Building My Leadership Capacity

At the onset of 2009 I decided I wanted to build my leadership capacity. I had grown comfortable with teaching and wanted a new challenge. So, while I love teaching, I thought I would begin to explore the next level up. I told members of my school's executive team about my interest, and they found me some things I could begin working on to enhance my leadership skills. I also began a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership, which I hope to turn into a Masters at a later point in time. To begin with, it was like learning a new language - all the educational leadership theory was new to me. I'd never realised how much was involved!

Things really started making sense to me when I "won" (by default!) a temporary position acting in higher duties. Initially it was supposed to be for 4 weeks, but due to changing circumstances, it continued for two terms. What an opportunity! I was so excited by the new challenges and ran on nervous energy for a good few weeks. I set out to do whatever was required, take every opportunity, even if I'd never done it before. And let me tell you, I experienced a GREAT deal of first times. I hate first times. They were mostly successful, but they just take so much out of you. On the flip side, they DO make second times much easier!

At the end of the first term, I was still chomping at the bit - keen for more, so was very glad to have it extended further. I was developing my systems, becoming more confident, finding my own ways to contribute to the executive team. When I arrived at work on my 'exec day' I wrote myself a 'to-do' list and worked my way through it. As much as possible I tried to stay a little ahead of myself so that should anything unexpected arise I wouldn't find myself drowning.

Big Picture Perspective
One of the things I really loved about the experience was that it gave me a much better understanding of the 'big picture'. Most of the time I have an excellent understanding of what I am doing in my classroom and a considerable knowledge of what is going on across my year level. In terms of the rest of the school, or my school system, I only find things out as they become important to what I'm doing in the classroom. In the exec role, however, I gained a much better understanding of how everything ties together. I came to understand a lot more of the 'why' behind what we do and how the school runs.

Problem Solving
I loved the opportunities I had to sit down and discuss the big issues with members of the exec team. In particular, I enjoyed popping in on my acting Deputy Principal, who was also doing the Grad Cert, to share ideas and talk through some of the things we were working through. She was a great support to me, giving me guidance as I took my baby steps in leadership. I also enjoyed chatting with the other acting School Leader C (that was my role) about the things we were learning and how we were tackling things. I learnt a lot from watching her approach to things and can see some areas for my personal growth.

Connecting with Teachers
I also enjoyed getting to know teachers across the school. The nature of my varied roles this year meant that I ended up rubbing shoulders with every teacher in some capacity. I would like to build this further during future opportunities, because I didn't feel like I did this as well as I would like. I would like to support my teachers more and take time to check-in with them on how things are going.

Supervising?
One of my pet peeves this time was that it wasn't clear from the outset which teachers I would be writing supervisory reports for. I was given one teacher at the start of my time - for whom I feel I did a thorough job because I was aware of my responsibilities. But then another popped up about a week before the report was due, and then another at the end of the next term. The result of this was that I was writing reports for teachers I didn't actually have the opportunity to mentor or support. As I said, it was a pet peeve not a major issue of contention. I was able to write the reports based on informal observations and discussions I'd had with the teachers, but I just didn't feel I was providing them with the best learning opportunity that I could have provided.

Projects
I was a bit disappointed with how things went in terms of the projects that I was working on. I think that I may need to develop some assertiveness to ensure that my visions don't get steamrolled by others. There were also times when I felt that things may have gone a little off track. I'm still trying to determine the proper pace for introducing things - again coming back to assertiveness - in order to get the ball rolling, gain the momentum and interest of staff, but without overwhelming people.

My two big projects were the Enrichment Committee and Microsoft Peer Coaching (to include the introduction of laptop computers in Year 5/6). On the Enrichment Committee we did a lot of talking, planning and data collection. We didn't get to have a PD session for staff until Term 4, Week 8 - which at that point felt almost pointless. On the positive side, it sounds like the staff are all on board with the sort of thinking we're working through and are keen to get something started in 2010. I will probably work on some things during the holidays to springboard us into the new year.

As far as the Peer Coaching went, the laptops didn't arrive until the end of the year, and despite chasing it quite consistently, I wonder whether it would have made a difference if I'd gone up the ranks harder and faster. In terms of coaching teachers, I did bits where possible, but don't feel I really gave it enough attention. Most teachers were feeling overwhelmed trying to fit everything in as it was without adding additional pressure to integrate technology more. This is something I would like to continue to build further in 2010 regardless of whether I am on the executive team or not.

Reading and Editing Reports
Reading and Editing reports was a challenge, and possibly the closest I came to failing at something in my exec role. I had the stupid idea to 'track changes' in Word, and it proved difficult for some teachers to work with, and then also difficult when it came to printing. I also had some teachers argue for the wording that they had used rather than accepting my recommended changes, and I wasn't blunt enough to tell them that the words they used made them sound arrogant and judgemental. This wasn't in a lot of reports, but it did make me wonder who is SUPPOSED to have the final say when it comes to wording. Should I have been more assertive, or is it essentially up to the teacher to determine their choice of wording?

Extra bits
There were also lots of extra things that came into the role. I got to do quite a bit of data analysis looking at our NAPLAN results, ICAS results and School Satisfaction Surveys. This helped me to develop that big picture perspective and to consider the future direction of the school.
For the last few weeks I took charge of organising relief teachers (not too bad at this time of year).
I ran a few meetings and workshops for staff or parents on various things and became less nervous with this.
I did a little behaviour management - sorting out issues between students, and sometimes between students and teachers. I was quite happy with the approach I took to this - which while at times lengthy, seemed to help students to really resolve the issues.


All in all it was a great experience, but by the end of the school year, I was feeling drained. In hindsight, I wonder if it was the reports that broke my spirit, as I didn't seem to have the same energy or enthusiasm past that point. I'll learn from my mistakes this time and be better prepared next time. And maybe I'll just have to accept that this is one of the tougher parts of the job, and that I won't always please everyone!

So, what's ahead? I'm going to sit tight in my own school a little longer and continue to take up any leadership opportunities that come my way. At this stage that means more Microsoft Peer Coaching, more sitting on the School Board, more Enrichment, and contributing to the validation process through the School Improvement Cycle. There's enough there for this year even without the official title of School Leader C!

The Process from Policy to Practice

This is a post I made to a discussion forum for my university studies. The question posed was: How do policies shape literacy practices? I share it here now so you can see the process we use in my school.

At my school the flow from policy to practice is evident though at times a lengthy process. The School Improvement Cycle has an important role in this, providing the initial impetus for the development of a new school plan.

School Improvement Cycle
As part of the School Improvement Cycle, we reflect on our effectiveness in meeting our previous school goals. We then consider data from School Satisfaction Surveys, NAPLAN, PIPS and other school assessments and the goals outlined in national and state strategies. We use these to determine areas of need for the new cycle. This information is used to develop a school plan with identified goals in each of the domains.

School Plan
Our school plan outlines our goals for the domains. The goals for Teaching and Learning are then taken and explored further to develop individual plans for Literacy and Numeracy.

Literacy Plan
Our Literacy Plan outlines our beliefs, goals, current practices, priorities and actions for the duration of the new school plan. If necessary, a Literacy Committee is established to support the implementation of the plan. Professional Development is selected to meet the identified needs and is listed in the action plan.

Professional Development
In our current literacy plan, some of our priorities related to the incorporation of First Steps Reading and Writing into our literacy programs. In 2008 Professional Development was provided with First Steps Reading and in 2009 Professional Development was provided with First Steps Writing. All teachers were supplied with a copy of these resources. To support the incorporation of these into literacy programs, we used some of the time in our Professional Learning Teams (PLTs).

Professional Learning Teams
In these teams we reflected on our current practice and considered how we could use First Steps to enhance our teaching. We shared suggestions and looked at samples of formats for programming. Teachers were encouraged to use these when programming for the new term.

Programming
Teaching teams were given a planning day to work together on their programs for the next term. They were encouraged to use First Steps at this time to ensure that they incorporated the new knowledge, skills and techniques in their lessons.

Teaching
Teachers used their programs to teach students. They were asked to collect samples of work for presentation at a Professional Development session outside of the school.

In theory, the process works and policy flows to practice. In reality, it still requires shared vision and the commitment of teachers to bring the change to fruition. Enthusiasm, encouragement, follow-up and time are all essential ingredients in this process.

The Blogger Behind This Blog #5

Lately I've been feeling a bit disconnected from my readers. I feel like I've just been popping in with a quick spiel about what's going on in the classroom, without really sharing what's been going on for me as a real live person! So, for those of you who are interested, here's an update of my life outside of school:

New Investors
My husband and I are in the process of purchasing an investment property which is already tenanted. This is our first investment property, and it has been pretty exciting to see everything falling into place. We're looking forward to finalising the settlement in the week ahead.

Health and Fitness
My husband decided he wanted to get into a regular running routine to keep up his fitness. The carrot he began dangling was that he wanted to comfortably run the 10km loop in Central Park when we're there later this year. He suggested that the rest of our travel group jump on board too, and sure enough, I found myself adding yet another commitment to my list of to-dos. Whilst looking for an appropriate training program, I came across the Sydney City 2 Surf one, and decided to give the Intermediate program a go. Then my husband and I decided we might as well run the City 2 Surf this year. Hubby has paid the registration and also registered us for a 1-mile race in NYC. So... I'm back into the running again and actually enjoying it! I've also been trying to diet a little using Shape Up on my iPhone. I wouldn't mind losing just a few kilos and with all the running I'm doing, it's actually not TOO difficult!

Hobbies
In just the last week I started to dabble with crochet. I know... it's a granny hobby. They even call them "granny squares", but I'm enjoying learning something new using YouTube as my teacher. It's actually been really great because you can see the stitches modelled and then pause the video and watch it over and over and over without testing anyone's patience. This is personalised learning at its best! I'm actually keen to learn how to make amigurumi figures as I can see the potential for exploring my creativity with these. I wonder if I'll still be so keen once the new term starts and I'm back at uni again!

Birthday
I recently had my 31st birthday and my hubby went over-the-top-out-of-his-way to make it a special day for me. The night before he took me out to dinner AND a chick flick (where I even had a choc-top despite my attempts at dieting!). On my birthday night he cooked me THE MOST AMAZING steak complete with home-made jus (that took 2 days to prepare) and DELICIOUS home-made chocolate eclairs for dessert. He didn't mind that I put my pjs on at 4pm and he let me bludge and enjoy the day. It was very relaxing and enjoyable.

The Hot Seat
A few weeks ago I wrote a post about Dealing with Disappointment, when I applied for a temporary promotion role in my school and didn't get it. As it turns out, the person who did get it has now been offered a different temporary position outside of my school, so I'll get a chance in the hot seat after all. It will run for the first four weeks of next term. (To be completely honest, I'm kind of glad I didn't get it for the full length of time as the last couple of weeks were hard enough without the extra responsibility.)

Holidays ahead
I'm really looking forward to the holidays in just over a week. I'm not sure yet how I'll use the time - hopefully to get a little ahead of myself for next term, but also getting enough time in for rejuvenation as well!


Flickr Image: Light Blue Giraffe by amigurmi

Unity of the Head and Heart

What follows is a report I wrote for my Leadership in Learning Organisations course. I received it back with comments that it is a bit idealised, so please keep that in mind as you read. Also keep in mind that I'm still waiting to try out an Educational Leadership role, so most of what I have written is what I will aspire to, possibly not considering all the challenges and road blocks along the way!

Background
ACT schools are currently undergoing a great deal of change as they continue to implement Every Chance to Learn and ensure that they are covering the Essential Learning Achievements through their school curriculum. The introduction of the Quality Teaching Model in the ACT has lead to a further period of transition as schools determine how this will inform school practices. Our schools go through cycles of change as we modify practices in line with the requirements of school and system. Effective leadership is required in order to meet the challenge of change.
The ACT Department of Education has recognised the need to enhance the capability of our aspiring leaders in these changing times. In response they have designed a new School Leadership Framework and are supporting aspiring leaders through the Targeted Scholarship Program and through their own Leading to Leadership Program.
In preparing this report I considered my own experiences alongside contemporary research and the new capabilities outlined in the School Leadership Framework.

Unity of Head and Heart
Today's educational leader needs to develop essential characteristics of both the head and the heart. With the head, the leader takes responsibility for deepening knowledge, creating vision, strategising, organizing people and resources and reflecting upon growth and learning. With the heart, the leader takes responsibility for connecting, communicating, inspiring and supporting others. These traits are necessary for guiding the school community in building and sustaining an enriching learning environment.

Traits of the Head
In The Fifth Discipline (1994), Peter Senge outlines three key elements for improving the growth of learning organisations:

• Aspiration – which involves Personal Mastery (the commitment to lifelong learning and improvement through reflection and adaptation) and Shared Vision (the development and communication of a shared vision for the future and a plan for aspiring to it).
• Reflective Conversation – which involves Mental Models (reflecting thoroughly on and questioning our deeply rooted images and ideas about the world) and Team Learning (dialogue that brings out an intellect unachievable by separate individuals).
• Understanding Complexity – which involves Systems Thinking (the ability to understand the way systems work and use advantageously).

Generally speaking, these are traits of the head. They require deep thinking and understanding both individually and communally.
Today's leader needs to be knowledgeable in current research, principles of education and system priorities. Such knowledge informs the design of a school vision and a strategy for school development. It is vital to keep abreast of contemporary discussion around educational issues in order to maintain relevance to the changing needs of students and society as a whole. A wise educational leader will determine which trends are of most significance and pour appropriate time and people power into these endeavours. Without knowledge and understanding, the educational leader lacks appropriate direction and accountability.
Educational leaders need to engage in regular reflection both on their own practices as a leader and also the effectiveness of the school community in meeting the needs of the students. This is done through the regular School Review process, Principal Appraisal, Professional Pathways and other in-school reflection processes. National testing provides one means of examining the strengths of a school's educational program and with appropriate reflection, leaders can use this information as a guide for change.

Traits of the Heart
In recent years there has been a greater emphasis placed on the social-emotional capacity required for leadership. In their research, Goleman (1998) and his colleagues found that while IQ is a factor in determining what vocation a person obtains, EQ (emotional intelligence) plays a significant role in determining whether that person becomes a leader within that vocation. Goleman extrapolates that emotional intelligence – self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills – are essential traits particularly in the highest ranks of leadership.
Generally speaking, these are traits of the heart. They require a greater capacity for understanding self, a passion for the work and an ability to work effectively with and respond to the needs of others.
Leadership from the heart begins with a genuine care and concern for the individuals in the community. In creating a learning community, people need to be able to come together and experience learning and growth in a supportive environment. It is the responsibility of school leaders to connect with people in the school community and also develop partnerships beyond the school walls. They will see the skills brought to the community through its many members and will encourage and support people to use and develop these.
Leaders who demonstrate a passion for their work inspire others, and with the right nourishment and guidance the community will work in solidarity towards the school vision. A wise leader will consider the positions and concerns of others within the school community and guide them through the transition period when change is required.

In Conclusion
As demonstrated here, there are many traits that are essential for effective educational leadership. Contemporary ideas have expanded to include not only traits of the head, but also traits of the heart. A unity of these elements is required for the development and growth of an enriching learning organisation. The ACT Department of Education and Training has included these elements in their new School Leadership Framework. With any hope, this will lead to the development of a new form of leader with the necessary skills to guide schools through learning and change in the future.

List of References
ACT Department of Education and Training, School Leadership Framework
Goleman, D (1998) What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review, 1998.
Senge, P (1994) The Fifth Discipline, Doubleday, New York

Thoughts on Globalisation

I am currently undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership. We have been reading about globalisation and I thought I would share my ideas with readers here as well as my colleagues.

In Chapter 12 of Education, Change and Society, Nigel Bagnall defines globalisation and addresses some of the impacts of globalisation on power, culture and the economy. He prompts us to consider implications for education. He mentions the "shrinking of the world as technology and the travel industry make it possible to be physically anywhere in a short period of time, and virtually anywhere anytime". He also shares two interviews with Australian teachers who were trained in Australia but were teaching in countries outside of Australia.

I have personally experienced this "shrinking of the world". I have many friends who taught in the UK, one who taught in Tanzania, and I too taught overseas. While I never planned to travel with my teaching, in 2006 I found myself searching for teaching jobs in New York City. Having returned from a 17-day holiday in the USA (4 days of which were in New York City), my husband suggested that we spend a year living in New York City. Thinking this was a throw-away line, I ignored it. But as time passed, our interest in New York grew, and I realised that there would be no ignoring it.

I began to investigate the process online and found that because of (but not part of) the USA-Australia Free Trade Agreement made between our government and the US government, Australians have access to a special working visa (E3). The difficulty behind this visa is that you need to have been offered a job prior to obtaining the visa. Impossibility at one point in time, but now made possible through the use of the internet. I used Craig's List and the New York Times Online to search for jobs in New York City.

More internet research ensued. I began taking digital workshops through the PAEC Teacher to Teacher Initiative. Through these workshops I developed a greater understanding of the latest ideas in teaching in the USA. I began applying some of these ideas to my own teaching in Australia. Even specific courses required to teach in New York government schools could be taken online. Unfortunately, at the time, I found it too difficult to apply for government schools as I was required to sit exams (two months apart) in New York City prior to beginning. From what I understand, this requirement has since changed.

I changed my search to private schools and used Go City Kids to search for and contact schools. After quite some time, I found a school that was interested in exploring things further. After a phone interview and many more documents sent via email, I was offered a position and my journey began.

My husband used online resources to find us an apartment. We checked out reviews on different areas and could see locations using Google Earth. By the time we actually arrived we had everything lined up and had quite a good idea of what we were walking into, having only previously spent 4 days in the city!

I taught kindergarten in a private school with a Classical Christian Education philosophy. We were located just two blocks south of Central Park. (You can read more about the adventure at New York, New York.) Whilst teaching at this school I stuck very closely to their curriculum and was amazed by what my students could achieve from this structured format. It gave me new insight into the capabilities of young children.

Now back in Australia, I try to combine the best of both worlds. I continue to access online resources from around the world to develop my skills and strategies. I connect with other teachers - both in Australia and beyond - through social networking tools. Through these communities we discuss and explore ideas relating to education and share strategies to enhance our teaching.

Globalisation has opened new doors and experiences to me that previously wouldn't have been possible. While I agree that not all aspects of globalisation are beneficial and that there is not equal distribution of the benefits, I feel that my life has been changed for the better through this experience as has the education of my students.

The Blogger Behind This Blog #4

I'm not really sure why I do it to myself, but I often find myself cramming my life with a million and one extra commitments. I have some sort of goal that I am heading toward and I grab at anything I think will help me get there along the way. Living like this means that I continually experience huge amounts of learning and growth, but often feel as though I'm racing through life.

My current goal is to develop my skills as a leader. And it embarrasses me to say that. I feel like I'm big noting myself by aspiring to be a great leader. Somehow I've got it into my mind that leadership is an honour bestowed upon the worthy rather than a skill to be worked on and developed. Another image that comes to mind is that of the bossy-boots kid that wants to run the show and rule the game. I don't want to be that!

I'm about to begin post-graduate study in Educational Leadership to work toward the first half of my Masters degree. I'm also reflecting on my leadership skills using a new Leadership Framework developed by the Department of Education in my state. I'm beginning this journey with a degree of trepidation. There's a comfort in the known - I've been teaching for 8 years and have developed competence in this area. But leadership requires new skills and hard work. I may even make some mistakes! Learning is hard and it hurts sometimes - I just hope this won't hurt too much!

Here come some ramblings on my thoughts on leadership (prior to all the course material heading my way!) Feel free to leave now. :)

I'd like to be a leader who:

• has a strong understanding of the big picture
• provides a clear direction
  
• inspires and motivates
  
• brings out the best in others
• provides opportunities for growth
• supports and guides without 'bossing'
• sees things through to completion
• builds and/or maintains an effective learning community
• communicates effectively in a range of situations
• makes good use of available resources

While picking out a photo for this post, I found this one of some seedlings we were growing and it seemed a nice way of thinking of leadership. A good educational leader has a vision for the future, plants the seeds with staff and ensures they have the best resources and support for growth. He or she is alongside staff members helping them to become stronger and deepen their roots. And then I realised...that's what we teachers do - but with kids.

Those of you who have taken this journey before me, please feel free to share your story or leave your encouragement in the comments below!