Confident leadership and its impact on teaching #TLCWorcs Saturday 3rd February 2018 Jill Berry J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

5 key messages: 1. Every teacher is a leader of learning within their own classroom 2. Those with formal leadership roles/titles/badges need to support and constructively challenge the colleagues they lead 3. Build on strengths rather than just fixating on ‘what is broken’ 4. Confident leaders show they are not infallible, but they are honest 5. Leadership at all levels is about enabling teachers to be their professional best in the classroom J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

1. Every teacher is a leader of learning within their own classroom J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

‘We are coming to believe that leaders are the people who ‘walk ahead’, people who are genuinely committed to deep change in themselves and their organisations. They lead through developing new skills, capabilities and understandings. And they come from many places within their organisation.’ Senge P (1996) ‘Leading Learning Organisations’, in Hesselbein F, Goldsmith M and Beckhard R (eds) The Leader of the Future New York : Drucker Foundation J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

‘Day after day, teachers are leaders within their classrooms ‘Day after day, teachers are leaders within their classrooms. They diagnose individual and group needs, explore strategies for improvement, model learning behaviours, encourage students to critique their work, promote collaboration and celebrate success.’ Lieberman A, Johnson S, Fujita H, Starratt R (2006) Where Teachers Can Lead: Developing Teacher Leadership Nottingham : National College for School Leadership J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

2. Those with formal leadership roles/titles/badges need to support and constructively challenge the colleagues they lead J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

How do we feel when we face too much challenge but not enough support? J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

And how do we feel when there is plenty of support but not enough challenge? J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Balancing challenge and support High Team member withdraws from the relationship, with no growth possible Team member grows through development of new knowledge, ideas and practice Low Support High Team member is not encouraged to consider or reflect on ideas and practices Team member becomes confirmed in pre-existing ideas and knowledge. No growth takes place. Low Challenge

The balance of support and challenge See Guardian Teacher Network: ‘Support v challenge – how school leaders can strike the right balance’ https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/apr/17/support-vs-challenge-how-school-leaders-can-strike-the-right-balance J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

3. Build on strengths rather than just fixating on ‘what is broken’ J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Appreciative Enquiry – a CREDIT, rather than a DEFICIT model of improvement Chip and Dan Heath: ‘Switch – How to change things when change is hard’ (2011) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Switch-change-things-when-hard/dp/1847940323 Find the ‘bright spots’ – “What’s working and how can we do more of it?” rather than “What’s broken and how can we fix it?” J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Although, NB, we need to avoid “reproducing the superficial elements of a school or a system that appears to enjoy success, without understanding the deeper causal reasons for that success.” from a piece in TES by Nick Rose (@Nick_J_Rose), 26 January 2018: ‘Finding the success in failure’ J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

Consider each member of your team, or each pupil in your class Consider each member of your team, or each pupil in your class. Where are they strong? Are you making the most of it? Do they see that you see it? J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

4. Confident leaders show they are not infallible, but they are honest J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

“Leadership is not a position or a title. It is action and example. ” “Leadership is not a position or a title. It is action and example.” Corey Booker J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

John Dunford, when he was General Secretary of the union ASCL: Leaders at all levels need four Hs: Hope Humanity Humility Humour J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

5. Leadership at all levels is about enabling teachers to be their professional best in the classroom J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

So ask yourself: Am I striking the right balance of support and challenge with the pupils I teach and the colleagues I lead? How do I know? Do I fully appreciate and make the most of the strengths of each individual, and is this a team which benefits from these complementary skills, fully utilised? (Dylan Wiliam: Work AS a team, not just IN a team). Do the pupils/my colleagues SEE that I see what they are good at? Do I model openness and honesty, confidence with humility, positivity and hope? J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

And finally: Will I do anything differently as a result of my reflections in the last half hour? Could I be even more confident in my leadership (of learning and of colleagues) so that teaching and learning in my classroom and my school are the best they can possibly be? J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD

jillberry102@hotmail.co.uk @jillberry102 J BERRY ASSOCIATES LTD