Walter L. Burt, Ph.D., WMU Associate ProfessorJ. 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

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2 L E A R 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 means 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 2014/15 (and beyond).

3 DTLDistributive & Empowering Leadership

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) .

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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…

5DTL Teacher Support

Research Reveals… Research Reveals…

• 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…

6DTL Empowering Creativity

How to Best Distribute Power

1. Finding and Empowering Teacher Leaders (& Removing Barriers to Teacher Leadership)

2. Creating the Environment for Leadership Capacity (Professional Learning Communities)

7DIDMWMU-ELRT TRAINING WITH DIDM

77DTL 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).

8DTL Teachers’ Influence

Why Teacher Leadership?

• 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.”

99DTL Sustainable Opportunities

Research on Teacher 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).

1010DTLWhat Does the Field Say?

Principal's Viewpoint on Creating a "Caring Community of Learners“

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMLy7HPaorY&NR=1

1111DTLTeacher 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

1212DTL Obstacles

Barriers to Teacher Leadership• 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

1313DTL Teacher Leader Fears

Lots of 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.

.

1414DTL Overcoming Fears

Yet, Fears Can 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.

1515DTL Creating Leaders

And, There are 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).

1616 Developing Skillsets

DTLAdapted

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.

1717DTL Assessments

Teacher Leader Assessment 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 Katzenmeyer and Moller (2009)

1818DTL Professional Learning Community

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

1919DTL Learning Communities

Adapted 19

PCLs or Teachers 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

2020DTL 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.

2121DTL Leadership Capacity Framework

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Quadrant 1Principal 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 learningStudent achievement is poor, or showing short-term

improvements on standardized measures

Quadrant 2Principal as “laissez-faire” manager; many teachers

developing unrelated programsFragmentation and lack of coherence of information,

and programs’ lack of shared purposeNorms of individualism, lack of collective responsibility

Undefined roles and responsibilitiesSpotty innovation with both excellent and poor

classroomsStudent achievement appears static overall (unless data

are disaggregated)

Quadrant 3Principal and key teachers as purposeful leadership

teamLimited uses of school-wide data, information flow

within designated leadership groupsPolarized 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 4Principal and teachers, as well as parents and students,

are skillful learnersShared 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 innovationStudent achievement is high or improving steadily

Figure 1. Leadership capacity of four school types (adapted from Lambert, 2006, p. 240).

2222DTL Leadership Capacity Framework

.

Instructive Phase Transitional Phase High Leadership Capacity Phase

Principal as teacher, sponsor, director

Principal as guide, coach Principal as colleague, critical friend, mentor

Personal attributes and behaviorsLearns continuallyThinks strategicallyValue/vision drivenSets norms with staffSupervises/ensures staff accountabilityConvenes conversationsHonors historySponsors staff growthAccepts responsibilityBreaks dependenciesClarifies rolesArticulates strategiesCreates safe, “holding” environment

Personal attributes and behaviorsLearns – attends to epiphaniesThinks strategicallyTranslates values into vision languageLets go, provides support, and sticks aroundScaffolds with ideas and questionsMediates rolesDevelops structures that build reciprocal relationshipsCoaches for instructional improvement

Personal attributes and behaviorsLearns continuallyThinks strategicallyValue/vision drivenContinues 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 skillsFacilitation;Conflict resolution; andAccountability

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); andplan

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); andplan 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

2323DTL 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!

2424Renewal 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

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DTLD

Renewal Activity Brainstorming & Sharing

• Working with your

partner, brainstorm on

potential activities this

coming year related to

“Distributing and

Empowering Leadership.”

DTL

2626DTL Distributing & Empowering

Sharing Power is Fun!