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Empowering Leadership (june 2016)
The document outlines a program focused on achievement-centered leadership aimed at principals and aspiring principals, emphasizing distributive and empowering leadership. Key themes include the importance of teacher leadership, the need for collaborative environments, and strategies for overcoming barriers to teacher involvement in leadership roles. It highlights research linking empowering leadership practices to improved student outcomes and offers recommendations for creating supportive school cultures.
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Empowering Leadership (june 2016)
- 1. Achievement Centered Leadership RadissonConference Center, Kalamazoo 22-24 June 2016 Western Michigan University A PROGRAM for PRINCIPALS and ASPIRING PRINCIPALS 1
- 2. Walter L. Burt,Ph.D., WMU Associate Professor J. Mark Rainey, Ed.D., Education ConsultantD r . L o u a n n B i e r lein - P a l m e r Module II : Distributive & Empowering Leadership: Developing Teacher Leaders Facilitated by Dr. Louann Bierlein Palmer 2
- 3. 3 Initial Self-Assessment Items 1)The majority of our teachers are involved in school leadership activities via committees or other organizational structures. 2) We have an environment in which teachers feel very comfortable in offering input on needed improvements. 3) The majority of our teachers engage in peer observations and feedback. 4) We have an environment in which teachers work together closely on school improvement activities. 5) We have one or more fairly strong professional learning communities in place within our school. 6) We have a culture of collective responsibility among all teachers and staff within our school. Quick Self-Assessment – On a Scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree), rate your school:
- 4. 4 L E AR N I N G O B J E C T I V E S Session Objectives 1. Review the concepts and research supporting empowering and distributive leadership. 2. Understand several key methods for “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 2016/17 (and beyond).
- 5. 5DTL Distributive & EmpoweringLeadership What is Distributive & 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) .
- 6. 6 6 DTL Research & Leadership •Leadership acts as a “driver” in 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). • 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). Research on Distributive & Empowering Leadership Reveals…
- 7. 7DTL Teacher Support Research Reveals… ResearchReveals… • However, it important to note that shared leadership is only “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) Research Reveals…
- 8. 8DTL Empowering Creativity How toBest Distribute Power 1. Finding and Empowering Teacher Leaders (& Removing Barriers to Teacher Leadership) 2. Creating the Environment for Leadership Capacity (e.g., Professional Learning Communities)
- 9. 9DIDM WMU-ELRT TRAINING WITHDIDM 99DTL Teacher Leaders’ Influence Distributing Power: Finding & Empowering Teacher Leaders 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).
- 10. 10DTL Teachers’ Influence 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 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.”
- 11. 1111DTL Sustainable Opportunities Research onTeacher Leadership has found: • enhanced professional efficacy and retention of 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).
- 12. 1212DTL What Does theField Say? Principal's Viewpoint on Creating a "Caring Community of Learners“ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMLy7HPaorY&NR=1
- 13. 1313DTL Teacher Educational Approaches Formal& Informal Teacher Leaders “Informal” Positions • Teachers of influence choosing NOT to leave classroom, but influencing others via – Casual conversations – Sharing teaching materials – Facilitating professional development – Peer coaching & mentoring – Organizing action research groups – Leading book studies “Formal” Positions - instructional coach, - mentor, - department chair
- 14. 1414DTL Obstacles Barriers to TeacherLeadership • Teachers often feel they do not have the knowledge and skills 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
- 15. 1515DTL Teacher Leader Fears Lotsof Different “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. .
- 16. 1616DTL Overcoming Fears Yet, FearsCan Be Overcome (Sanocki, 2013) Recommendations for Educational Leaders Collaborate to build learning communities. Provide a safe culture in which teacher leadership can thrive. Collaborate to understand and minimize egalitarianism, seniority structures, and administrative gatekeeping. Actively and safely discuss teacher leader introspection to reveal the fears and hopes of teacher leaders.
- 17. 1717DTL Creating Leaders And, Thereare Lots 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).
- 18. 1818 Developing Skillsets DTL Adapted Teacher LeadershipIdentification 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.
- 19. 1919DTL Assessments Teacher Leader AssessmentTools • 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 Katzenmeyer and Moller (2009)
- 20. 2020DTL Professional Learning Community Adapted DistributingPower: 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
- 21. 2121DTL Learning Communities Adapted 21 PCLs orTeachers Who are Simply Meeting? • Many schools are now 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
- 22. 2222DTL 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.
- 23. 2323DTL Leadership Capacity Framework 23 Quadrant1 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).
- 24. 2424DTL Leadership Capacity Framework . Personalattributes 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
- 25. 2525DTL Summary Wrapping Things Up •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!
- 26. 2626DTL Practitioner Advice Adapted Distributing Power:Advice from Former Cohort Principal The 3 “E’s” • Engagement – Creating an environment for leadership capacity • Encouragement – Helping teachers become active practitioners through school processes, events, and real time/action research. • Empowerment – Removing barriers to leadership by valuing individual passion and commitment while providing job-embedded opportunities to share personal talents.
- 27. 2727 Renewal Example DTL Previous CohortLeadership Example • Bloomingdale Middle/HS Team
- 28. 28 DTLD Renewal Activity Brainstorming& Sharing • Working with your partner, brainstorm on potential activities this coming year related to “Distributing and Empowering Leadership.” DTL
- 29. 2929DTL Distributing & Empowering SharingPower is Fun!