perspectives on leadership - ata...mantra was, “as teachers, we must try to discover the potential...

Perspectives on LEADERSHIP

WINTER 2017

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1ATA MAGAZINE • WINTER 2017

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DEPARTMENTS

2 EDITOR’S NOTEBOOKPARTING SHOTSGordon Thomas

44 THE SECRETARY REPORTSLEADERSHIP AND LEARNING Gordon Thomas

45 FROM THE PRESIDENTEVERY TEACHER CAN LEADGreg Jeffery

22 CALENDAR

28 FROM THE BOOKSHELVESLIBRARY HAS DIVERSE COLLECTION OF LEADERSHIP MATERIALSandra Anderson

40 RESEARCH ROUNDUPTHE ‘UNFINISHED SELVES’ OF CANADIAN SCHOOL LEADERSHighlights of a national study J-C Couture

43 TEACHER WARES

ARTICLES

5 TRUE LEADERS HAVE THEIR OWN STYLEEarl Hjelter

10 TAKING CHARGE WHEN OTHERS ARE PARALYZEDCharles Hyman

13 A SERIES OF ADVENTURESSharon Vogrinetz

16 LESSONS AND OBSERVATIONSJulius Buski

24 WHAT I LEARNED IN SCHOOLErnest Clintberg

33 BREAK FREE FROM TRADITIONAL ROLESJacqueline Skytt

36 ON EXPERIENCE, INFLUENCES AND VALUESGordon Thomas

ABOUT THE COVER Concept by Cory Hare. Design by Ryan Majeau,www.ryanmajeaudesign.com.

CONTENTSVolume 98 ∙ Number 2 ∙ Winter 2017

ATA MAGAZINE • WINTER 20172

• E D I T O R ’ S N O T E B O O K •

ATA, during which time I worked under a number of accomplished leaders and spent more than 19 years in leadership roles myself. All this experience, I realized, allowed me to accumulate an extensive collection of beliefs and practices related to leadership—I just hadn’t spent much time thinking about it.

While I was delivering the seminar, I noted with interest that the gathered teachers were actually listening and acting as if they were learning something (still got the old pedagogy chops, I guess). Then when it came time to choose a theme for this issue of the ATA Magazine, it occurred to me that the ATA has had a whole stable of experienced leaders head off to retirement in recent years who probably have a lot of insight that would be valuable to their still-working colleagues.

I thought it might be wise to tap into this knowledge before its various possessors decided to change their cellphone numbers and disappear

Last spring, my friend and colleague Brian Andrais asked me to prepare and deliver a

seminar on leadership at Summer Conference, the annual retreat held in Banff for members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association who serve in volunteer leadership positions across the organization.

Brian noted that, since I’m due to retire in early 2018, it would be my last Summer Conference and he suggested that it would be great to hear me on the subject of leadership. Upon hearing this request, I was immediately struck with the notion that Brian must be utterly desperate to fill the program. After all, what did I know about leadership?

Well, when I sat down to start putting some thoughts on paper, I found I had no shortage of ideas. Upon reflection, I realized that I’d started gathering thoughts on leadership when I was still an education student back in the mid-1970s. Then came several formative years as a classroom teacher and almost 34 years at the

to unspecified beaches, so I contacted a handful of these outstanding individuals and requested that they put their thoughts to paper to share with their teaching colleagues. I’m happy to report that they did as I asked and bammo! we have a magazine containing wisdom and insights gathered over the course of nearly 70 years of leadership at the ATA. I want to express my sincere thanks to these six retired executive secretaries, associate executive secretaries and assistant executive secretaries for sharing of themselves in this way.

One of the common themes that you’ll notice throughout this publication is the idea that anyone can be a leader and that many high-level leaders start out without harbouring any leadership aspirations at all. As is the case with most transitions, leadership begins with one step and is a journey more than it is a destination. And teachers, as leaders of their classrooms, are particularly well positioned to transition into other leadership roles.

PARTING SHOTS

TABLE OFFICERS PRESIDENT Greg Jeffery VICE-PRESIDENT Jenny Regal VICE-PRESIDENT Jason Schilling PAST PRESIDENT Mark Ramsankar EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Gordon Thomas ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Dennis Theobald

DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVESCALGARY CITY, Heide Doppmeier, Kathy Hoehn, Kent Kinsman, CALGARY DISTRICT, Michelle Glavine, CENTRAL EAST, Elaine Willette-Larsen, CENTRAL NORTH, Robert Twerdoclib, CENTRAL SOUTH, Don Brookwell, CENTRAL, Jere Geiger, EDMONTON MCMURRAY, Nancy Ball, Darrin Bauer, Markiana Cyncar-Hryschuk, EDMONTON DISTRICT, Paul Froese, NORTH WEST, Peter MacKay, SOUTH EAST, Heather McCaig, SOUTH WEST, Katherine Pritchard.

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EDITOR Gordon Thomas ASSOCIATE EDITOR Cory Hare DESIGN/LAYOUT Ryan Majeau CONTRIBUTORS Sandra Anderson J-C Couture David Martin Regine Toal COPY EDITING/ PROOFREADING Sandra Bit BUSINESS MANAGER Jen Janzen

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I must say that this entire process of reflecting on, assembling and presenting of leadership perspectives to colleagues has been an extremely satisfying endeavour that I am glad to have conducted before I retire. It’s especially gratifying to think that these efforts may help some of the developing leaders who will no doubt someday populate the upper ranks of Association staff and elected positions, as well as senior

positions in school boards, faculties of education and government.

This is my last issue as editor and before signing off I want to acknowledge the men and women who work so very hard to produce a first rate magazine for Alberta’s teaching profession. It’s been an enormous honour to work with the very best in the industry. I especially want to acknowledge associate

editors with whom I’ve worked, Raymond Gariepy (now retired) and Cory Hare, who themselves demonstrate the best of leadership every day in their roles.

The ATA Magazine turns 100 years old in just a few more issues and will continue to chronicle the professional realities and aspirations of Alberta’s teachers. I’ll be reading and I hope you will too.


photo: AdobeStock


photo: Megan Stout



TRUE LEADERS HAVE THEIR OWN STYLE

EARL HJELTER

Leadership in the teaching profession—in theory, such a simple concept; in practice, complex and multi-layered.

Ask practicing teachers what constitutes effective and inspired leadership and their answers tend to depend upon their ranges of experiences as students within school systems, their academic paths, their exposure to both positive and negative mentor models and, of course, on their expectations.

Most of us can list off the attributes that a strong and effective educational leader should possess: integrity, vision, character, intuition, personality, knowledge, ability, a sense of perspective, positive attitude and energy. Good leaders are expected to be good listeners, considerate of the views of others and someone able to navigate the proverbial ship through troubled waters. This is a rather high expectation, which is probably why so many well intentioned individuals fail to have those qualities. Good leaders do not just grow on trees. Often, they must age and mature in diverse employment and community roles just like wheat ripening in the fields.

During our evolution from student in the educational system into adulthood and later as role models to others, most of us cross paths with certain individuals who have most, if not all, of the attributes identified earlier. At the time when this confluence between model student and role model occurs, we may be well aware of such a wonderful opportunity to learn from such a craftsperson, or it may just dawn on us after the opportunity has passed.

During my career as a student, teacher and executive staff officer with the Alberta Teachers’ Association, I

was fortunate to encounter a number of individuals who personified leadership and what it takes to be a teaching professional. Unfortunately, I cannot list each of them, so this article shall dwell upon three very significant but very different mentors of mine. Each exuded a totally different leadership style and management approach, but each of the three provided important lessons as I formulated my own approach to leadership.

During my third year of teacher education at the University of Alberta, Ted Aoki came into my life. Dr. Aoki was tasked with introducing students to curriculum and instruction methodology courses in the department of secondary education. Physically diminutive, extremely low-key and unassuming, Dr. Aoki had come from the proverbial school of hard knocks, being a product of the federal government’s World War II policy that transported Canadians of Japanese descent from their homes on the Pacific coast to camps in eastern British Columbia and Alberta. Rather than feel set upon by the discrimination that he had encountered, Aoki chose to become a model from which his students might learn the essence of leading others. Aoki was a true delight. His mantra was, “As teachers, we must try to discover the potential in each student and try to encourage greatness. Never be deterred.”

As my faculty advisor during two rounds of student teaching, not once did Aoki utter a disparaging word. If I was concerned that my teaching of a lesson was lacking or that I had failed to challenge my students, Aoki would remark: “There has been progress; you will get much better as you gain experience.” After a class room experience when I had tried so hard to involve the students but which was a disaster, Aoki’s advice


immediately after was, “Failure is often the most revealing lesson of all.” Aoki led by example in the way he involved his university students in taking ownership of their learning. His humility in striving for perfection was infectious and never forgotten.

While teaching in Calgary a decade later, I encountered Jim McLellan, principal of Sir Winston Churchill High School. Dr. McLellan valued teachers who were devoted to their craft, who set high academic standards for their students, who were curious and good at handling difficult problems and who were prepared to engage the community when the need arose. I soon discovered that McLellan would cheerfully support any teacher he believed was acting in the best interests of students and the school, even if he knew that the teacher was dead wrong on an issue. Assuming that the transgression was not a “hanging offence” and after cleaning up the mess resulting from whatever had occurred, McLellan was more than happy to invite the teacher to the principal’s office, close the door and ask: “Just what were you thinking?”

After the appropriate tune-up had been delivered and the expectations of the school/district reaffirmed, the chastised teacher was free to escape. Having been on the receiving end of one such “clarification” as to how a professional should act, I came to appreciate that McLellan never broached the subject again.

Jim McLellan’s leadership style involved active engagement with students and staff in a direct fashion. He seemed to enjoy daily “walkabouts” during class breaks and while class was in session. Any student up to no good generally did not repeat after encountering McLellan. Little was said, but the message was effectively and quietly delivered.

McLellan was a stickler when it came to encouraging teachers to try new ideas in class and was highly supportive of clubs and activities that reinforced intellectual curiosity. As a debate coach at the school, I would notice McLellan loitering at the back of my classroom, on occasion. This seemed to occur during the preparation of debaters for some important inter-school tournament. One year, I was blessed with an exceptionally bright group of debaters. Like their debate coach, these students had soon gotten rather full of themselves. It seems that McLellan noted this hubris. As the debaters were finishing up a training session the Friday before a weekend tournament, McLellan asked if he could say a few words to the pride of Churchill’s debaters. Ever the master motivator, McLellan looked over this motley crew and remarked: “Good luck at the debate tournament and just remember that we are with you—win or tie.” McLellan slipped out the door and left me with a very angry and vociferous group of students. But, next day it had the desired effect in motivating these students.

When I joined the Association as a Teacher Welfare and Member Services executive staff officer, I came under the tutelage of Bernie Keeler, the legendary executive secretary. As chief executive officer, Dr. Keeler was a visionary perfectionist who quite rightly wielded his authority in a manner that I had never experienced. Keeler, or BTK as he was known, took the view that young staff officers should be tested and given a wide range of job roles and provided with as much responsibility in performing these tasks as possible. Supports would be supplied as required. One only had to ask. As a staff officer gained experience, Keeler monitored the situation and ensured these responsibilities were increased. BTK would make it clear that if you were asked to undertake a project or task or provide support systems for committees chaired by members of Provincial Executive Council, you would enthusiastically do the job with minimal or no supervision.

In short, BTK challenged staff to used their education, training, experience and smarts to do what needed

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to be done. Keeler viewed leadership as providing the master plan, communicating it to staff and dealing with any obstacles that might crop up. To many of us, Keeler was the venerable sage standing on top of the mountain directing traffic and defying those who would try to harm the education sector.

Keeler was great to work for since you always knew where he stood. BTK took it as his mission to ensure that you were challenged to the best of your ability. But, as a good leader, he was not one to hang a member of his staff out to dry. If a mistake was made or something happened along the way, BTK was very effective at providing a remedy.

One incident is still firmly ingrained in my mind. One August morning when I was acting as daily duty officer, the office phone rang. I picked up the receiver. “Mr. Hjelter,

Bernie here! Have you read today’s Globe and Mail? If you have not, obtain a copy and come to my office … now!”

Oh my, I thought, this is not good. I went out, purchased a paper, read the front page and headed for BTK’s office. My memory of the conversation is relatively clear.

BTK: “Is there any reason why you are quoted in today’s Globe?”

Me: “Well, no one was around last week. A Globe reporter called. They were doing an article on recent changes to maternity leave and wanted an Alberta perspective since there has been some blowback. I agreed to do an interview.”

BTK: “I will say this just once, so listen very carefully. First, you are not authorized to speak on behalf of the Association since this is a controversial matter having political complications. It is beyond your scope. Second, staff officers should not need to be quoted on the front page of a national newspaper in this fashion. Third, your comments depicting those who oppose the granting of maternity leave as Neanderthals is completely unacceptable. You will cease making such inflammatory comments from this time forward. That is all.”

To Dr. Keeler, the matter was finished and I never heard a thing about it again. Message delivered. Lesson learned. Move on!

Three different educational leaders with their own distinct styles who were successful in what they did in very different circumstances. Each one was direct and effective for very different reasons. Each provided leadership when it was most needed.

Leadership requires leaders who are comfortable with their ability to earn respect and who can relate to those around them. Leadership involves making sound and strategic decisions, the ability to effectively communicate a vision, a willingness to learn from mistakes and put what’s best for their followers ahead of personal ambition and opportunism. The challenge for the teaching profession is to identify and empower those having such qualities of leadership.

Following a teaching career with the Calgary Board of Education, Earl Hjelter joined Association staff in 1986 as an executive staff officer in Teacher Welfare and Member Services. He became Teacher Welfare coordinator in 2000 and associate executive secretary in 2003. He retired from this role at the end of September 2008.

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As a good leader, he was not one to hang a member of his staff out to dry.

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When the editor of this publication asked me to do a piece on leadership, a topic that numbs the imagination yet generates vast amounts of literature,

I was tempted to retreat into my languid retirement mode, the one that relegates past concerns to the memory trash. But the prospect of being in good company with so many of my former colleagues sparked sufficient interest to get on with the task.

The late Bernie Keeler was executive secretary of the Alberta Teachers’ Association for half of my career with the organization. He was a man of huge intellect who didn’t have to go out of his way to demonstrate his capacity to lead a teacher organization. He was a natural—superbly organized, manifestly committed to the profession, deeply interested in organizational dynamics, resolute in the face of threat and consistent—my personal favourite among his leadership qualities.

He was the closest the Association ever got to having a Mr. Spock in charge of its affairs. Bernie’s mathematical mind emanated a logical approach to almost every question. This meant he didn’t play favourites, he dispensed equal treatment (including editorial notations) to all and, from my initial standpoint as an executive staff novice, he made it easy to grasp the ATA’s organizational ropes.

I spent about 16 years in the Association’s Teacher Welfare area, where the daily work has little to do with the nature of teaching and almost everything to do with the environment in which teaching is performed. While the leadership of teacher organizations is concerned with the profession’s work, the threats and challenges frequently faced by teacher organizations often have only remote connections to teaching. For example, politics, economics, demographics and other factors are often the source of issues and concerns that are unrelated to learning styles, curriculum or assessment.

Teacher organization leadership, therefore, requires a big picture approach to the world in which teachers do their work, one that is informed by information gathered from sources both

within and outside of the education sector. This endeavour is a shared responsibility among teacher organization staff because keeping an eye on the “everything” leaves no time for anything else. I did discover, however, that in some cases, the novelist and the journalist can be better guides to the future than any number of experts.

Teacher organizations belong to their respective members, who express their vision of and aspirations for their organizations through a variety of democratic processes. One of the most important tasks of a chief executive officer is to translate those political decisions into action through administrative mechanisms. This process can be very simple or extremely complex depending on the desired outcomes and the talent and skills of the organization’s staff. Leaders who want to closely manage these transactions tend to be viewed with suspicion because the element of trust, so vital to a leadership role, is immediately called into question. My tendency was to enunciate the direction as clearly as possible and to stand clear of the ensuing process unless asked to intervene by those undertaking the task. That was the situation I desired when I was charged with responsibilities and one I assumed most of my colleagues also preferred.

Because we’ve been asked to identify people who have had an impact on our own visions and styles of leadership, I must acknowledge my father who, despite being hard of hearing, was an action figure when chaos prevailed. He organized the evacuation of buildings when fires broke out, cleared roadways of traffic when accidents occurred, and generally took charge when others stood by or were paralyzed with fear. He was just an ordinary citizen cool under fire. I hope some of that style rubbed off.

Dr. Charles Hyman joined Association staff in 1972 following initial teaching service in Quebec. He served as an executive staff officer in Teacher Welfare, becoming coordinator in 1986. He became associate executive secretary in 1988 and executive secretary in 1999. He retired from this role on December 31, 2002.

TAKING CHARGE WHEN OTHERS ARE PARALYZED

CHARLES HYMAN

11ATA MAGAZINE • WINTER 2017 11ATA MAGAZINE • WINTER 2017

photo: Megan Stout


photo: Megan Stout



It was fall 1995. I had just been hired by the Alberta Teachers’ Association as a staff officer in Teacher Welfare—the first woman ever hired to a continuing

executive position in TW. We were planning for the fall meeting of economic consultants, a corps to which I’d belonged for only two years, and a group containing about a dozen negotiators with significantly more experience than me, many of whom had applied for the position I now held. Nervous? You bet! How did I end up here?

My involvement in the ATA started in my second year of teaching. I don’t recall what the issue was, but I didn’t agree with something and chose to get involved in order to change things from the inside. What I discovered was an organization that supported public education, represented teachers and tirelessly advocated for what was best for students and teachers. How could I influence the ATA’s actions?

As a policy-driven organization, the ATA holds views on a wide range of issues, from the amount of money that should be spent on renovations to Barnett House to the conditions necessary to support students with special needs. The ATA is also a very democratic organization, with its policies hotly debated at the Annual Representative Assembly (ARA) in May. Every teacher can influence these policies either by becoming a delegate to ARA or ensuring their elected officials know and understand their concerns. Early in my career, I started to think about how I should be involved in this complex, amazing organization.

As most women did in the early 1980s, I started as a school representative and a member of the professional development committee. After a few years, I thought I’d run for local vice-president—and ran smack into the glass ceiling. In a small local where there were never elections, suddenly someone ran

against me. There was a record turnout at the meeting and I came in second. However, a few months later the winner resigned (he wasn’t really that interested in the job), and I was invited to join the executive, where I served as VP and subsequently president. Once in the role, I was welcomed by all my colleagues and had a wonderful experience learning even more about the Association.

My next adventure was bargaining. Getting elected to the Regional Economic Policy Committee involved another round of stereotype breaking, but it’s where I found my first negotiations mentor. Mike Kischuk taught me some important lessons, lessons I still value today—always remember you’re dealing with people (be hard on the issue, soft on the people) and sometimes you just need to keep calmly saying the same thing until they hear you.

Around the same time, I was considering where to take my career. Up until then, I’d had no interest in administration. As a band teacher, I wanted to be with my students, and if anyone asked me, I’d say “I’m in it for the students.” But then our school got a new vice principal—the first woman administrator I’d worked with. Even though I’d been raised to believe I could do anything, I’m a bit ashamed to admit that, until I saw a woman in the position, I didn’t think administration was suitable for me.

That situation made me realize that talking wasn’t good enough. People need role models—adults need them and so do students, and not just with respect to gender, but also culture, religion and heritage. Our students and colleagues need to see teachers, administrators, superintendents and Association leaders (local and provincial) who look and act like them. It inspired me to think about what it would be like to be an administrator. I decided to take some graduate-level university

A SERIES OF ADVENTURES

SHARON VOGRINETZ


courses in educational administration, first as an unclassified student, then in the master of education program. One of my career regrets is that I never had the opportunity to apply for a position in administration—less than a year after starting my MEd, I was hired by the ATA.

Once at the ATA, I was surrounded by mentors. Some of the most experienced bargainers and the kindest, funniest and most caring people were the TW coordinators—Winston Nettleton, Earl Hjelter, Klaus Opatril and Ernie Clintberg.

From Winston, I learned about the image I wanted to project at the bargaining table, the highest level of integrity and the importance of orchestration. There is no role for uncontrolled emotion at the table. Genuine anger was for the caucus room; however, angry responses were acceptable provided they were carefully scripted.

Earl taught me how to deliver information honestly. While I might not have been quite as blunt as he was, I learned that people need to hear the truth and expect that from their leaders. Klaus taught me about mentoring and the importance of encouraging people to get involved. Once they were involved, he modeled how to help them feel comfortable asking questions (no such thing as a silly question!). In reality, Klaus is most responsible for my career at the ATA because of the way he encouraged me to get involved in bargaining.

Finally, perhaps because I was ready for these lessons, I learned from Ernie about how to lead staff and demonstrate genuine appreciation for their contributions. I find it difficult to offer words of praise, but Ernie helped me understand how important it is.

Once at the bargaining table, I was often the only woman in the room, and while my experienced colleagues could enter the room and simply tell the Negotiation Subcommittee (and the board) what we were doing, I didn’t have the credibility to do that. So I developed the leadership style that I still use today—I would listen to the teachers, discuss the options, point out the pros and cons of each and eventually we would arrive at a consensus. While this took longer than a more conventional approach, it also meant that the decision belonged to everyone—almost every teacher involved owned it and took responsibility for carrying out any necessary actions.

Years later, even after I had established the credibility to walk in and say “this is what we’re doing,” I still used a shared leadership model, because in my experience, people work better when they feel their views have been heard and understood, even if the decision doesn’t reflect their preferences.

In 2008 I broke another stereotype when I was appointed coordinator of Teacher Welfare. One of our goals was to encourage teachers to be involved in bargaining even though we wouldn’t be back to the table until 2012. We developed the Teacher Welfare Education Program with a syllabus designed to create an interest in bargaining and build negotiating skills. The TWEP provided a foundation for many activities over the subsequent years.

In this role I was also able to provide leadership beyond TW as I saw how each of the programs work together to benefit teachers. As a member of the Association’s team attending three rounds of tripartite discussions with the government and Alberta School Boards Association, I

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I learned that people need to hear the truth and expect that from their leaders.


developed a broader understanding of the complexities of the education system. In the 2012–13 school year, the Association went through a difficult period during which the minister of education interfered and obstructed the ATA at every opportunity. We were presented with a framework “agreement” intended to settle bargaining for four years. Because of my expanded perspective, I was able to see the overall impact of the framework rather than focusing solely on the TW perspective. These experiences were instrumental in preparing me for my last position at the ATA.

In 2013, I made one more move—to assistant executive secretary—which meant following in the footsteps of another mentor, Jacquie Skytt. From Jacquie I learned persistence and adaptability. Jacquie was able to accomplish many great things by taking “no” as simply a need to change the approach or direction. I worked closely with executive secretary Gordon Thomas, learning from his extensive experience and in awe of his ability to think through every possible political angle and outcome.

My role shifted from working with teachers to supporting the ATA office staff who work for our members. I found this phase of leadership exciting and fulfilling. There are more than 100 people, often invisible to members, quietly doing their best to keep the organization operating effectively and I was now supporting them, thus allowing our frontline staff to focus on serving members. The learning curve was steep. Now I was hiring, mentoring and supporting these key people, many of them doing work I knew little about—graphics, publishing, running the cafeteria and keeping the building clean and safe. It gave me one last opportunity to ensure the ATA continued to have the capacity to carry out its mandate in the most effective manner. It brought me full circle by giving me the opportunity to embody a lesson learned in university—the most important people in a school are the secretary and custodian—and that’s true in the ATA as well.

Now that I’ve retired, I think back to that first meeting in 1995. How did it go? Very well! My fellow consultants accepted me in my new role. I was fortunate that instead of valuing length of experience, which disadvantages women, the Association was looking for potential. I’m grateful to the Association for all the opportunities I’ve been given to serve Alberta’s teachers.

Sharon Vogrinetz joined Association staff as an executive staff officer in Teacher Welfare in 1995 and became the first female coordinator of Teacher Welfare in 2008. She became assistant executive secretary in 2013 and retired from that role in July 2017.

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LESSONS AND OBSERVATIONSJULIUS

BUSKI


The Internet, as well as educational and business administration textbooks and classes, are replete with discussions of leadership. Among

many other things, we are told that great leaders are future oriented 100 per cent of the time, have a positive attitude, take responsibility, empower others, lead by example, provide support, are risk takers and consensus builders, etc. Given the current events unfolding in the world, it is undoubtedly a timely topic and should be one of paramount importance to our profession—for being a teacher is in itself being a leader.

During my career of more than 45 years, I held a wide variety of teaching positions—classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent, ATA staff officer, ATA executive secretary and CEO, secretary general of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, president of the Edmonton Public Teachers Local, president of the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention Association, and director of the Western Canada Educational Administrators’ Conference,1 among others. During this time I had the wonderful opportunity to work with individuals with various leadership styles ranging from exceptional to worrisome. These experiences, as well as some study of leadership theory, have helped shape my thoughts on the matter and most likely my own leadership style(s)2.

At the outset, I submit that leadership is the very essence of teaching. It is a mantle thrust upon the teacher whether one wills it or not. Our success as teachers depends very much on developing leadership skills to help guide our youth in this most important quest. Further, the teaching profession provides exceptional opportunities for developing effective leadership skills, whether in the classroom, related teaching positions, or leadership positions within our professional organization.

Did I make mistakes? You bet! Did I learn a lot? Absolutely! Which individuals helped me along this journey and what are some lessons I have learned about leadership?

1. YOU MIGHT NOT RECOGNIZE LEADERSHIP WHEN YOU SEE ITI began my teaching career at the age of 18 at Westmount Junior High School in Edmonton. Having graduated from high school two years prior and not having a clear career path in mind, I took a year off and worked in several jobs before deciding to give teaching a try, and enrolled in the one-year Jr. E. teacher preparation program at the University of Alberta. The province was experiencing a teacher shortage at the time and the one-year program was intended as a bridging mechanism to bring people into the profession. Most of us went on to complete our B.Ed. degrees through summer schools and evening classes and/or a return full-time to university. Many of us, including me, continued to studies at the masters and doctoral levels.

The teaching assignment was a challenging one. I was faced not only with the all-too-familiar problems of any first-year teacher, but also with the very small age separation between me and many of the students, as well as a cohort of young people who were less willing to learn than I had expected. Enter the principal—Roger

photo: Megan Stout

1 I view all of these as teaching positions. We are first and foremost teachers. The other roles we play are only possible because of that.2 I believe that most of us practice a variety of leadership styles.


Johnston. Mr. Johnston (I would never have dared call him by his first name!) was a quiet, thoughtful individual. He tended to hover in the background and provide support when it was needed. His thoughtful suggestions, encouragement and friendliness are likely the factors that ensured that I toughed out the first few years and stayed in the profession. It was only when I started writing this article that I realized what tremendous leadership skills he possessed. A quiet, supportive, encouraging leader, who was also a consensus builder among staff. A belated posthumous thank you, Mr. Johnston!

2. LEADERSHIP SOMETIMES MEANS JUST OBSERVING AND HOLDING BACK One of my principalship assignments was to an elementary school whose principal (who I was replacing) had opened the school 16 years prior and had served in that position since that time. I was the only staff change that year. There I was, having just completed my Ph.D., gained all that “valuable knowledge” and anxious to begin implementing some new ideas. Fortunately, I chose not to leap off the cliff and start making changes. Rather, I spent the first year observing and getting to know the staff. After that year, we were able to work together and make some mutually agreeable and desirable changes to how the school operated.

3. SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO ANTICIPATE AND FORGE AHEAD AND TAKE ACTION!In September–October 1994, Alberta Education Minister Halvar Jonson proceeded with a much needed regionalization and amalgamation of school boards. This anticipated action had been previously announced but it was not until the release of the final details in mid-October that we knew the lay of the land. These major changes in the landscape of Alberta jurisdictions would have a profound impact on our own organization, particularly our locals and bargaining units. Our task was clear to me as executive secretary of the ATA and to our political leaders. We would need to restructure so that our locals and bargaining units would be congruent with the new board structures. This was clearly a no-brainer and in anticipation of the government action, we had already organized teams of Provincial Executive Council members and Association staff to work with our locals and bargaining units in the restructuring. In our opinion, no further approval from any of our own governing bodies was necessary—the job needed doing. The reorganization went smoothly, albeit not without a tremendous amount of work by our staff and elected officials.

Within a year or two of this exercise, another provincial jurisdiction announced that it too would be undertaking a reorganization of boards. I was invited to speak with a committee of the teacher organization in that province about our experience. That organization shied away from taking any action and consequently found itself with a structure that did not match the board structure in that province.

Lesson learned: anticipate, forge ahead and do not be afraid to take action when necessary.

4. SOMETIMES LEADERS TAKE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ADDRESS THE SAME PROBLEMOn November 24, 1993, the Ralph Klein government announced that effective April 1, 1994, education budgets would be cut by five per cent. It would be up to each jurisdiction to decide how to implement the cut. While the Association could provide guidance to locals and bargaining units, it was ultimately up to each unit to work with their employing jurisdiction to deal with this issue. Within our 120 collective agreements, many teachers accepted a five per cent cut in salary, a few bargaining units opted for staff reductions, some negotiated reductions in salary only on certain portions of the grid and some jurisdictions coped with the reduction without needing to renegotiate. In one instance—Camrose Separate No. 60—the teachers dealt with the issue in a very creative fashion by voting unanimously to make a tax deductible, charitable donation to the board in the amount of five per cent of their salary. I frequently recall this situation as an excellent example of different leadership approaches to a similar problem.


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5. LEADERS UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE AND LIMIT OF THEIR ROLEKnowing the boundaries of what you can/should do as a leader is basic to being a successful leader. This can be a challenge to teachers who are elected to top leadership positions in their organization—particularly where there is a staff component in place to undertake the basic work of the organization. The newly elected leader (for example, the president of the ATA) must make a rapid adjustment from what he or she did in a position without staff support

to this new role. There is sometimes a tendency to stray into the area of administration, resulting in unnecessary friction, with staff not knowing whose instructions to follow. During my time as ATA executive secretary, I had the good fortune of working with a number of ATA presidents (Brendan Dunphy, Frances Savage and Bauni MacKay)

who understood this delineation of leadership roles. They provided the very necessary (and often challenging) political leadership, both within and outside the organization, with a clear understanding that administration of the organization was not within their purview.

Later, as secretary general of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, I also worked with a number of presidents, the majority of whom understood this role. CTF president Doug Willard stands out in my mind as a model of one

who fully understood and practiced that. When Doug and I visited teacher organizations he would speak on political and philosophical challenges facing our profession and then ask me to relate details as to how they were impacting us at the time. In retrospect, that relationship was as close to a perfect textbook example of shared leadership as one might find.

On the flip side, a model of leadership at the bureaucratic level was Philip J. Cox, executive secretary of the Edmonton Public Local. Phil was appointed executive secretary when the divisional locals in Edmonton merged in the latter part of the 1950s, creating what was then the largest local in the province. He was a Second World War veteran who had taught prior the war and re-entered the profession upon his return. The role of executive secretary was clear to Phil—represent teachers as forcefully as possible and keep the elected leaders on track with their mission, nudging them as necessary. At the time I served as local president, release time was not provided, so we did all of our ATA work after hours. I appreciated the quiet guidance and advice of this rare individual who seemed to have all the answers and total dedication to our members and to the local.

IT’S FUNDAMENTALAs I reflect upon these leaders I have known, I come back to my original point. Leadership is fundamental to our teaching profession. As teachers, we practice leadership in the classroom and in all positions related to our teaching role, whether in the school system or in our professional association. Few professions offer such an opportunity.

My very best wishes to all of you in your leadership roles!

Dr. Julius Buski joined Association staff in 1980 after extensive teaching and administrative experience largely in Edmonton Public Schools. He was named associate executive secretary in 1986 and became executive secretary in 1988. He retired from this role on December 31, 1998 and went on to become secretary-general of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation from 2000 to 2006.

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There is sometimes a tendency to stray into the area of administration, resulting in unnecessary friction.

Alberta Teachers’ Association TURNS 100!

June 24, 2018 will mark the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the Alberta Teachers’ Alliance, which later became the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

Throughout this school year, the Association is celebrating a century of providing service to the teachers of Alberta. Part of this celebration is a television commercial that is currently being aired throughout the province as well as posters and graphic “shareables” that teachers are encouraged to use.

The video is available for viewing on the Association’s YouTube channel and all the material is available at www.teachers.ab.ca.

Click on Newsroom>Issues and Campaigns>The Alberta Teachers’ Association turns 100!


FEBRUARY 22–23PALLISER DISTRICT TEACHERS’ CONVENTIONTelus Convention Centre, Calgary. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Palliser District Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.pdtca.org. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

FEBRUARY 22–23SOUTH WESTERN ALBERTA TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/South Western Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.swatca.ca. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

FEBRUARY 22–23SOUTHEASTERN ALBERTA TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Southeastern Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.seatca.ca. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

MARCH 1–2GREATER EDMONTON TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.getca.com. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

MARCH 8–9CENTRAL EAST ALBERTA TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Central East Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.ceatca.teachers.ab.ca. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

JANUARY 25–26 TEACHER GROWTH SUPERVISION AND EVALUATION, Sheraton Cavalier, Edmonton. Sponsor: the provincial ATA. Contact: Keith Hadden, executive staff officer, telephone: 403-265-2672; email: [email protected] OR Sudeep Dua, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9454; email: [email protected].

FEBRUARY 8–9NORTH CENTRAL TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/North Central Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.mynctca.com. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

FEBRUARY 15–16CALGARY CITY TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Telus Convention Centre, Calgary. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Calgary City Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.cctca.com. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected]. FEBRUARY 15–16NORTHEAST TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Edmonton.Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Northeast Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://netca.teachers.ab.ca. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

FEBRUARY 22–23CENTRAL ALBERTA TEACHERS’ CONVENTIONRed Deer College, Red Deer. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Central Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.mycatca.com. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

• C A L E N D A R •

For a complete listing of events, consult the Conference Calendar or contact Barnett House. Telephone: 780-447-9400 in Edmonton or 1-800-232-7208 from elsewhere in Alberta. This information is also posted on the Alberta Teachers’ Association website (www.teachers.ab.ca). Prior to attending a conference or workshop please contact the sponsoring organization to confirm dates, location and contacts.

http://www.pdtca.org


• C A L E N D A R •

MARCH 8–9CENTRAL EAST ALBERTA TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Central East Alberta Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://www.ceatca.teachers.ab.ca. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

MARCH 8–9MIGHTY PEACE TEACHERS’ CONVENTION, Grande Prairie Composite High School, Grande Prairie. Sponsors: the provincial ATA/Mighty Peace Teachers’ Convention Association. Website: http://mptca.teachers.ab.ca. Contact: Dan Grassick, executive staff officer, telephone: 780-447-9487; email: [email protected] OR Barb Bossert, administrative officer, telephone: 780-447-9461; email: [email protected].

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WHAT I LEARNED IN SCHOOL

ERNEST CLINTBERG

Fortune has provided me the opportunity to observe and learn from many effective leaders, first hand.

My parents were my early models. They grounded me in the basics of acting with integrity and being willing to step up and assist others regardless of economic or social standing. To them, part of integrity was to act, always, with honesty even when it hurt. My oldest brother provided me with a model of leadership, as he pursued school administration, when his actions demonstrated a willingness to advance the interests of others, whether in the school or the teaching profession.

For a period of time while attending university, I stayed in the home of Orvis Kennedy, who was executive director for one of the major political parties of the day. He demonstrated to me that politicians should and could act with integrity, reinforcing my parents’ tenets. During the same time period I met Ray Speaker, then a minister of the Crown. What I observed of him reinforced what Kennedy demonstrated, plus Speaker also demonstrated the need to listen to people, and represent and champion them fairly.

Once I began to teach, I found myself a leader by appointment in conducting my classes. However, earning student respect as a leader in the classroom was a different matter. Fairness, empathy and consistency, I learned, were paramount and foundational in gaining student respect. Knowledge, preparation and planning were important but secondary.

A BIAS FOR ACTIONWhen I was appointed as an assistant principal, I served with Stan Woloshyn, principal. He coached and encouraged me to improve as a leader, believing he should prepare me for the principalship. Besides that, he demonstrated that one of the principal’s jobs was to protect all those in the school—students and staff—so that teachers could focus on their teaching role. He was open to having his decisions challenged, behind closed doors, by me and others.

Two weeks into my role as assistant principal, I was faced with the horror of making a decision, on my own. Woloshyn, was away and unable to be reached as was anyone else in authority. I had to demonstrate what I now term, “a bias for action.”

It was a Wednesday, just before the morning recess, when the school’s water supply stopped. Disaster presented itself as all the toilet bowls—16 of them in seven washrooms—were all full of waste and no water was available to flush. The school was in the country, still under construction and no one knew how the water arrived at the school or where it came from. After phoning for help, I found that no one was available. After walking the school to learn what teachers believed should happen, I came last to Gerry Smithaniuk, the physical education teacher. When I approached him, he said with a quizzical grin, “make a decision, big guy, you are the acting principal—act!”

I decided to close the school for the remainder of the day. Secretaries called in all the buses, which arrived just before


photo: Bromley Chamberlain



the lunch bell. As the buses waited, the construction workers arrived and informed me, with smiles, that they had shut off the water to the school earlier and would turn it on again before the lunch hour started. I did not know whether to laugh or cry.

We sent the buses away to return at the regular dismissal time. The school day resumed and I prepared my first memo to the principal, copied to the superintendent, about the event.

NOT SMART ENOUGHNine years later found me appointed principal–teacher of a community school. A month into my appointment, I found myself at odds with a number of teachers who made a practice of leaving the building just after the buses left the parking lot. This made it difficult to have after school meetings. So I wrote a memo, brief and concise, clearly outlining a new policy: Teachers were expected to stay 15 minutes after the buses left, i.e. until 3:30 p.m.

The next two weeks, until the next staff meeting, found the staff following the new policy to the letter and providing me with cold shoulders. At the next staff meeting a teacher with preschool children explained that she needed to leave promptly at 3:15 to pick up her children before the child-care

centre closed at 4 p.m. Most of the staff lined up to add their “two minutes” of comment about why my expectation was thoughtless and did not take their lives into consideration.

After an embarrassing and uncomfortable period of listening, I conceded to the wisdom of the staff and admitted my many mistakes. The lesson learned was that a staff must have a say in decisions that affect their teaching and lives. Further, it abruptly reminded me of the Code of Professional Conduct’s expectation, “The teacher as an administrator provides opportunities for staff members to express their opinions and to bring forth suggestions regarding the administration of the school.”

After that I took great care to involve staff in discussions affecting them and learned that their solutions were very often not only better than mine, but also offered help with the “heavy lifting.” This caused my rude awakening that I needed to involve others because I was not smart enough, did not have enough time and my best work was often accomplished with others.

These ideas prompted me to offer leadership opportunities to those who presented an aptitude for such roles. If they did not pursue an appointment in leadership, they improved the informal leadership structure within the organization.

VALUE AND ENCOURAGE THOSE AROUND YOUParents, often, are our first cheerleaders, and my parents were no exception. Even when they did most of the work, they made sure I was affirmed and credited for my part. Upon leaving home, I learned that the cold, hard world did not provide that affirmation, let alone credit.

However, when I began working part-time for Ray Speaker, now an opposition member of the legislative assembly, I found his leadership style affirmed, valued and encouraged others. This behaviour, what caused others to easily accept Speaker’s leadership, was also recognized by constituents. He was re-elected with significant pluralities every time he ran for public office, spanning 34 years.

Upon joining the staff of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, I had Dr. Calvin Fraser as my coordinator. The first task he asked of me was a bit of research on a question that Provincial Executive Council (PEC) had directed. I presented my findings to him and went on with other work. When PEC read the report, I was amazed to learn I had been credited. I had not expected this. When I asked Fraser about it, he said that it was only right that I be credited since I had done the work.

The lesson from Speaker and Fraser is obvious: credit people for their work and affirm them.

LEADERS DO WHAT’S NEEDEDDr. Gordon Thomas, when I first joined executive staff, welcomed me and expressed his confidence in my future with the Association. As I worked with him, I observed

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that he demonstrated that he valued, trusted and relied on staff. The work he assigned was followed with support and encouragement and left the person to get the work done without interference.

Late one afternoon, information from a local bargaining unit came across my desk about a potential grievance. It demanded immediate attention before midnight that day or the grievance would die. Few people were left in the building as it was past 5:30 p.m. and there were poor road conditions that encouraged everyone to leave early. Thomas, the Association’s CEO, was still in the building.

There was no choice but to write a grievance letter immediately and fax it to the school board in question. Upon finishing typing the letter on my computer, I went to print a hard copy. The printer failed and then the computer froze. If the letter could not be printed, signed and sent, the grievance would be lost.

After considering handwriting the grievance, I went to Thomas and shared my dilemma. He smiled and told me how he was the fastest typist in his high school typing class, and blew on his fingers. As I read my handwritten letter, he typed and then printed it on his printer. I signed the letter, prepared a cover fax page and sent it to the school board with five hours to spare. The day was saved.

The lessons learned were that effective leaders (1) value and trust the person assigned the work and support their efforts to complete it, and (2) are willing to do whatever it takes, within the law, even to the point of taking on the smallest tasks when needed.

IN SUMMARYFrom my attendance at school as a student, a teacher, a principal–teacher and in the pursuit of representing the teaching profession, I have learned a leader should

• act with integrity, even when it hurts;• listen to everyone relevant, including those at the lowest

pay grade;• be fair and consistent;• develop a bias for action;• recognize that they are not smart enough, and do not

have enough time, so there is a need to share the work; • know our best work is often done with others;• seek out those with an aptitude for leadership and en-

courage their growth;• affirm, value and encourage those around you; • be humble and do the menial tasks when needed.

Following teaching and administration experiences in Parkland School Division, Dr. Ernest Clintberg joined Association staff as an executive staff officer in Member Services in 2000. After a period at the Southern Alberta Regional Office, Dr. Clintberg moved to Teacher Welfare at Barnett House and was named coordinator in 2005. He became associ-ate executive secretary in 2008 and retired from that role in July 2011.

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BOOKSAsk More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark ChangeSesno, F. 2017. New York, NY: American Management Association (650.1 S493)A well-timed question can uncover a solution no one has seen while a well-placed question can open a door to a new way of thinking. Author Frank Senso presents stories

of dozens of leaders who asked the right questions at the right time and who listened to what those questions uncovered. A useful read for all leaders!

Crafting the Feedback Teachers Need and Deserve: A Guide for LeadersVan Soelen, T. M. 2016. New York, NY: Routledge (371.144 S681)Providing high-quality feedback to staff is an often-overlooked aspect of leadership. Thomas Van Soelen offers practical techniques for capturing and writing useful feedback that will accelerate improvements in the classroom.

The Educational Leader’s Guide for School Scheduling: Strategies Addressing Grades K–12Merenbloom, E. Y., and B. A. Kalina. New York, NY: Routledge (371.1 M558)Scheduling is one of the most difficult leadership tasks in an administrator’s allocation. This valuable how-to guide makes the task significantly easier by drawing

on real world examples and presenting specific steps to make a workable schedule for your school.

The First Two Rules of Leadership: Don’t Be Stupid, Don’t Be a JerkCottrell, D. 2016. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons (658.302 C851)With a title that cuts right to the heart of good leadership, Cottrell suggests a very simple strategy to leaders: “Think your decisions through and look after your team.” This two-hour read gives readers lots of great advice that applies well to

many leadership issues.

Future Focused Leaders: Relate, Innovate, and Invigorate for Real Educational Change Ziegler, B., and D. Ramage. 2017. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press (658.4092 Z66)Starting with the premise that relationships are at the core of organizational success, the authors provide administrators with practical

ideas for developing strong relationships with their staff and discuss how to use those relationships to develop useful change in schools. A very interesting read!

Get Organized: Time Management for School LeadersBuck, F. 2016. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education (371.2011 B922)Just get organized and you will have more time for the bigger issues—advice we all hear frequently but it can be overwhelming to organize a sea of papers, emails, requests on your desk. Where do you start? Buck breaks organization down for school

leaders, recommending techniques and simple tools that will decrease your stress and increase your efficiency.

LIBRARY HAS DIVERSE COLLECTION OF LEADERSHIP MATERIAL

• F R O M T H E B O O K S H E L V E S •

In keeping with this issue’s leadership theme, we are highlighting some of the leadership resources we have recently added to our collection.

Please remember that we mail out any items you would like to borrow and we prepay postage both ways. We also offer research services to all teachers. If you have a question, we will scour databases to find you an answer. To contact our helpful staff, just drop us a note to [email protected] and we will do our best to get back to you within two days.

SANDRAANDERSON


Getting Teacher Evaluation Right: What Really Matters for Effectiveness and ImprovementDarling-Hammond, L. 2013. New York, NY: Teachers College Record (371.144 D211) Arguing that teacher evaluation is not a process that measures competence but a tool for continued growth, Darling-Hammond provides examples of useful evaluations that encourage teachers to

grow and learn.

Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning that Teachers, Students, and Parents LoveSanfelippo, J., and T. Sinanis. 2016. Cleveland, OH: X10 Publications (371.2012 S223)This brief book on leadership is filled with real-life challenges and solutions that are based on practical experience and supported by research.

Heart! Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and LeaderKanold, T. D. 2017. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree (371.2011 K16) Most teachers and educational leaders are motivated in the profession by a desire to make a difference in the world. Disillusionment and dissatisfaction usually manifest when we feel we are not making a difference. Author Timothy Kanold provides concrete

ways for educators to directly see the differences they are making daily and to refuel their passion for teaching.

Indelible Leadership: Always Leave Them LearningFullan, M. 2017. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press (658.4092 F965)Another concise book from Michael Fullan that presents ideas about lasting change for leaders that will allow them to help teachers and students learn more deeply.

The Intelligent, Responsive LeaderKatz, S. et al. 2018. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press (371.2 K19 2017)Arguing that schools not only teach but are also learning organizations themselves, the authors discuss the perceived conflicts between prescribed expectations and experiential professional judgment and suggest how these views can be aligned rather than exist in opposition to each other.


Lead like A Pirate: Make School Amazing for Your Students and StaffBurgess, S., and B. Houf. 2017. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc (371.2012. B955)Putting the fun back into leadership, authors Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf provide engaging ideas for both students and staff to create a positive school culture.

The Leader’s Guide to Coaching in Schools: Creating Conditions for Effective LearningCampbell, J., and C. van Nieuwerburgh. 2018. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press (371.2 C188)Some of the most useful conversations we have at work can start casually in a parking lot or hallway. The authors view these moments as excellent

opportunities to segue into coaching conversations. They discuss ways to coach your staff to become “unstuck” at work while building their resiliency.

The Listening Leader: Creating the Conditions for Equitable School TransformationSafir, S. 2017. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (371.2 S128) Strong relationships form through two-way communication. Frantically busy administrators can be so focused on getting a message out to everyone that they do not take time to listen to what

their staff are telling them. Author Shane Safir discusses how listening can be used to change the educational workplace into an adaptive and collaborative culture.

Making Teachers Better, Not Bitter: Balancing Evaluation, Supervision, and Reflection for Professional GrowthFrontier, T., and P. Mielke. 2016. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (370.711 F935)Realizing that the evaluation of teachers often ensures competence

but not growth, the authors argue that effective teacher evaluation includes reliable evaluation, focused and empowering supervision, and meaningful reflection. They break down these ideas into 30 systematic processes to engage staff in professional growth.


Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent Finkelstein, S. 2016. Great Britain: Penguin Publishing Group (371.2012 F499)You may think you are a good supervisor, but are you a superboss? Do you create master–apprentice relationships with your teachers? Do you help teachers support each other and learn from

each other’s methods? Do you say goodbye to great employees on good terms? Sidney Finkelstein draws on 10 years of research to answers these questions and to provide leaders with steps they can take to become superbosses themselves.

Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff DivisionMuhammad, A. 2018. 2nd Ed. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree (371.201 M952)This book has garnered mixed reviews. Some readers find it very useful in understanding how to transform a culture without just imposing change, while others found it oversimplified and rigid

in its labelling. It contains some useful ideas about resistance to change.

DVDSAre We a Group or a Team? Moving from Coordination to Collaboration in a PLC at WorkMattos, M. 20.14. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press (AV ARE) 43 min. In this unscripted video, Mike Mattos discusses functional and dysfunctional teacher teams and

provides ideas for building stronger, more collaborative teams that refocus on student learning.

Nurturing LeadershipFilms Media Group. 2015. New York, NY: Films Media Group (AV NUR) 35 min. Presenting diverse thinkers on leadership that range from Nelson Mandela to the U.S. military, this video explores leadership as a learnable skill while also examining personality traits that may affect leadership abilities.

Mindfulness: How School Leaders Can Reduce Stress and Thrive on the JobWells, C. M. 2016. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield (371.2 W453)As the stress of leadership positions continues to mount, leaders need to be better able to cope with stress and react to it differently. Mindfulness is a practice from the yoga tradition of meditation. It is the state of being in the

moment without judgment. Author Caryn Wells discusses how leaders can use this powerful technique to calm the mind and to reduce stress even in the midst of chaos.

Performance Management in the Early Years SettingGarvey, D. 2017. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers (372.1201 G244)This practical guide will be useful to both new and experienced managers in early years settings. Writing in a conversational style, Debbie Garvey offers practical and concise advice on most day-to-day issues in managing staff.

A School Leader’s Guide to Dealing with Difficult ParentsWhitaker, T., and D. J. Fiore. 2016. New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Frances Group (371.2012 W578 2016) Two of the most stressful parts of being a teacher are dealing with difficult parents and not being supported by school administration. The authors discuss ways that school leaders can

ensure that teachers have the appropriate tools to deal with these parents and feel properly supported.

Smarter Teacher Leadership: Neuroscience and the Power of Purposeful Collaboration Conyers, M. 2016. New York, NY: Teachers College Press (371.1 C768)Written for both current and aspiring school leaders, this book connects the newest learnings from neuroscience with tools for collaboration so that teachers can lead more effectively within schools.

Start. Right. Now: Teach and Lead for ExcellenceWhitaker, T. et al. 2017. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc (371.2012 W578 2017)A highly recommended, accessible book for all teachers and administrators. It includes useful strategies for developing yourself as a leader as well as how to help others develop their leadership skills.




FRENCH BOOKS/LIVRES EN FRANÇAIS L’immersion en français au Canada : Guide pratique d’enseignement (3e édition)Réalisé pour l’Association canadienne des professionnels de l’immersion (ACPI) sous la direction de Sylvie Roy. 2017. Montréal, QC : Chenelière Éducation (440.07 R888)Depuis sa première édition, ce guide est devenu un ouvrage de

référence incontournable pour tous les professionnels de l’immersion au Canada. L’ensemble du guide a été revu et enrichi, notamment en ce qui concerne la littératie, les outils d’évaluation, l’encadrement des élèves présentant des besoins particuliers, ainsi que l’apport du Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues (CECR) dans l’apprentissage et l’évaluation des élèves. Ce guide s’adresse à la fois aux enseignants, aux administrateurs et aux parents.

Leadership scolaire : De la recherche aux résultatsMarzano, Robert, Timothy Waters et Brian Mcnulty. 2016. Québec, QC : Presses de l’Université du Québec (371.2 M392)L’urgence d’exercer un leadership scolaire inspiré et efficace n’a jamais été aussi grande qu’aujourd’hui. Des recommandations concrètes, fondées sur la recherche, sont ainsi

émises dans cet ouvrage pour relever au quotidien les défis de l’amélioration du rendement des élèves. Il aidera les enseignants, les professionnels, et les directeurs d’école ou de commission scolaire à transposer leur vision et leurs aspirations en plans et leurs plans en actions.

Le leadership moteur : Comprendre les rouages du changement en éducationFullan, Michael. 2015. Québec, QC : Presses de l’Université du Québec (371.2 F965)Comment améliorer le système scolaire? Comment faire bouger le plus grand nombre d’écoles? Michael Fullan explique, dans un langage clair, comment devenir un

agent de changement avisé grâce au leadership moteur. Ce livre ne propose pas de théorie. Il s’appuie sur les résultats d’observations de leaders scolaires, enseignants, professionnels ou directeurs, qui ont favorisé la réussite des jeunes de manière durable.

Référentiel de compétences d’un superviseur pédagogique : S’autoformer et s’autoévaluer pour superviser individuellement et collectivementBouchamma, Yamina, Marc Giguère et Daniel April. 2017. Québec, QC : Presses de l’Université Laval (371.2 B752)

Ce livre fait état des savoirs, savoir-faire, savoir-être et savoir-devenir du superviseur, et propose pour chacun d’eux une synthèse vulgarisée d’écrits scientifiques, des témoignages de praticiens dans le domaine et des grilles d’autoévaluation. Des outils et des exercices pour soutenir l’intégration de ces savoirs dans la pratique professionnelle des superviseurs ponctuent aussi ce guide. En définitive, ce référentiel permettra au superviseur d’acquérir les compétences pédagogiques et relationnelles indispensables à une supervision de haut niveau.

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BREAK FREE FROM TRADITIONAL ROLES

JACQUELINE SKYTT

I became involved in the work of the profession during my first year teaching. Perhaps it was “beginning teacher” enthusiasm that caused me to volunteer to

supervise two school clubs and be the ATA school rep, in addition to teaching seven different high school courses. At any rate, there I was, sitting in the September local council meeting with about 30 other teachers working through a lengthy business agenda. The local president capably chaired the meeting and there were a number of experienced, knowledgeable teachers around the table, but I have to admit there were times when the acronyms simply flew over my head because I hadn’t yet received the “special acronym decoder.” I left that meeting feeling energized, but I realized there was a lot for me to learn about the ATA to be a successful school rep. That was the beginning of being active in the Association every year of my career from classroom teacher, to being seconded to Alberta Education, then working in Sturgeon School Division central office and finally as an ATA staff officer. What were the reasons I was involved for 37 years?

ALIGNMENT WITH CORE VALUESThrough my involvement, I came to realize that my core values aligned with those of the ATA. I believe in the power of public education, a system in which all students, regardless of ability, religion, race, sexual diversity or socioeconomic status attend a publicly funded community school and are taught by certificated, highly skilled teachers. My personal commitment to the mission of public education guided me to pursue a masters in curriculum and instructional supervision, which enabled me to focus on effective pedagogy and supporting students with the diverse learning needs. At this time, I was seconded to an Alberta Education regional office, held various executive roles in the ATA Home Economics Specialist Council, and served as an Association instructor.

My career and professional roles were very rewarding, providing me the opportunity to work with teachers, principals and superintendents across the province. These

interactions and experiences taught me that all certificated Alberta teachers are committed to enhancing their professional practice and supporting student learning. I have been asked by educators from different parts of the world, “What makes Alberta’s education system excellent?” I tell them it is because all certificated teachers in Alberta are members of the same professional organization. In Alberta public schools and school districts there is acceptance of our shared responsibility to focus on quality teaching and student learning, which allows all stakeholders to work together for success.

Midway through my career I was fortunate to be hired to ATA executive staff and joined a fantastic team in Professional Development. One colleague in particular was an important role model for me and had a tremendous influence on how I would later approach leadership. Gordon Thomas taught me that as an executive staff officer you are representing the profession and therefore must be at the top of your game in every situation. This means you are held to high standards of accountability, must be knowledgeable and well prepared to have any credibility, respectfully and continuously advocate for Association policy, and focus on providing excellent service and achieving success. Those became my guiding principles as a leader.

LEADERSHIP STRATEGIESLeaders are shaped by what they have experienced and learned and by whom they have met. Throughout my time in Professional Development and later as assistant executive secretary, I was privileged to work with exceptional teacher leaders across the province on a variety of projects. These practical learning experiences informed my leadership practice.

Working inside the Association I observed efficient procedures (like colour coding program area reports), rigorous budget controls (look at the detailed ledgers in the ARA budget), rigorous attention to detail and an expectation for high, high standards. Executive secretaries Julius Buski


and later Charles Hyman ensured efficient operations, budget controls and reporting structures. However, these leaders also believed in professional autonomy, providing the space and flexibility that encourages creativity and risk taking.

In this environment, PD coordinator Noreen O’Haire was not afraid to challenge the rules, take risks and make changes to improve our programs and services to members. The Association’s Beginning Teachers’ Conference is an example of this. In 1996 we started with 150 teachers attending a one-day pilot conference at Barnett House. Each year our team staff evaluated and refined the program and by 2008, 1,050 teachers were attending an annual two-day conference in both Edmonton and Calgary. The conference is now one of the Association’s premier activities.

Teamwork is the lifeblood of the Association. I believe the strength of the Association is at the grassroots level and every member can participate, contribute and make a difference for the profession. Across this province thousands of teachers are engaged in ATA committees, functioning as teams to improve working conditions and enhance teachers’ professional practice. Effective teams have a shared goal, defined roles and responsibilities, and the resources necessary to achieve the goal. Equally important, however, are open communication, respect and trust among all team members to develop positive working relationships.

When leading teams, I have tried to practice collegial leadership strategies such as shared decision making to determine the best course of action. I have learned there is more wisdom, knowledge and experience on a team than with any one person. Involving the team in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of an activity results in everyone sharing in the work and contributing to its success. A committed team can achieve more than an individual acting alone.

Strategic planning is a key strategy to helping organizations grow and respond to changing context. The Association continues to evolve and remains effective because strategic planning is used to determine short and long-term strategic objectives. To be effective strategic planning must include the development of action plans that include measures for evaluation. I have observed local and specialist councils successfully implement exciting new programs and services by developing a bold strategic plan.

The Association has collaborated with education stakeholders on projects that advance its strategic directions. Some of these projects include supporting the development of school councils, implementation of the provincial Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI), and the current Education for Reconciliation Professional Development Project. Successful collaboration, however, requires that stakeholders agree on the purpose, operating principles, roles and responsibilities, and sharing of resources before project planning begins.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP IN THE TEACHING PROFESSION? Effective teacher leaders exhibit all the qualities found in the education literature. I believe, however, that leadership in the profession is not limited to those in traditional leadership roles. Classroom teachers are leaders when they explain to a parent why standardized test scores are not an appropriate measure of student learning. Teachers who volunteer their time and expertise to serve on local, bargaining unit, specialist council or teachers’ convention association committees are leaders providing service to the profession. The teachers on Provincial Executive Council and executive staff are leaders when they advocate for Association policy and engage in activities that advance the strategic directions of the profession. Leadership in the profession is, therefore, a shared responsibility and a powerful resource to support the Association’s mission to promote and advance public education, safeguard standards of professional practice and serve as the advocate for its members. That is why I chose to stay involved in this amazing organization for 37 years.

After teaching in the Sturgeon School Division and working with Alberta Education, Jacqueline Skytt joined Association staff in 1996 as an executive staff officer in Professional Development. She became coordinator of that program area in 2002 and coordinator of Organizational Support in 2008 (that position was renamed assistant executive secretary in 2009). She retired from that role in May 2013.

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Over the course of my career at the Alberta Teachers’ Association I’ve been pretty focused on advancing the interests of our members and our

profession, so I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about leadership. It wasn’t until last spring, when I was asked to present my thoughts on leadership at Summer Conference, that I started to reflect on the subject of leadership and my own approach to it. What I came up with was pretty straightforward: my own approach to leadership is not the product of academic study. It has been profoundly shaped by several very key individuals in the first decade of my career, by my experience in the profession and by my values.

USE YOUR HEAD AND YOUR HEARTAs a student in the faculty of education at the University of Lethbridge and as president of the ATA’s Education Undergraduate Society, I got to know dean Bob Anderson better than most students. While he was not one of my professors, due to my ATA role, dean Anderson insisted on regular meetings to chat about how things were going from the perspective of students.

There was lots to talk about, as I was in the first crop of students for whom a bachelor of education degree was required in order to teach, so the program was new and there was a lot of excitement. This was also an era of increased involvement of student leaders in the life of the university.

I appreciated Anderson’s calm, intelligent, warm and responsive leadership. He was revered by faculty and students and always had everything under what appeared to be effortless control.

We kept in touch after my graduation. When I dropped by

the U of L while on home visits with my parents, Anderson always had time for me and was interested in my experiences as a new teacher. Part of this focused on how the faculty of education could do its job better, but during every meeting he also pushed me to commence graduate study.

We talked about various program possibilities and my different interests. I commented on his very able leadership of the faculty and asked about his own graduate program choices, especially his focus on educational administration. He was, after all, dean of the faculty. He told me that he had always focused on his academic interests, which did not include educational administration—his interests were educational foundations. This was a surprise to me. I had assumed that effective leaders were necessarily educational administration graduates. Dean Anderson set me right.

“Leadership is very different from administration,” he said. “You don’t need to study educational administration to be a leader. Be guided by one really important thing that you don’t learn in a classroom: leaders always use their heads and their hearts.”

TRUST TEACHERS AND FACILITATE THEIR WORKI began my teaching career at the brand new Sturgeon Composite High School (I’m an extremely proud member of the founding faculty, and more than four decades later, the very last one of that group still “in harness”) and Norval Horner joined our staff as principal teacher after two years of school operation. Our third principal in that time, Norval was very clear about his vision of leadership. He came to us from outside Sturgeon and was an experienced and respected high school principal.

ON EXPERIENCE, INFLUENCES AND VALUES

GORDONTHOMAS


photo: Bromley Chamberlain


In fundamental terms, Horner trusted teachers. He believed, deep down, that every teacher should be free to teach. He also believed that a major responsibility as a school leader was to use his authority to facilitate the work of teachers. From my own experience and from my observations, I recognized that Horner’s core beliefs were not necessarily the core beliefs of all school or system leaders.

Horner was very active in the teaching profession and encouraged all of his colleagues to serve the Association. I joined the Economic Policy Committee, served on the negotiating subcommittee and became the local’s treasurer. Horner was elected to Provincial Executive Council.

Under Horner’s leadership, my own career flourished. I felt that I could take risks as a teacher in planning lessons and that I would be supported. The environment was always professional and respectful—decisions about the operation of the school were openly discussed and genuinely collegial. Good ideas were welcome.

Staff room discussion often revolved around ways of advancing the interests of the profession. I went back to school, completed an MEd degree and started a PhD. I felt trusted, fulfilled and supported as a teacher.

WORK COLLEGIALLY When I joined Association staff in 1984, I got to work with Dr. Bernie Keeler, the ATA’s fourth executive secretary. Keeler, who retired in 1988 after two decades in the role, had a profound impact on the Association. He took the Association’s key political structures, which had been developed by John Barnett, and updated them as the profession grew to establish a professional secretariat to deliver programs to meet member needs.

The organization’s core structure today—our programs, program delivery models, the nature of our staffing and our governance—reflects decisions made during Keeler’s tenure. Through all of this, the organization was deliberately designed to be as flat as flat could be. Every member of executive staff reported to the executive secretary. Each program area had a coordinator, whose job it was to coordinate the work in the program, not to direct it. Staff members were made responsible for their assigned areas of work, empowering staff as much as possible. While there was never any doubt about who was in charge, Keeler believed in collegial relations. Work with colleagues, rely on colleagues, use collegial relations and professional responsibility to produce the best possible work. Don’t stand still. In all things, anticipate. Always be responsive to members. Keeler’s own allocation of duties included the responsibility to “anticipate trends” (and it’s still in my allocation today). Identify and enunciate the key values of the organization and ensure staff do the same.

In my first few months on staff, Keeler’s leadership style touched me directly. I answered my telephone one afternoon to be summoned directly to Dr Keeler’s office. My heart rate went way up, but I did not delay. Keeler advised that Education Minister David King was going to require all school boards to have in place a board policy on teacher evaluation. Keeler wanted to get in front of school boards by developing a teacher evaluation policy model that school boards could adopt and that our members could advocate, so he wanted a staff officer to study up on teacher evaluation (especially policy models) and I was the rookie.

I told Keeler that I couldn’t possibly be the ATA’s expert on teacher evaluation—I knew absolutely nothing about it. Keeler responded that he had great difficulty believing that I knew nothing about teacher evaluation because I was the ATA’s expert on the subject and the ATA’s expert would know everything. He gave me the task, as “expert,” to develop an ATA policy model that could be proposed for adoption by school boards. He suggested that we meet again in a few weeks and we could talk about teacher evaluation research, given that I was the ATA’s expert. He also pointed me to the ATA library. Also fortunate for me, he encouraged me to work with my colleague, PD Coordinator Dr. Mary-Jo Williams, whose superb work had created first-rate ATA policy on teacher evaluation, all approved by ARA.

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At the next staff meeting, Williams and I explained why it was simply not possible to develop a one-size-fits-all policy model on teacher evaluation—there were just too many anomalies board by board.

“The task was not to explain why it could not be done, but to do it,” Keeler said, noting that the members wanted a policy model, so they were going to get one.

It was tortured work but over the course of the next month we got it done with a lot of help from our colleagues and a policy model was distributed to all local associations for use in influencing school board policy. And over the next few years I supported this work, providing critiques of draft school board teacher evaluation policies. I continued to be the ATA’s expert on teacher evaluation for almost two decades, helping to write the provincial Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy and the Teaching Quality Standard (both still in place today).

My staff colleagues and I had similar experiences in working with Keeler—in this instance, members wanted guidance in working to achieve good school board teacher evaluation policy, so our job was to get in front of it and get it done. I was trusted to get it done, with the help of my colleagues, and there was ample guidance and support. In every respect, the product would respect and advance the values and interests of the profession.

For Keeler, it was really important that collegial relations be the centre of the work of a teachers’ organization, and he used his leadership to ensure that collegiality was a core value of the organization, just as it was a core value of the profession itself. I learned and lived some very important lessons: organize around collegiality, empower professional responsibility, provide support, anticipate trends and be firm about adhering to organizational values.

Of course, I’ve learned an enormous amount from my colleagues and others, who have also had an impact on my view of leadership. But my professional life and my view of leadership have been particularly shaped by the influence of Bob Anderson, Norval Horner and Bernie Keeler. As a leader, I’ve always relied on collegial relations, empowerment and professional responsibility. I’ve reminded my colleagues (and our members) to stick to the key values of the teaching profession and I’ve enunciated those values. I trust my colleagues (and our members) and I try to facilitate their work, for the interests of our members. I’ve tried to anticipate where we should be going, and to start there first.

And I always remember to use both my head and my heart in my judgment and in making decisions.

These elements make up my view of leadership and my own leadership style. For almost 20 years, I’ve sat behind the very same desk as did Dr. Keeler, and when the going gets tough I ask myself what Bernie would do; I ask myself what Norval Horner would do or what Bob Anderson would

do. And then I ask what I must do. The answers to these questions always help me find a way through my challenges.

Following teaching service in Sturgeon School Division, Dr. Gordon Thomas joined Association staff as an executive staff officer in Professional Development in 1984. He was named associate executive secretary in 1998 and became the Association’s seventh executive secretary in 2003. He will retire in 2018.

When the going gets tough I ask myself what Bernie would do.

Bernie Keeler was a recognized leader and a mentor to many ATA executives.photo: ATA archives


“The quasi-religious belief in leadership all too often offers a Disneyland vision of organizations.”

—The Stupidity Paradox

In striving to better understand the changing nature of the work of Canada’s school leaders, the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Canadian Association of

Principals embarked on a two-phase research initiative in 2015. The first phase of this initiative, which was undertaken by Linda Duxbury and André Lanctôt and is reported in A National Study of the Impact of Electronic Communication on Canadian School Leaders (Duxbury and Lanctôt 2017), attended primarily to how email is influencing principals’ work. One of the remarkable findings of the study was that, despite the ubiquity of catchwords in the leadership literature calling for “innovation,” “risk-taking” and “courage,” the typical Canadian school leader was spending 17 hours out of a 61-hour work week poring over email. Indeed, an earlier study indicated that Alberta principals were able to commit to only six hours a week in classrooms given the many conflicting managerial tasks they were increasingly called upon to do (ATA 2014).

If anything, these studies point to the often romantic vision we might have of school leadership—rather than a day

marked by making critical decisions and rich pedagogical moments with students and teachers, a school leader’s day is too often dominated by the ubiquity of email, administrative details and other interruptions that draw them away from the highly relational human activity that might impact the quality of the school as an organization.

The second follow-up study, The Canadian School Leader: Global Forces and Future Prospects (ATA 2017) highlighted here, focused on the global influences and the future prospects shaping

the work of school leaders. Of no surprise to the research team, these influences included the growing complexity and diversity of student populations, growing inequity, the influence of marketization and commercialization on governance and policy, and conflicting expectations related to narrowing accountability measures and advancing innovation in school development and professional practice. In these contexts, school leadership remains an elusive and ephemeral set of practices.

Picking up the conclusion from a previous national study of school principals (Griffiths and Portelli 2015), the preface to the national study evokes the work of Paulo Freire, who reminds us that, as with all who aspire to ethical and moral leadership, school leaders inhabit a brittle space in educational organizations:

Genuine educational leadership means being concerned about having ethically justified, equitable, socially just human relationships. But such matters are indeed controversial, hence the nature of “good practices” and “good conceptualizations” of educational leadership are still contested. This should not deter us since it is usually the case with all human matters since we are “unfinished beings.” (Freire 1998, 51)

THE STUPIDITY PARADOX The national study reaffirms what ought to be an obvious (but too often forgotten) recognition of the quintessential moral character of the work of school leadership. While school leaders report high levels of commitment to the core values of equity and to the aspirations of public education and feel their school district shares this commitment, “worryingly, this (study) indicates that almost a quarter of school leaders do not believe their school district trusts the professionals working in schools” (ATA 2017, 5). In the

THE ‘UNFINISHED SELVES’ OF CANADIAN SCHOOL LEADERSHighlights of a national study

• R E S E A R C H R O U N D U P •J-CCOUTURE

Genuine educational leadership means being concerned about having ethically justified, equitable, socially just human relationships.


• R E S E A R C H R O U N D U P •

study’s foreword, Carol Campbell, one of Canada’s leading leadership researchers, observes that given the growing tensions facing principals also identified in this and other recent studies, there is an urgent need to address the “increasing intensity, complexity and volatility” of school leadership (p. 4).

The national study also points to what Alvesson and Spicer (2016) characterize as the “functional stupidity” of organizational life in which too often innovation and initiative are rhetorically valued but are systematically marginalized by “bounded rationality, ignorance and other intellectual traps” (p. 17). The risk remains that Canadian school leaders’ work in rule-bound school systems where management tasks driven by accountability and surveillance infrastructures increasingly limit the possibilities that leadership might impact organizational effectiveness. Instead as the study concludes, presently, in a climate of increased school accountability, school principals are too often viewed as “key agents in the chains of accountability for student learning between governments and classrooms” (Leithwood 2013, 10, cited on p. 32).

Other external influences such as social and demographic changes also lead to more work and stress for principals. All of these influences have contributed to the rise of stress and the diminishment of work–life balance (Pollock 2016). Indeed as far back as a decade ago, psychiatric disorders (stress, anxiety) in Ontario accounted for 50 per cent of the cases on Long Term Disability leaves for principals (CPCO 2009, 8). As well, the high level of stress that is associated with the principal’s job was reported as a barrier to becoming a school administrator in two studies in Ontario (CPCO 2009; The Learning Partnership 2008).

TURNING LEADERSHIP FROM ‘EGO TO ECO-SYSTEM’ What remains striking from the national study of principals is the wide gap between the complexity of their work of and the effort to recognize the limitations of the position called “the principal.” The evidence from the study points to the end of the omnicompetent and omniscient leader shared by a growing body of organizational change research. This theme is also reinforced by Kellerman (2013) who heralded in The End of Leadership, a growing recognition that the age of the leader as the expert in addressing public policy is giving way to the need to consider the deeper and more nettlesome challenge of garnering community support through civic engagement and a commitment to developing community and “followership.” From the failures of the Obama presidency to the growth of the leadership development industry, Kellerman argues that we have forgotten that sustainable leadership is a highly contextual and relational exchange where a public emerges around a

leader to build a shared commitment to address increasingly complex challenges.

In all of this mix the paradox persists: in our western culture we consistently overestimate the capacity of leaders to save us all while at the same time underestimating our capacity to make a difference as individuals. As we grow more and more focused on the hope that leadership is the key to organizational success, we are blind to the fact “that 70 per cent of corporate performance is driven by situational factors rather than CEO characteristics” (Fitza cited in Alvesson and Spicer 2016, 121).

It is time to move past the popular literature that continues to “mystify leadership” (Alvesson and Spicer, 119). We can also do better to engage the longstanding problem that four basic approaches characterize the strategies for developing leadership capacity in the education sector: “planful alignment, spontaneous alignment, spontaneous misalignment and anarchistic misalignment” (Mascall

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et al 2008, 215–216). These four categories are self-explanatory and speak to the need to better develop a more systematic approach to leadership development in Alberta’s education sector.

It is in the context of the brittleness of our eco-systems that the necessary work of crossing boundaries between self and other, between them and us, has been offered as one approach to breaking the impasse of our current practices that mystify the work of the school leader. With apologies to Maxine Greene (1973), who conceived of education as the project of making us “strangers to ourselves,” the moral imperative for school leaders is to become boundary crossers who might move the tidy boxes of fixed identities and institutions in order to better understand the complex ecologies that shape their lives.

In partnership with the Canadian Association of Principles and the Council for School Leadership, the Association will consider the implications of The Canadian School Leader – Global Forces and Future Prospects (ATA 2017). One key conclusion is that school leaders are called to move from ego-systems to eco-systems (Campbell 2015). This invitation is one of the key drivers of the Association’s international partnerships and the global reach now in place with conferences such as uLead. These efforts and a number of other research initiatives that demonstrate the power of demystifying leadership will help to address the complex and nettlesome challenges of how to create a great school for all.

REFERENCESAlberta Teachers’ Association (ATA). 2017. The Canadian School Leader – Global Forces and Future Prospects. Edmonton, AB: ATA.

Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA). 2014. A Week in the Life of Alberta School Leaders. Edmonton, AB: ATA.

Alvesson, M., and A. Spicer. 2016. The Stupidity Paradox. London: Profile Books.

Campbell, C. 2015. A Great School for All: Moving Forward Together. ATA website. https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/Research/

COOR-103%20Great%20School%20for%20All%20brochure%20Web.pdf (accessed November 8, 2017).

Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario (CPCO). 2009. Census Survey Report 2009. Implications for Succession Planning. Toronto, ON: CPCO.

Duxbury, L., and A. Lanctôt. 2017. A National Study of the Impact of Electronic Communication on Canadian School Leaders. Edmonton, AB: ATA.

Freire, P. 1998. Pedagogy of Freedom: Ethics, Democracy, and Civic Courage. New York, NY: Rowman and Littlefield.

Greene, M. 1973. Teacher as Stranger: Educational Philosophy for the Modern Age. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Griffiths, D., and J. P. Portelli. 2015. Key Questions for Educational Leaders. Burlington, ON: Word and Deed.Kellerman, B. 2013. The End of Leadership. Toronto, ON: HarperCollins.

Leithwood, K. 2013. Strong Districts and Their Leadership. Toronto, ON: Council of Ontario Directors of Education and Institute for Education Leadership.

Mascall, B., K. Leithwood, T. Straus and R. Sacks. 2008. “The relationship between distributed leadership and teachers’ academic optimism.” Journal of Educational Administration, 46, 2: 214–228.

Pollock, K. 2016. “Principals’ work in Ontario, Canada: Changing demographics, advancements in information communication technology and health and well-being.” International Studies in Educational Administration 44, no 3: 55–73.

The Learning Partnership. 2008. Succession Planning: Schools and School Boards. Final report prepared for The Ontario Institute for Educational Leadership, Toronto, ON.

J-C Couture is the associate coordinator of research for the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

• R E S E A R C H R O U N D U P •

The moral imperative for school leaders is to become boundary crossers who might move the tidy boxes of fixed identities and institutions in order to better

understand the complex ecologies that shape their lives.

https://www.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/Publications/Research/COOR-103 Great School for All brochure Web.pdf





LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPSThrough its Professional Development program area, the Alberta Teachers’ Association has a number of leadership-related workshops.

Building Mentoring Relationships in SchoolsMentoring is defined as the presence of caring individual who provides a young person with support, advice, friendship, reinforcement and constructive role modelling over time. Mentoring is increasingly recognized as a powerful strategy to support the positive development of children and youth.

Research confirms that children and youth who participate in a mentoring relationship experience a number of benefits including the relationship that is developed over time. This workshop is intended to guide and support Alberta school leaders and other school staff in leadership roles with respect to mentoring initiatives. The workshop provides foundational information, implementation strategies and resources references to assist schools in establishing or enhancing mentoring initiatives.

Leading a Learning CommunityThe role of the principal as instructional leader is an extremely important one in Alberta’s public schools. Current research reminds us that the central task of an instructional leader is to improve the instructional capacity of teachers and the learning success of students. In this workshop, content will focus on the

book, Reflecting on Leadership for Learning—Case Studies of Five Alberta School Principals, by Jim Parsons and Larry Beauchamp (2014). A brief overview of the current literature on instructional leadership will be provided, as well as interactive activities based on research and case studies.

Tools for Collaborative TeamsThis workshop will show participants how to lead and work in collaborative teams. A variety of strategies for facilitating collaborative teams will be presented, collaborative learning, action research, study groups and focused conversation.

NEW INDIGENOUS EDUCATION RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Professional Learning PebblesProfessional Learning Pebbles is a collection of 24 short activities created by the Alberta Teachers’ Association Walking Together Project to support certificated teachers on their learning journey to meet the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Foundational Knowledge

competency in the Teaching Quality Standard.(PD-WT-19 2017 09, 123pp)

Stepping Stones SeriesStepping Stones is a series of publications of the Alberta Teachers’ Association Walking Together Project intended to support certificated teachers on their learning journey to meet the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Foundational Knowledge competency in the Teaching

Quality Standard.

To download a copy of the above publications, visit www.teachers.ab.ca > News and Info > Announcements > New Indigenous Education Resources.

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR WESTERN CANADA’S LARGEST AUTISM CONFERENCERegistrations are being accepted for the 10th annual conference of Children’s Autism Services of Edmonton. This three-day conference is the largest event on autism in western Canada, attracting the latest research and science and providing an opportunity for educators, parents, industry leaders and health professionals to learn and share.

The three-day conference will showcase the best-selling author of The Leader in Me, Sean Covey. Other guest speakers will include Amy Laurent, Michael John Carley and Dr. Pat Mirenda.

When: Jan. 24–26, 2018

Where: Rogers Place and Edmonton Marriot River Cree

More information, including registration and cost, can be found at www.childrensautism.ca.

• T E A C H E R W A R E S •

To book a workshop, please contact Professional Development.• Telephone: 1-800-232-7208 (toll free in Alberta) or

780-447-9485 (Edmonton area) • Email: [email protected]


profession. It’s very important to respect the political directions established by Council and to facilitate the work of elected officials. No one elected me or my staff colleagues.

The same is true of the Annual Representative Assembly. We provide advice, assistance, guidance and support—but always respect the decisions made at our ARA. Members rule.

I’ve also learned that our members will take collective bargaining wherever they want to take it. It’s important to have labour legislation that enables this, and in Alberta we do. We have a legislated process that can be driven by members, including the right to strike. It’s vital to have the capacity to facilitate meeting the needs of our members through collective bargaining, and it’s important to have the resources at hand so we can advocate for our members. We help steer, but the members always drive the bus.

With respect to our professional functions, we need more of them. We should be able to regulate the teaching profession in Alberta, including the establishment of professional conduct and practice standards, teacher certification and ongoing development. The ATA, as the organization of the teaching profession established in the Teaching Profession Act, should have this authority. We’ve sought these functions for almost a century, and we need to ramp up our efforts to govern our profession. The minister of justice doesn’t decide who becomes and continues to be a lawyer; the minister of

I didn’t prepare to be an Alberta Teachers’ Association staff officer. You can’t really go to

school to do that. I learned about the importance of a teachers’ organization from my father, who served for many years on the executive of the Lethbridge Public local. When I was growing up, many of our family’s friends were teachers—all active in the ATA. In my father’s generation, it was an obligation to share in service to the profession. So I followed in his footsteps when I was elected vice-president of the Education Undergraduate Society at the University of Lethbridge almost 43 years ago. I never thought I would be a part of that truly remarkable cadre of ATA executive staff, but at age 28 I was the most surprised of anyone to have an assigned parking space at Barnett House.

On one of my very first days on the ATA’s executive staff, Teacher Welfare staff officer Bill Anderson thundered into my office and shook my hand, compacting every bone, and welcomed me to Barnett House. Bill, who was way, way larger than me, then grabbed me by the lapels of my suit and brought me nose to nose. I swear my feet left the ground.

“Thomas,” Bill said, “you are a PD staff officer so I’m going to give you some PD. For free. Every day you work here, you must never, ever, ever, ever forget … who pays the fees.” Bill put me down and roared out of my office. I’ve never forgotten that very important PD, and I’ve offered it to my new staff colleagues (without grabbing any lapels).

Our members elect our Provincial Executive Council to govern our

health doesn’t decide who becomes and continues to be a doctor or a nurse. So why does the minister of education decide who becomes and continues to be a teacher? After a full century, our profession should be able to govern itself.

And I’ve learned that how teachers are governed makes an enormous difference in the nature of an education system. The best approach is clearly a unified profession, in which teachers, school administrators, central office teachers and superintendents all work together to meet student learning needs. Collegial relations count, and can produce much more focus on student learning compared to management/labour relations. The job of each teacher is to meet their students’ learning needs, and the job of everyone else should be to help the teacher do so.

Colleagues, this is my last report as the ATA’s executive secretary. My friend and colleague, Dennis Theobald, will occupy this space starting with the next issue. I’ll be a regular reader, and I hope you will be too. Thank you for the honour to serve you. No matter what your role in our great profession, may you find happiness and success in your chosen vocation and may your commitment to your profession and this great association never die.

Today, tomorrow and always—Magistri Neque Servi.

• T H E S E C R E T A R Y R E P O R T S •

LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING

GORDONTHOMAS


did expand my skills as an organizer and delegator.

At the University of Alberta I became special events coordinator for the Music Education Students Association while working to get our band some gigs. Here, I developed my negotiation skills while trying to improve the socials in the education building basement!

As a first-year teacher I attended the initial local council meeting of the year. The work seemed like something I could get into, and I became alternate school representative. I later became secretary of the local so I could get to the Annual Representative Assembly. My mouth during the Klein cuts got me into the leadership of our Economic Policy Committee and from there I moved on to president.

Shortly after the strike of 2002 I stretched myself a little when I stood with ATA president Larry Booi and challenged the Klein government to use its draconian legislation to have us arrested. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but my wife still disagrees. Then my district representative decided to run for vice-president and the vacant PEC spot had somewhat of a siren’s call. I was also encouraged by the other presidents of Edmonton District. I had been at ARAs since 1990 and was impressed by the work of council and wanted to be a part of it.

After 10 years as a district representative, it seemed important to move on or move up, so I sought election as a vice-president of the Association. Now, four years later, I’m ATA president.

I was tempted to begin this column with Webster’s definition of what leadership

is, but I have never found formal definitions in documents to be terribly enlightening. Perhaps that’s because I tailor descriptions to fit my needs or the needs of others at a particular time and place. When it comes to leadership, I have always allowed each specific situation and solution to mould my leadership style in that moment.

While it is undeniable that leadership is often modelled after mentors who have gone before, I believe that it is also guided by circumstance. This is not to say that I have not had leaders whose skills affected my own, but time and place have also had great influence throughout my leadership journey, so that’s where I would like to focus.

I began my leadership journey as a student at a very small satellite campus of Okanagan College in B.C. There were few students who were interested in student politics and I found myself the vice-president of the student union. When the president was not available to attend the AGM of the B.C. Students Federation, it was up to me. I was outspoken on the issues of small institutions and that got me elected to the provincial executive.

The next year at Concordia College in Edmonton I once again expressed opinions that were contrary to the operating rules of the time and again became student union VP, but this time the president resigned shortly after and I was left with that job. While I was not successful in changing some of the “Victorian” rules affecting resident students, I

So that was my journey. How did it affect my leadership style and ability? In each situation I learned something of what others expected and, as time went on, of what I expected of myself. There were no profound aha! moments, but over time I discovered that working for the rights of the collective gave me a great deal of personal satisfaction—not accolades, especially, but pride in making things better for my colleagues and for my profession.

Why have I told you the story of my journey? Well, back when I was a young student in B.C., I didn’t dream that taking on a small leadership role could lead to greater things, but here I am, the president of one of the most respected teacher organizations in the world. Teachers often tell me that they are not leaders, but I completely and wholeheartedly disagree. Each of us leads each and every day in our own classroom. We all have the skills to lead—it’s just a matter of using those skills in other ways.

Large steps can be very scary, but evolving through small steps is often quite painless. My story illustrates this well, I believe, and I would encourage others to try this model. Find a small niche that interests you and take that first tiny step. It might be your only one, but it’s more likely that it will lead to another and many more after that. You might be surprised by where you end up, but I guarantee the journey will be fascinating.

The excitement of a child’s first step can be yours if you are willing to risk it. I encourage you to take that chance.

EVERY TEACHER CAN LEAD

• F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T •GREG JEFFERY

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100 YEARS CALLS FOR 100 REASONS TO CELEBRATE.To commemorate your 100-year anniversary, we’re coming to your local ATA convention to share a special gift, from us to you. Stay tuned for the big reveal.

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