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Bierlein palmer distributive & empowering leadership-1
The document explores the concepts of distributive and empowering leadership in education, emphasizing the need to share leadership roles among teachers to enhance academic capacity and improve student outcomes. It outlines research findings that demonstrate the benefits of shared leadership, such as fostering professional learning communities and creating an environment conducive to teacher leadership. Additionally, practical strategies are provided for identifying and empowering teacher leaders, overcoming barriers, and establishing supportive school cultures that promote collaboration and collective responsibility for student learning.
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- 1. Module II :Distributive & Empowering Leadership: Developing Teacher Leaders Facilitated by Dr. Louann Bierlein Palmer Walter L. Burt, Ph.D., WMU Associate Professor J. Mark Rainey, D r . L o uE ad n.D n., EBd ui cea rt iloenin Co- nPs ual tl amn te r 1
- 2. 2 Session Objectives 1. Review the concepts and research supporting empowering and distributive leadership. 2. Understand several key means for L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S “distributing power.” 3. Complete application activities to assess your own organization’s status in key areas. 4. Generate ideas for one or more “empowering leadership” renewal activities for school year 2014/15 (and beyond).
- 3. DT3L What isDistributive & Empowering Leadership? • The “sharing” of leadership with others, or sharing the “power of influence” which comes with leadership. • Many different words are often used to describe a similar concept: shared leadership, collaborative leadership, empowering leadership • Distributive leadership is not necessarily the “act” of distributing power, but the mindset (or perspective) a given leader takes about how to operate within a given organization (Spillane, 2006) . Distributive & Empowering Leadership
- 4. Research on Distributive& Empowering Leadership Reveals… building a school’s academic capacity, and research has found that a more team-oriented and collaborative approach to school leadership is directly linked with improved teaching and learning (Hallinger & Heck, 2010). 4 4 • Leadership acts as a “driver” in DTL Research & Leadership • Research is becoming very clear, that leadership and the appropriate “sharing” or distributing of power associated with leadership makes a difference (Leithwood, Mascall, & Straus, 2009; Marzano & Waters, 2009; Reeves, 2006).
- 5. Research Reveals… •However, it important to note that shared leadership is only DT5L Research Reveals… Research Reveals… “indirectly” related to student achievement. • The power comes from helping teachers: – Organize themselves into professional learning communities; – Engage in reflective discussions about instruction; – Participate in practitioner-focused action research; and – Have a sense of collective responsibility for student learning (Louis et al., 2010) Teacher Support
- 6. 1. Finding andEmpowering Teacher Leaders (& Removing DT6L How to Best Distribute Power Barriers to Teacher Leadership) 2. Creating the Environment for Leadership Capacity (Professional Learning Communities) Empowering Creativity
- 7. DI7DM Distributing Power:Finding & Empowering Teacher Leaders WMU-ELRT TRAINING WITH DIDM DT7L Teacher Leaders’ Influence Teacher leaders are teachers who successfully influence the behavior, beliefs, or actions of others thereby increasing the capacity for student achievement and success (Lester, 2008) Such Teacher Leaders: (1) lead within and beyond the classroom; (2) contribute to a community of learners and leaders; (3) influence others toward improved practice; and (4) accept responsibility for achieving outcomes (Katzenmeyer & Moller, 2009).
- 8. DT8L Why TeacherLeadership? • Research tells us to create teacher leaders (since teachers have a direct connection to learning outcomes) • Tenure in schools for teachers is longer than most Teachers’ Influence administrators. • Demands of a building administrator today exceed time and expertise. • Building administrators often have limited expertise in areas where teachers have fluency (e.g., curriculum content) • Teachers are on the “in” when often times administrators are on the “out.”
- 9. DT9L Research onTeacher Leadership has found: • enhanced professional efficacy and retention of Sustainable Opportunities excellent teachers; • less resistance to change as teacher leaders positively influence other teachers; • more career enhancement and opportunities for self-improvement; • enhanced accountability for results; and • increased chances for sustainable reforms. (Katzenmeyer & Moller, 2009; Lieberman & Miller, 2004; Mangin & Stoelinga, 2008).
- 10. D1T0L Principal's Viewpointon Creating a "Caring Community of Learners“ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMLy7HPaorY&NR=1 What Does the Field Say?
- 11. leave classroom, butinfluencing others via – Casual conversations – Sharing teaching materials – Facilitating professional development – Peer coaching & mentoring – Organizing action research groups – Leading book studies D1T1L Formal & Informal Teacher Leaders “Informal” Positions • Teachers of influence choosing NOT to Teacher Educational Approaches “Formal” Positions - instructional coach, - mentor, - department chair
- 12. • Teachers oftenfeel they do not have the knowledge and skills D1T2L Barriers to Teacher Leadership Obstacles to lead other adults. • Egalitarian norm of school cultures discourages teachers from drawing attention to themselves • Strong “teacher identity” vs “administrator identity” (e.g., that is “their” job, not mine) • Lack of resources and time for teachers to do more (over-reliance on a few teachers) • Comfort of principal to really share power
- 13. D1T3L Lots ofDifferent “Fears” (Sanocki, 2013) - Fear of negativity. - Fear of adult drama. - Fear of being perceived as a kiss-up. - Fear of being perceived as false. - Fear of being perceived as stupid. - Fear of being perceived as too friendly with administration. - Fear of casting judgment on others. - Fear of failure; that people will not come on board. - Fear of losing identity and connections with colleagues. - Fear of not being respected as a professional. - Fear of not having the right amount of resources. - Fear of not making a difference. - Fear of not making connections with kids. - Fear of not understanding the changes and evolution in education. -- Fear of rejection. - Fear that others will think I want to be principal. Teacher Leader Fears .
- 14. • Provide asafe culture in which teacher leadership can thrive. • Actively and safely discuss teacher leader introspection to D1T4L Yet, Fears Can Be Overcome (Sanocki, 2013) Recommendations for Educational Leaders • Collaborate to build learning communities. • Collaborate to understand and minimize egalitarianism, seniority structures, and administrative gatekeeping. reveal the fears and hopes of teacher leaders. Overcoming Fears
- 15. And, There areLots of Teacher Leaders to Be Found… “Within every school there is a sleeping giant of teacher leadership that can be a catalyst for making changes to improve student learning…. By helping teachers recognize that they are leaders, by offering opportunities to develop their leadership skills, and by creating school cultures that honor their leadership, we can awaken this sleeping giant of teacher leadership” (Katzenmeyer & Moller, 2009, pp. 2-3). D1T5L Creating Leaders
- 16. 16 Developing Skillsets DTL Adapted Teacher Leadership Identification Activity • Who are the Potential Teacher Leaders in Your School & What Specific Skills Might Each Bring? Thoughts to Consider • Match the unique needs at your school with individual teachers who have potential for leadership • Think about those who may have skills and talents yet to be discovered. Encourage them to help fill a niche in your school. • Work to develop leadership roles for many teachers. Avoid calling on the same teachers and strive to discover new potential for leadership in your school.
- 17. D1T7L Teacher LeaderAssessment Tools • Teacher Leadership Readiness Instrument - self-assessment tool for teachers to reflect upon their personal beliefs and strengths regarding their potential role as a teacher leader (see Attachment A). • Teacher Leadership School Survey (TLSS) - tool for principals to gather information from all teachers in a building regarding the extent to which a culture of active teacher leadership is occurring (see Attachment B). Source: Awaking the Sleeping Giant: Helping Teachers Develop as Leaders by Assessments Katzenmeyer and Moller (2009)
- 18. D1T8L Professional LearningCommunity Adapted Distributing Power: Creating the Environment for Leadership Capacity Professional Learning Communities Core Elements • Shared and Supportive Leadership • Shared Values and Vision • Collective Learning and Application • Shared Personal Practice (i.e., Peer Review & Feedback) • Supportive Conditions – Relationships & Structures
- 19. D1T9L PCLs orTeachers Simply Meeting? engaged in professional learning communities – but are they really PLC’s (or just teachers meeting together)? • PCL Assessment Tool by Olivier, Hipp, & Huffman (2008). • See Attachment C Learning Communities • Many schools are now Adapted 19
- 20. D2T0L Leadership Capacity Adapted. Distributing Power: Creating the Environment for Leadership Capacity • Essential to assess and enhance a school’s leadership capacity including – the broad-based, skillful participation of teachers in the work of leadership, – teachers’ understanding of sustainable school improvement (Lambert, 2003, 2006). • The Leadership Capacity Framework includes of four possible school environments – quadrant 1 involves low skillfulness and low teacher leadership participation levels, – quadrant 4 involves high levels of both skillfulness and teacher leadership participation. • Lambert notes that complex issues do not divide neatly into boxes, and schools may find themselves in more than one box.
- 21. D2T1L Leadership CapacityFramework 21 Quadrant 1 Principal as autocratic manager Limited (one-way) flow of information; no shared visions Codependent, paternal/maternal relationships; rigidly defined roles Norms of compliance; blame; program coherence technical and superficial Lack of innovation in teaching and learning Student achievement is poor, or showing short-term improvements on standardized measures Quadrant 2 Principal as “laissez-faire” manager; many teachers developing unrelated programs Fragmentation and lack of coherence of information, and programs’ lack of shared purpose Norms of individualism, lack of collective responsibility Undefined roles and responsibilities Spotty innovation with both excellent and poor classrooms Student achievement appears static overall (unless data are disaggregated) Quadrant 3 Principal and key teachers as purposeful leadership team Limited uses of school-wide data, information flow within designated leadership groups Polarized staff, pockets of strong resistance Strong reflection, innovation, and teaching excellence among selected teachers; program coherence still weak Student achievement static or showing slight improvement Quadrant 4 Principal and teachers, as well as parents and students, are skillful learners Shared vision results in program coherence Inquiry-based use of information to inform decision and practices Roles and actions reflect broad involvement, collaboration, and collective responsibility Reflective practice consistently leads to innovation Student achievement is high or improving steadily Figure 1. Leadership capacity of four school types (adapted from Lambert, 2006, p. 240).
- 22. D2T2L Leadership CapacityFramework . director Personal attributes and behaviors Learns continually Thinks strategically Value/vision driven Sets norms with staff Supervises/ensures staff accountability Convenes conversations Honors history Sponsors staff growth Accepts responsibility Breaks dependencies Clarifies roles Articulates strategies Creates safe, “holding” environment Personal attributes and behaviors Learns – attends to epiphanies Thinks strategically Translates values into vision language Lets go, provides support, and sticks around Scaffolds with ideas and questions Mediates roles Develops structures that build reciprocal relationships Coaches for instructional improvement Personal attributes and behaviors Learns continually Thinks strategically Value/vision driven Continues and expands behaviors initiated in earlier phases Instructs staff (or arranges for instruction) in: Collaboration, group processes, and teaming; Conversation and dialogue; Inquiry/data use; Trust building; Best instructional practices; Communication skills Facilitation; Conflict resolution; and Accountability Guides staff to: develop shared vision; establish process observation or norms; use inquiry; question assumptions; conduct constructivist conversations; identify and solve problems; surface/mediate conflict; find resources (time, professional development, monies); and plan Participates with other members of the community to: think strategically; share concerns/issues; share decisions; monitor and implement shared visions; engage in reflective practices (reflection/inquiry/dialogue/action); monitor norms and take self corrective actions; build a culture of interdependency; self-organize; diversify and blend roles; establish criteria for self-accountability; share authority and responsibility (dependent on expertise and interest, rather than role); and plan for enculturation of new staff and succession Use formal authority to convene and maintain conversations, challenge complacency or incompetence, and make certain decisions Use formal authority to sustain conversations, insist on professional development and inquiry agenda, mediate the demands of the district and state, and set reform pace Uses formal authority to implement community decisions, mediate political pressures, work with less than competent staff, and work on legal and reform challenges
- 23. D2T3L Wrapping ThingsUp Summary • Bottom Line: Research has linked Empowering & Distributive Leadership to improved student outcomes! Renewal Project Ideas: • Finding and Empowering Teacher Leaders (& Removing Barriers to Teacher Leadership) • Creating the Environment for Leadership Capacity (Professional Learning Communities) • And do not forget about empowering student leaders as well!
- 24. 24 Renewal Example DTL Previous Leadership Grant: Cohort A Example • Delsa Chapman – Lansing Public Schools Central Office Magnet Schools Assistant Project Director Grant Administrator – Former Principal at Lansing S.T.E.M. Magnet Academy
- 25. 25 DTLD RenewalActivity Brainstorming & Sharing • Working with your partner, brainstorm on potential activities this coming year related to “Distributing and Empowering Leadership.” DTL
- 26. D2T6L Sharing Poweris Fun! Distributing & Empowering