Key Leadership Practices for Pupil Learning
Reflective Activity
The following activity is designed to deepen your understanding of the leadership practices identified by Robinson, Lloyd & Rowe [2008] and provide a stimulus for your Reflective Journal Blog entry.
Activity 1
To help you in this exercise, first read pages 658 to 669 [ starting from the section entitled 'The Impact of Particular Leadership Dimensions'] of the Robinson, Lloyd & Rowe [2008]. You can download this from donnaelder.wiki.westga.edu/.../The+impact+of+leadership+on+student+
Activity 2
Look at the Robinson, Lloyd, & Rowe extracts below. Use the questions to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for the role of a principal in terms of Learning and Teaching. Pick some or all of the questions to guide and inform your Reflective Journal Blog entry or entries.
Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment. Effect size = 0.27
- ‘An orderly and supportive environment is also one in which staff conflict is quickly and effectively addressed. In one study, principal ability to identify and resolve conflict, rather than allow it to fester, was strongly associated with student achievement in mathematics (Eberts & Stone, 1986).’ Page 664
- ‘Leadership that ensures an orderly and supportive environment makes it possible for staff to teach and students to learn. Protection of teaching time from administrative and student disruption is one critical aspect of this dimension. Another is creating classroom and playground environments in which both staff and students feel respected and personally cared for.’ Page 667
Question: Why are there negative consequences for Learning and Teaching when leaders fail to resolve conflicts quickly and effectively?
Resourcing strategically. Effect size = 0.31
- ‘…is about securing resources that are aligned with instructional purposes, rather than leadership skill in securing resources per se.’ Page 661
- ‘Clarity around educational goals makes strategic resourcing possible.’ Page 667
- ‘Leaders in schools where students performed above expected levels were reported by their staff … to themselves be sources of advice about teaching problems. There is an obvious connection between resource selection and allocation and leaders’ knowledge of curriculum, curriculum progressions, and pedagogy.’ Page 667
Question: What reasons might explain why a leader’s understanding around the curriculum and pedagogy has a direct impact on the effectiveness of their leadership for learning role?
Establishing goals and expectations. Effect size = 0.42
- ‘Without clear goals, staff effort and initiatives can be dissipated in multiple agendas and conflicting priorities, which, over time, can produce burnout, cynicism, and disengagement.
- 'Because considerably more happens in schools than the pursuit of explicit goals, even the most goal-focused leaders will need to skilfully manage the constant distractions that threaten to undermine their best intentions.’ Page 666
Question: A clear focus on Learning and Teaching allows each leader to realise when low priority issues are distracting them. What are the main distractions in a principal's role and how can he or she more effectively manage them?
Planning, coordinating, and evaluating teaching and the curriculum. Effect size = 0.42
- ‘In large high schools, much of this leadership would be carried out by subject specialists such as heads of department and curriculum leaders. Leaders in schools where students performed above expected levels were more likely to be involved with their staff in curriculum planning, visiting classrooms, and reviewing evidence about student learning. Staff welcomed leaders’ involvement in teacher evaluation and classroom observation because it resulted in useful feedback.’ Page 667
Question: While Robinson et al have put classroom observation and feedback under this heading, and this reflects the research, a number of school leaders increasingly think of these as part of ‘Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development.’ What are your thoughts?
Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development. Effect size = 0.84
- ‘…more is involved than just supporting or sponsoring other staff in their learning. The leader participates in the learning as leader, learner, or both. The contexts for such learning are both formal (staff meetings and professional development) and informal (discussions about specific teaching problems).’ Page 667
- ‘With student background factors controlled, the more that teachers report their school leaders (usually the principal) to be active participants in teacher learning and development, the higher the student outcomes (Andrews& Soder, 1987; Bamburg & Andrews, 1991). Leaders in high-performing schools are also more likely to be described by their teachers as participating in informal staff discussion of teaching and teaching problems (Heck et al.,1990; Heck et al., 1991).
- 'The principal is also more likely to be seen by staff as a source of instructional advice, which suggests that they are both more accessible and more knowledgeable about instructional matters than their counterparts in otherwise similar lower achieving schools.’ Page 667
Questions: There is a very clear distinction being raised here - the leader is participating as leader and/or learner.
What are the key benefits of the participating in each of these roles for:
- the individual leader concerned
- a team or school for which the leader has formal responsibility?
Are you a source of instructional advice in your role?
What are the challenges associated with this role for leaders?
Conclusions from Robinson, Lloyd & Rowe [2008]
‘Our conclusion about the importance of the power of direct leader involvement in teaching and teacher learning should not be interpreted as meaning that the leadership of every school should be more involved in these types of leadership than in such matters as ensuring an orderly and supportive environment. Schools at different stages of development will need different leadership emphases. For some schools, a focus on orderliness, safety, and civility may be an essential prior stage before leaders can give more attention to the curriculum and teacher professional learning.’ Page 668