Bahamas Education Managers Union 4th Annual General Meeting Perpetuating Excellence in Educational Reform: Leading with passion and purpose to effect positive change Bahamas Education Managers Union 4th Annual General Meeting Dr. Jill Beloff Farrell Barry University October 28, 2013

The Current Moment Powerful push and pull factors forcing education systems everywhere to drastically change New demands on leaders at all levels Push factors – boredom of students, alienation of teachers, relentless expectations, accountability from public for increased performance Pull factors – new learning modes intrinsic to human condition (intrinsically meaningful learning, working with others, allure of digital world)

Universal Goal for Education Create schools of excellence where every student is engaged in high quality learning, where every teacher is engaged in an intentional instructional growth process, and where every administrator is engaged in growing the staff’s capability to teach at an ever-expanding level Two areas that have the greatest impact on student learning – the classroom teacher and the building instructional leader(s)

Instructional Leadership 21st Century Teaching and Learning requires new models of distributed leadership (conductor vs. soloist) Successful school reform too complex for one individual Framework of distributed leadership is built on understanding that ALL members of the school community have knowledge and expertise that can benefit the school

Effective Instructional Leaders Understand how work of the group fits into school improvement goals Create “joyful” workplace for all, optimizing education, skills and abilities Function as coaches and counselors, not judges Understand variation, do not expect perfection, and use data to determine needs Work to improve system for all Create trust – while listening and learning

Efficacy The BE ALL and END ALL of School Improvement! Individual Efficacy Collective Efficacy Communication of Shared Goals and Vision

Communication is Key

Leadership for Cultural Change Creates fundamental transformation in the learning cultures of schools and the teaching profession Mobilizing teachers to ensure deeper learning Characteristics of leaders in a knowledge society - moral purpose, understanding of the change process, ability to improve relationships, knowledge creation and sharing, coherence making “Change is a process of building ownership and capacity in others as you proceed”’

Fundamentals of Great Leadership Motion Leadership in Action : creating & leading movement in the right direction, at the right time; implementing ‘ready-fire-aim’ mindset; importance of collaboration; forging relationships while handling resistance; establishing change stance in order to get better results… “Only those leaders who are equipped to handle a complex, rapidly changing environment can implement the reforms that lead to sustained improvement in student achievement”

Maximizing Impact Key distinction between leading ‘instruction’ and leading ‘the professional capital’ of teachers Essence of new leadership …places leaders in position of helping to orchestrate organic change processes that map onto how people (students and adults alike ) learn best Andragogy w/adults; Pedagogy with students The New Pedagogy - Students and teachers as learning partners

Leader as System Player Look at whole system: school/ district/country Leaders must be able to take a macro view Schools cannot improve in isolation – they need to connect with other schools and link to district support, resources and policy implementation Quality Leadership is needed at all levels, i.e., district, schools, and classrooms “The quality of the education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers”

The Leader and Technology Fusing of new pedagogies (students and teachers as learning partners) and innovative technologies is creating new learning environments that “double the learning at half the price.” New learning modes spreading like wildfire – too quickly to keep up with - let alone by yourself! What do new learning modes mean for leaders at all levels? Implications for learning and corresponding leadership represent a profound shift in learning and leadership

Creating Instructional Environments that Support the 4 C’s Critical thinking (and problem solving) Communication Collaboration Creativity and Innovation How do Instructional Leaders create learning communities where ALL members of the community model and develop the 4 C’s?

Instructional Leadership TEAM Principal, Vice-Principal, Senior Mistress/Master as Instructional Leaders L-TEAM articulates VISION for the school L-TEAM emphasizes the importance of COLLABORATION L-TEAM actively models and engages in Team Development among faculty, nurtures and encourages Teacher Leadership

Collaborative Environment = School Effectiveness Creating conditions that support teachers, students and administrators Breaking isolation Fostering of collaborative and reflective culture – “single most important factor” Sharing of commitment and aspirations Collegial school cultures promote collective autonomy Learning communities improve student achievement

Leadership Challenge “Probably the most important –and the most difficult-job of an instructional leader is to change the prevailing culture of a school… A school’s culture has far more influence on life and learning in the schoolhouse than the minister of the country, the department of education, the superintendent, the school board, or even the principal, teachers, and parents can ever have.” Roland Barth

Talking the Talk, Walking the Walk Connecting Curriculum and Instruction Importance of Instructional Talk Connecting Instructional Talk to Classroom Planning and Practice Promoting Accountability Through Instructional Talk Using Team Meetings to Improve Instructional Practice

Six Secrets of Change (Fullan, 2008) Love Your Employees Connect Peers with Purpose Capacity Building Prevails Learning is the Work Transparency Rules Systems Learn “The world is not for your taking, but it is for your making.”

Learning and Leadership In the end, any school improvement or educational reform effort MUST focus on the culture of the school with a focus on student achievement and instructional improvement “Learning is not doing; it is reflecting on doing” (Mintzberg, 2004) “Leadership is…getting results in a way that inspires trust.” (Covey, 2006) “Learning IS the work.” (Fullan, 2008)

It is a Matter of WILL The student achievement gap can be solved only when the adult gap between what we know and what we do is reduced to zero! We CAN do this. It is a matter of will, not skill!

The Power of Belief “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning.” (Mahatma Ghandi) “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible.” (Stuart Chase)

B.E.M.U. Leadership – Transformational, and Empowered Integrity- Maintaining the Highest Academic, Social, and Spiritual Curricular Standards Professionalism- Promoting and Modeling Teachers as Professionals Educational LEADERS