity and consensus about the goals

Dimension One: Establishing goals and expectations

Includes aligning resource selection and allocation to priority teaching goals

Includes provision of appropriate expertise through staff recruitment

This may be particularly important in regions where there is a chronic resource shortage and the principal influence will be critical

Dimension Two: Strategic resourcing

Direct involvement in the support and evaluation of teaching through regular classroom visits and formative and summative feedback to teachers

Direct oversight of the curriculum through school-wide coorfination across classes and year levels and alignment to school goals

Dimensions Three: Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum

Discussions about explicit achievement standards for the subjects they teach

Asking for evaluation results or progress of their students in a subject (like reading)

Make suggestions about the choice of instructional methods in the subject

Encourage collaboration among teachers Initiate professional development for

teachers Make suggestions about the content that

must be covered in the subject

How?

Effective leadership not only promotes but is actively involved in professional development; the leader participates as the lead learner

Principals are more active participants in teacher learning and development and discussions of teaching and learning

Effective leaders are more accessible and knowledgeable about instructional matters

Dimension Four: Promoting and participating in teacher learning

and development

Reduce distractions and external pressures and interruptions

Clearly and consistently enforced social expectations and discipline codes

Establish an orderly and supportive environment both inside and outside the classroom

Protecting time for teaching and learning

Dimension 5: Ensuring a safe and orderly environment

The ability to apply relevant knowledge to the appropriate situation

Taking complex problems and seriously engaging others in solutions

Mentoring and coaching others to lead complex problem-solving processes

Building relational trust and building trust while tackling tough situations

Student-Centred Leadership

Tri-Level Focus

LEADING STUDENT

ACHIEVEMENT

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

SCHOOL

Professional Learning

Communities

DISTRICT

Principal Learning Teams

PROVINCE

LSA STEERING TEAM(ADFO, CPCO, OPC, EDU, CSC)

29

Leadership and capacity building related to instruction – Focus, alignment and coherence

Levers to successful improvement systems

1. A small number of ambitious goals2. A guiding coalition at the top3. High standards and expectations4. Investment in leadership and capacity

building related to instruction5. Mobilizing data and effective practices as a

strategy for improvement6. Intervention in a non-punitive manner7. Reducing distractions8. Being transparent, relentless and

increasingly challenging30

Three Main Findings: It’s a system thing, not a single thing Prescribe adequacy, unleash greatness Common but different

“How do the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better?”

Good to Great – focus on building professional capacity Great to Excellent – focus on learning through peer collaboration and innovation

Ontario: sustained improvement, from 2003-2009 moved from “good” to “great”, now moving from “great” to “excellent”.

McKinsey Report (2010)

◦ Assessment for, as and of Learning ◦ School and Classroom Leadership ◦ Student Voice◦ Curriculum, Teaching and Learning◦ Programs and Pathways◦ Home, School and Community

Partnerships

School Effectiveness Framework

School Improvement Planning

34

1. Needs Assessment

• Student achievement data

• Demographic data

• Program data• Perceptual data• Analysis of data

2. Smart Goals 3. Targeted,

Evidence Based Strategies

4. Resources

5. Professional Learning

6. Monitoring

7. Responsibility8.

Evaluation

Benefits of a Framework

Common LanguageFlexible Approach

Platform for Team-BuildingGuide for Professional Learning

Powerful Self-Reflection Tool

ONTARIO LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

SETTING DIRECTION

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE

DEVELOPING THE ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT DESIRED PRACTICES

IMPROVING THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM

SECURING ACCOUNTABILITY

Core Leadership Capacities: Developing Expertise in Using Data:

- Gathering, Analyzing, and Making Decisions

Setting Goals Collaboratively

Promoting Collaborative Learning Cultures

Engaging in Courageous Conversations: - Providing and Receiving Feedback Effectively

Aligning Resources with Priorities

Professional Learning Cycle

Plan

Act

Observe

Reflect

High Yield Strategies (School Wide)

• Differentiated Instruction• Three Part Lessons• Higher Order Thinking Skills• Moderated Marking• Assessment for Learning

Principal as Instructional Leader

Think, Pair, Share

Using the outline of the Ontario Leadership Framework, identify what you already do in one domain.Identify the greatest challenge to being an instructional leader in that domainIdentify two specific things you will implement immediately and track the success