Teaching Principalship

Towards Effective Practices

Aim

To investigate the potential of the role of the teaching principal

To identify practices that can lead to fulfillment in the role

Background to Workshop8 years practices as a teaching principal

13 years experience of working in small schools

Research into leading learning in small schools

6 years working in leadership development

Rationale

Good management and good teaching are uniquely combined in the role of the small school head so that his or her influence is a more than usually important factor in determining the quality of the school. (Southworth, 2004:16)

Where the head is effective in both the teaching and the management roles, a virtuous circle of benefits accrues to the school. (Southworth, 2004:16)

LDS Core Principles

Moral Purpose

Modelling

Situational Awareness

Courage to Act

Sustainability

Its about action

LiteratureTheoryKnowledgeUnderstandingsConcepts

DiscourseQuestionsEngagingEmpoweringSharingModelling

Knowing One’s Situation

Collecting and analysing data on school

Challenging the assumptions that underline school culture

Identifying headroom for the school in the coming year

Asking the Right Questions

Questions set the agenda

Questions can lead to fundamental change

They form a basis for planning and action

Some of the Big Questions

Why is there educational underachievement in the border counties?How do we need to reshape educational services in this area over the next 10 years?Why do we have too many children in need of literacy support?

More penetrating questions

How can I communicate properly with you as a staff?What can science week mean in this school?

When not asked

Standard of MathsReview of postsCommitment to projectsQuality of individual plans …..

Leads to frustration and disappointment

Focusing on the Right Issues

What are the priority areas for your school right now

Diamond 9 activity

Will tackling these priorities result in improvements in learning

Clearing the Rubble of Administration

Administration is essential and supports all priorities

Do I have adequate support from board and from ancilliary staff

Have I optimised use of release time, technology and other supports

Modeling Practice

Openness to positive changeAccountability and cooperationCommitment to excellenceAttention to school goals and aimsSharing resources and ideasSecuring effective learning in the classroom

Modelling Commitment

Belief in the potential of the schoolAttitude to pupils and staffHighlights school aimsRespect and commitment to the communitySupport for othersOpenness to improvement

Setting Expectations

Asking the questions

Macra and micro expectations

Celebrating success

Dialogue with and among individual teachers

Encouraging Teacher Leadership

Perhaps the single most important challenge

Expertise, relationships, positions, tasks, personal

Confronting Issues

Deal with zones of influence

Keep issues as issues not personalities

Plan for action

Record and celebrate success

Personal

Expertise Relations

Task

Positional

Power in organisations

Avoid Solo ActivityNetworking with other schools: purposeful

Use the community: purposefully

Ancillary staff can take responsibility

Professional development, links and networks

Exchanges, links, projects

Sustaining Oneself

Challenge assumed constraints

Celebrate your points of power

Collaborate for success

Plan for personal goals and milestones

Concern

Influence

Proactivity

COVEY

Conclusion

Knowing what is neededModellingEmpoweringSustainingCourage to actSense of purpose

Challenges

How can I continue to be professionally rewarded in my current role?What is required of me to continue to improve learning in the school in which I am a leader?How do I plan for personal renewal and sustinence in a challenging role?How do I support others in the learning challenge?

Three core messages

It is about you as a leader

It is about your team

It is about learning

(It is not all about context)