Building the Capacity of Principals to Lead Learning Supervisors Principals Teachers Learning Introduce myself and Alpine School District—location and demographics and focus as a PLC district guided by fundamental questions Explain the title by sharing the theory of action: supervisors influence principals who influence teachers who influence learning. Introduce team of supervisors I am a practitioner who became aware of the some research that guides my work as a supervisor. Came to conference last year and thought this information would be useful. By Dr. Shane Farnsworth sfarnsworth@alpinedistrict.org Secondary School Supervisor Alpine School District

Presentation Overview Presentation Outcome—Participants will gain an understanding of a framework to guide their work in building the capacity of principals to lead learning at higher levels. Presentation Overview Background—From Research to Practice The Research—Studies & Models Supporting the Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership The 5 Learning-Centered Leadership Practices The Alpine District 5 Domain Framework The Practice—Operationalizing the Framework Wrap Up & Questions Provide overview of presentation—outcome and overview

Teacher Trust in Principal Background Dissertation--Principal Learning-Centered Leadership and Faculty Trust in the Principal Principal Leadership Teacher Trust in Principal Student Learning Explain dissertation focus. Explain transition from principal to supervisor. Needed research to guide my work. I wanted to build the principals’ capacity in areas that led to higher levels of learning. Discuss that research on instructional leadership provides clarity on what the term means. "Principals...are all being admonished to be instructional leaders without much clarity about what the term means" (Leithwood et al., 2004, p. 4).

Early Studies—up to early 1980’s The Research Early Studies—up to early 1980’s Surfaced the relationship between leadership and learning but showed minimal empirical evidence Middle Studies—early 1980’s to mid 1990’s Significant theoretical and methodological advances are made in understanding the relationship Established the indirect relationship and further defined instructional leadership Later Studies—mid 1990’s to Present Expanded behaviors associated with instructional leadership and included transformational leadership Added significant empirical evidence and clarity Provide brief overview.

Effective Schools Research(Edmonds-1979; Brookover & Lezotte-1979) The Research—Early Studies & Models Coleman Report (1968) Demographic Variables Student Learning Effective Schools Research(Edmonds-1979; Brookover & Lezotte-1979) School Variables (Leadership) Student Learning First identifies leadership as a school variable with possible influence. Then provided greater clarity by looking more specifically at instructional leadership. Finally suggested a black box or intervening variables. Early Studies (Bossert et al.-1982; Murphy, Hallinger, and Mitman-1983) ? Instructional Leadership ? Student Learning

Middle Studies (Murphy-1988; Hallinger-1995) The Research—Middle Studies & Models Middle Studies (Murphy-1988; Hallinger-1995) Student Learning --?Indirect Behaviors? --Direct Behaviors Instructional Leadership Focused on instructional leadership and behaviors associated with improved learning not directly associated with instruction. Established a black box, indirect effect, or mediating variables. Suggested the next generation of research open up the black boxes which would provide further clarification to the concept of instructional leadership.

Personnel Learning-Centered Leadership The Research—Later Studies & Models Later Studies (Hallinger, 2011; Leithwood et al., 2004; Louis et al., 2010; Wallace Foundation ) Personnel Organizational Student Learning Resource Learning-Centered Leadership --Combines traditional instructional leadership and transformational leadership behaviors and capacities Mid to late 90’s the top down approach to leadership fell out of favor. A more bottom up less hierarchal model of shared leadership was popular. Transformational leadership behaviors of shaping a vision and culture and dispersing leadership became prevalent. The accountability movement moved the pendulum back toward instructional leadership. The combined approach became known as leadership for learning or learning-centered leadership. The black boxes or mediating variables became empirically supported.

The Research—Concluding Thoughts Hallinger, 2011, p.126 The fervor of debates over which model offers the greatest leverage for understanding how school leaders contribute to learning has reduced in recent years. Empirical results over a large number of studies have begun to show a fairly consistent pattern of impact, and today, the term ‘leadership for learning’ has come to subsume features of instructional leadership, transformational leadership, and shared leadership. Shows the combining of instructional leadership and transformational leadership into leadership for learning.

The Research—Concluding Thoughts Leithwood et al., 2004, p. 23 Research is also urgently needed which unpacks, more specifically, how successful leaders create the conditions in their schools which promote student learning. School-level factors other than leadership that explain variation in student achievement include school mission and goals, culture, participation in decision making and relationships with parents and the wider community. These are variables over which school leaders have considerable potential influence and we need to know more about how successful leaders exercise this influence. Suggests more studies about what variables leadership affects that in turn affect student achievement.

The Research—Concluding Thoughts Louis et al., 2010, p. 37 In developing a starting point for this six-year study, we claimed, based on a preliminary review of research, that leadership is only second to classroom instruction as an influence on student learning. After six additional years of research, we are even more confident of this claim. Clear evidence that leadership makes a difference.

The Research—Concluding Thoughts Wallace Perspective, 2013, p.5 Drawing on both detailed case studies and large-scale quantitative analysis, the research shows that most school variables, considered separately, have at most small effects on learning. The real payoff comes when individual variables combine to reach critical mass. Creating the conditions under which that can occur is the job of the principal. The essence of learning-centered leadership. This conceptualization of leadership affects not only instruction but the other school variables that affect learning. Leadership for learning or learning-centered leadership is about creating the conditions for those variables to combine to reach critical mass.

The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Wallace Foundation Publications Explain that various meta analyses come to similar conclusions about instructional leadership and what the parts consist of. Robinson refers to “capacities”. Marzano calls them responsibilities. The Wallace foundation refers to the variables as practices and summarizes or captures them as well as anyone.

The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Shaping a vision of academic success for all students, one based on high standards Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a cooperative spirit, and other foundations of fruitful interaction prevail Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and other adults assume their part in realizing the school vision Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to learn at their utmost Managing people, data, resources and processes to foster school improvement Taken from the Wallace Perspective Report (2013) Provide an overview.

The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Shaping a Vision Shaping a vision of academic success for all students, one based on high standards Sets high standards and rigorous learning goals Ensures the vision is shared among all Pair/Share--Discuss what you would see and hear that evidences a principal has this capacity.

The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Creating a Climate Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a cooperative spirit, and other foundations of fruitful interaction prevail Creates a climate that is safe, orderly, supportive and responsive to student and teacher needs Teachers feel part of a learning community Pair/Share—What strategies might a principal use to create this climate and culture in a school?

Cultivating Leadership in Others The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Cultivating Leadership in Others Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and other adults assume their part in realizing the school vision Widely disperses leadership and responsibility and shares decision-making Cultivates leadership in teachers to improve teacher motivation and work settings Pair/Share—What organizational structures or other evidence would indicate a principal has dispersed leadership in the school?

Improving Instruction The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Improving Instruction Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to learn at their utmost Relentlessly emphasizes improving achievement through quality instruction Leverages learning communities to improve instruction and spends time in classrooms or ensures that someone who is qualified to do so does Pair/Share—What challenges do principals face while seeking to improve instruction?

Managing People, Data, Resources and Processes The Practices of Learning-Centered Leadership Managing People, Data, Resources and Processes Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement Hires, supports and retains the best teachers Asks useful questions of data, displays data as a compelling story, uses it to promote collective inquiry Pair/Share--How have your principals managed data, resources and processes to foster school improvement?

The Alpine 5 Domain Framework Discuss the Vision for Learning as an anchor to the model. Depending on how you conceptualize learning changes how you shape the 5 domains that affect learning. Provide an example of technology being a resource but it is managed differently depending on the learning you intend to affect.

Putting the Framework into Practice The Alpine 5 Domain Framework Putting the Framework into Practice Individually Evaluations and Goal Setting Meetings Self Assessments Collectively Monthly Principal Meetings Book / Article Studies Leadership Seminars New Administrator Meetings Principal Academies

Putting the Framework into Practice The Alpine 5 Domain Framework Putting the Framework into Practice Shape a Vision Fullan’s 6 C’s, Wagner’s Survival Skills, Partnership for 21st Century Learning, Deeper Learning Readings Create a Climate PBIS Initiatives; SRTI—Inverted Pyramid Cultivate Leadership Robyn Jackson—Never Underestimate Your Teachers Improve Instruction Instructional Framework Study Manage People, Data and Resources Land Trust Resources, FTE Allocations, Completion Goals

The Alpine 5 Domain Framework Wrap Up & Questions