Successful School Leadership
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Overview of definitions and best practices related to leadership of schools.
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Successful School Leadership
- 2. What is leadership? 0 Role 0 A position of authority, organizational hierarchy 0 Function 0 “Activities and processes that move a group or organization towards the accomplishment of its goals” (Schmidt, 2003, para. 1).
- 5. Educational leadership styles 0 Authoritative 0 Participative 0 Transformational 0 Transactional
- 6. A differentiated leader 0 Research indicates that leaders at top schools: 0 Model professional behavior 0 Promote their programs to the public 0 Are enthusiastic and passionate about their programs 0 Exhibit good public relations skills (Lee, Hallinger & Walker, 2012)
- 7. The context of leadership 0 “Leadership is embedded in organizational activities” 0 “it emerges through the agency of individuals and collectives as they work to transform or sustain institutional practices” 0 “Agency is afforded and constrained by reform initiatives, organizational arrangements, laws and regulations, and community expectations” 0 “Leadership is invested in, and negotiated between, people as they carry out their work” 0 “Leadership does not reside in formal roles; rather, it is an outcome of relational work in organizations” (Vennebo & Ottesen, 2012, p. 252)
- 8. The context of leadership 0 In international contexts: 0 Parental expectations 0 Staff turnover (high) 0 Student mobility (high) 0 Politics involving top school leaders 0 The influence of school owners or Board members 0 Compliance issues 0 Varying degrees of participation by Board members 0 Staff, student, and Board members’ cultural diversity 0 Curriculum conflicts (global vs. local) 0 Competition
- 9. Successful school leadership 0 Has significant impact on student learning 0 Taps potential sources of leadership 0 Exhibits certain core practices 0 Responds positively to accountability 0 Responds positively to diversity
- 10. Successful school leadership 0 “Leadership has significant effects on student learning, second only to the effects of the quality of curriculum and teachers’ instruction” (Leithwood & Riehl, 2003, p. 4).
- 11. Successful school leadership 0 “Currently, administrators and teacher leaders provide most of the leadership in schools, but other potential sources of leadership exist (Leithwood & Riehl, 2003, p. 5).
- 12. Successful school leadership 0 “A core set of leadership practices form the ‘basics’ of successful leadership and are valuable in almost all educational contexts” (Leithwood & Riehl, 2003, p. 5).
- 13. Successful school leadership 0 “Successful school leaders respond productively to challenges and opportunities created by the accountability-oriented policy context in which they work” (Leithwood & Riehl, 2003, p. 8).
- 14. Successful school leadership 0 “Successful school leaders respond productively to the opportunities and challenges of educating diverse groups of students” (Leithwood & Riehl, 2003, p. 8).
- 15. Successful leadership at UOP 0 In the College of Humanities and Sciences, we have strived to implement a democratic, transactional style of leadership 0 Ideas are proposed and discussed by all 0 The Chair makes the final decision and participates in its implementation 0 Personal needs are taken into account when dividing up the work to be done
- 16. Successful leadership at UOP 0 Ideas for promoting effective leadership: 0 Involve others in the discussions about school matters 0 Be mindful of the needs of others, and accommodate those needs if possible 0 Tap others for leadership positions
- 17. References Blandford, S., & Shaw, M. (2001). The nature of international school leadership. In S. Blandford & M. Shaw (Eds.), Managing international schools (pp. 9-28). London: Routledge. Hoyle, J. R. (2012). Leadership styles. In Encyclopedia of educational leadership and administration. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. Lee, M., Hallinger, P., & Walker, A. (2012). Leadership challenges in international schools in the Asia Pacific region: Evidence from programme implementation of the International Baccalaureate. International Journal Of Leadership In Education: Theory And Practice, 15(3), 289-310. Leithwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2006). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership. Nottingham, UK: National College for School Leadership. Leithwood, K., & Riehl, C. (2003). What we know about successful school leadership. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University, Laboratory for Student Success. Schmidt, C. T. (2003). Leadership overview. Retrieved from http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/scholl/webnotes/Leadership.htm Vennebo, K. F., & Ottesen, E. (2012). School leadership: Constitution and distribution. International Journal Of Leadership In Education: Theory And Practice, 15(3), 255-270.
Notes de l'éditeur
- There are many possible definitions of leadership; while some of the definitions focus on processes, hierarchy, influence, or purpose, Schmidt (2003) helped to define leadership as a role and a function. “The role of leadership refers to a position of authority in some organizational hierarchy” (para. 1). “The function of leadership refers to the activities and processes that move a group or organization towards the accomplishment of its goals” (para. 1). In his overview of leadership, Schmidt (2003) identified four essential functions that effective leaders must perform: goal attainment, adaptation, integration, and maintenance.
- Extracted from Schmidt (2003) and retrieved from http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/scholl/webnotes/Leadership.htm Schmidt (2003) explains the four functions that must be performed by effective leaders: “Goal Attainment- First, there must be something directing the behavior of group members toward the group's goal. This is the influence function of leadership and deals the mechanisms that motivate members' behaviors towards the group's goals. Adaptation- Second, there must be something that helps the group define its goal(s) in away that is consistent with the demands of the environment in which operates. Strategic and operational decision making fall under this function. The development and coaching of group members also falls within this function. Integration- Third, some mechanism must coordinate the activities of group members towards the common goal. Communication, team building and conflict resolution among group members are important processes within this function. Maintenance- Finally, group members need some mechanism to maintain their morale and keep them interested in staying in the group. Leader socio-emotional behaviors constitute an important element of this function” (para. 2).
- In their classic work, Lewin, Lippitt, and White (1939) identified three leadership styles that had an impact on teacher and student experiences in schools. The authoritarian style was characterized by leaders who determined all details about policies, expectations, and processes. These leaders only shared information with others when it was absolutely necessary, hindering creativity and problem solving. Authoritarian leaders focus on their status as leaders and tend to refer back to the organizational chart for their source of power. Democratic leaders encourage the participation of more individuals and foster team-building. These leaders are not afraid of being deeply involved in the work at hand, but reserves the right to final word in making decisions. These leaders encourage creativity—and reward it. The laissez-faire leadership style is characterized by a laid back approach that leaves it up to others the task of implementing the policies or procedures in ways that they see fit. This style would only work well with highly skilled, competent, and trustworthy individuals. Illustration extracted from http://nicomaque.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/leader-type06.jpg
- There are many educational leadership styles. Hoyle (2012) cites four main groups that include most styles: authoritarian, participative, transformational, and transactional. Authoritative leaders approach their activities in a top-down way, using their formal authority as the basis for their power. They also offer little opportunity for others to participate in the decision-making process unless they are part of the formally established leadership team. Participative leaders tend to delegate responsibilities and emphasize collaboration, seeking to create a familial kind of work environment. Transformational leaders try to build a team that will work towards improvement and goal achievement, but they do so by focusing on purpose and meaning. These leaders don’t think only about the immediate outcomes, but they are also hoping to achieve improvements in the future as well. Transformational leaders share their vision and create an environment where everyone feels intellectually motivated. Transactional leaders take into consideration the needs of the people as they strive to achieve organizational goals. They reward others as long as the objectives are being met; they also entice others to commit to the organization by offering the benefits of collaboration and assistance. Illustration extracted from http://blogs.cityu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Learn-Lead.jpg
- In their study about the International Baccalaureate, Lee, Hallinger and Walker (2012) found that principals in the top 10% programs exhibited these four characteristics. When trying to involve others in leadership positions, common sense would also indicate that these are characteristics that top leaders would demonstrate. A professional demeanor and enthusiasm can always help to involve others in leadership roles as well as give confidence to parents that the leadership team is serious and capable. Good public relations and promotion can help others know about the good things the school is doing. These four characteristics would seem to support my personal experience in that a supportive attitude, fueled by trust and enthusiasm for learning, can go a long way in successfully steering an educational institution and achieving positive results. Professional behavior keeps everyone from responding with too much emotion, while enthusiasm injects the right kind of emotion into the process. Communication with colleagues should always be characterized by professionalism, respect, and mindfulness for the ultimate objectives of the institution.
- Leadership does not take place in a vacuum. Vennebo and Ottesen (2012) provide a few insights about the context of leadership. According to them, leadership is not about formal roles, but about the interactions and relationships formed during the performance of activities, and leaders emerge from those interactions. Leaders are an integral part of organizational activities, and leadership becomes apparent when the organization must act; the forces that initiate the organizations actions may include new laws and regulations, the expectations of the community, willingness to improve through change, or institutional reform.
- Leadership in international contexts does not take place in a vacuum either. The context of leadership in international schools includes certain common factors that tend to occur independently of location. Blandford and Shaw (2001) proposed nine background factors to leadership in international schools, but I split one of them into two, making the list include 10 items. Staff turnover and student mobility should be separate factors because they are quite different: one involves staffing issues and continuity of teaching, while the other affects classroom management and individual adaptability. These ten factors include external and internal pressures with different degrees of intensity depending on the specific situation of a school. For example, competition may be a great source of pressure in some situations, while in others there may not be a substantial threat from a competitor school. Some school leaders may have issues with Board members or owners, while others may be fortunate to have owners or Board members that are collaborators or non-intrusive.
- Leithwood and Riehl (2003) proposed five research-based characteristics of successful school leaders. This list summarizes the five main points, and the following slides expand on these characteristics. Kenneth Leithwood subsequently improved the list and changed it to include seven items instead of five (Leithwood, Day, Sammons, Harris, & Hopkins, 2006). I chose his original five for the purposes of this presentation because they include succinctly some of the information he expanded upon later.
- Based on case studies and large-scale quantitative studies, Leithwood and Riehl (2003) proposed that “leadership has significant effects on student learning, second only to the effects of the quality of curriculum and teachers’ instruction” (p. 4). The case studies indicated that leaders can be very influential by “galvanizing effort around ambitions goals and by establishing conditions that support teachers and that help students succeed” (p. 4). The quantitative studies showed that school leadership has significant effects on student learning: about 25% of total school impact on learning may be due to school leadership.
- Leithwood and Riehl (2003) found that principals and teacher leaders comprise what is considered by manyto be the leadership at most schools. Studies indicated that teacher leaders “can help other teachers to embrace goals, to understand the changes that are needed to strengthen teaching and learning, and to work together towards improvement” (p. 5). Principals and teacher leaders can take advantage of a flatter organizational structure and tap leaders by distributing leadership roles and activities, and also by tapping parents, students, administrators, and other teachers as potential sources of leadership.
- According to Leithwood and Riehl (2003), research indicates that successful school leaders practice three core activities that are applicable and can be successful in nearly all situations. First, successful school leaders set directions by “identifying and articulating a vision,” “creating shared meanings,” “creating high performance expectations,” “fostering the acceptance of group goals,” “monitoring organizational performance,” and “communicating” (p. 6). Second, successful school leaders develop people by “offering intellectual stimulation,” “providing individualized support,” and “providing an appropriate model” (p. 6). Third, successful school leaders develop the organization. This otganizational develop requries “strengthening school culture,” “modifying organizational structure,” “building collaborative processes,” and “managing the envrionment” (p. 7).
- Leithwood and Riehl (2003) found that effective leaders are aware of what makes their school different and address these differences in an appropriate way. Accountability policies can be challenging to school leaders, and different policies in different context can be particularly demanding. Successful school leaders can deal with accountability issues by “creating and sustaining a competitive school” and “empowering others to make significant decisions” (p. 8) especially when stakeholders are required to have greater participation; the leader implements steps to facilitate the involvement of a greater number of stakeholders. Successful school leaders also provide guidance in terms of instruction and strategic planning. Effective leaders will stay informed about new practices and provide opportunities for professional development that will result in improved instruction, while also watching for the overall direction that the school is heading, monitoring performance and planning for improvement.
- According to Leithwood and Riehl (2003), research indicates that successful school leaders that work in highly diverse contexts have been successful by “building powerful forms of teaching and learning” (p. 8); that is, some forms of instruction that were successful at other schools may not be good for the current school, so successful leaders are willing and able to facilitate the building and implementation of new curricula that reflects the diversity of students, the schools classroom structures, and existing staff capabilities. Successful school leaders in highly diverse contexts also create “strong communities in school” (p. 9) by fostering a caring environment where interactions between teachers, students, parents and staff are cordial, professional, and foster openness and innovation. In addition, successful school leaders in highly diverse context expand “the proportion of students’ social capital valued by the schools” (p. 9), enabling students to successfully learn and participate in school life. Finally, when in highly diverse contexts, school leaders can be successful by “nurturing the development of families’ educational cultures” (p. 9); this is accomplished when families have the resources to support the academic achievement of their children and schools set learning goals that are acceptable to the families.
- At University of Phoenix in Oklahoma City, particularly in the College of Humanities and Sciences, we have strived to implement a democratic leadership style with elements of the transactional educational leadership style. We have periodic meetings where ideas are proposed and discussed, We try to reach a consensus on steps ahead, and the final decision is made by the Chair. Any personal needs are taken into consideration; these needs may include differentiated schedule, parenting and other Title IX issues, etc. So far, this style has worked well for us and would seem to be a good way forward. We may have a survey in the near future that will help us measure the degree of satisfaction that our team has with the current model, and discussions about the successes and failures of this model can take place during our next faculty meeting. Illustration extracted from http://www.getdegrees.com/img/expanded/logo-uop.gif
- Based on what we learned about leadership today, here are some ideas for improving and promoting effective leadership at University of Phoenix in Oklahoma City: 1) Involve others in the discussions about school matters – try to engage all voices during faculty meetings, even those who usually do not participate actively or share their opinions openly. Seek out different points of view in a purposeful effort to make all voices heard. Facilitate the discussions in ways that build trust and confidence in the University and its leadership. 2) Be mindful of the needs of others, and accommodate those needs if possible – It is possible that other individuals would like to be more active in the school, but may be hindered by external factors. Be mindful of those and accommodate those special needs if at all possible. Some instructors may have issues with meeting times due to parental obligations, or may not be able to dedicate a weekend to special activities due to previously scheduled commitments; look for ways to allow them to participate. 3) Tap others for leadership positions – Be on the look out for individuals who seem to “get” what the University is all about, and encourage them to seek to be more involved and even lead a special project. Let them know that all contributions (time, effort, confidence, etc.) are welcomed by the University and that we want to foster an environment where all can succeed.