1. Leadership that improves student outcomes: what works
Image by Ruben Alvarado

2. Creating capacity for learning
“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore”.
Dorothy’s comment to her dog, on finding herself in
the Land of Oz, is used by a South Australian
secondary principal as an analogy for the profound
changes his school is facing, most particularly the
worldview of the students.
It resonates.
Things have
really changed.
(Louise Stoll, 2008)
Notes:
Your role – to create capacity for learning – is one of the most important jobs in the world.
Outline what specific challenges today’s principal’s are facing
- WEF Future of Jobs
- Technological advances
- Students’ access to learning
- Global competition
- Continuity of culture along side change
- Ethical education
- Plural societies

3. Rocket science? It’s more complex than that!

4. Overview
In this presentation I shall be inviting you to consider and reflect on:
Some research-based principles on effective leadership
Why a focus on leading professional learning can improve student learning
The professional learning community you want for your school
The kind of PLC you want to develop for your TISSL network
Some practical strategies

5. High performing leadership values and practices
A commitment to leading with moral purpose, focusing relentlessly on improving student outcomes
An intolerance of poor performance and a commitment to provide support and share expertise to address it
An unshakable belief that the gap in performance between Sri Lanka and other improving systems can and will be closed
Leading with honesty and transparency and with a willingness to address the ‘unvarnished truth’
A commitment to holding each other to account for outcomes
(adapted: Education Development Trust 2016)

6. Order of significance? Leadership dimension
Establishing goals and expectations
Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and curriculum
Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development
Explain the Robinson research
And nature of effect size etc
Strategic resourcing
Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment
Robinson (2008)

7. Effect size estimate Leadership dimension
1. Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development
ES 0.84
2. Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and curriculum
ES 0.42
ES 0.35
3. Establishing goals and expectations
4. Strategic resourcing
ES 0.34
5. Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment
ES 0.27
Robinson (2008)

8. Leading adult learning
Herding cats

9. Power of team
Question to audience – your staff teams behave more like cats or geese? (NB there are positive characteristics of both of course…)

10. Effective professional learning
Is effectively promoted and led by senior managers.
Is school-based and built into teachers' daily work.
Is needs-based and derived from analysis of weaknesses and areas for development.
Is sustained over time and regular: the best systems allow 10% of contract hours for PD.
Is focused on the aspects of instruction which deliver outcome gains (e.g. formative assessment).
Co-constructs practice between peers and gives opportunities for peer coaching.
Provides regular opportunities for reflection and feedback.
Expand on the behaviours of the senior leaders – create a handout?

11. What kind of professional learning community?
Discussion: What kind of community would you ideally like your school to resemble? Where are you now?

12. A spotlight on further practices for a thriving PLC
Creating a growth mindset throughout the school – conveying whole school culture of ‘expandable intelligence’
Teacher professional learning to have a strong element of peer observation and collaborative coaching
Feedback that leads to thinking (not defensiveness)
School networks for growth

13. Intelligence as expandable
Talk through this equation. Old teaching practice may have potential straight to high achievement (or not). New approaches emphasise importance of teachers as life changers

14. Applying a growth mind set in practice
Reward actions, not traits.
Portray criticism as positive.
Place effort before talent.
Cultivate grit
Use the word “yet.”
Take ownership over your attitude.
View challenges as opportunities.
Try different learning tactics.
Stop seeking approval.
Acknowledge and embrace imperfections
Expand on the practices – here are 10 (there are many more).

15. Professional Learning Approaches
Mentoring, Specialist Coaching and Co-coaching
School PLCs leading inquiries into aspects of school practice
Individual teacher inquiry
Lesson study
Cite research on sauce for the goose, Dylan Wiliam, Viviane Robinson i.e. what leaders do and teachers do will affect student outcomes. If teachers are explicitly engaging in professional learning then students will value learning more. Teachers will model learning behaviours…
Outline some practical ideas – further explained in the delegate notes

16. Outcome based feedback (not ego-based)
Giving feedback to colleagues that causes thinking
(not defensiveness)

17. School networks

18. Three things I shall try next week …
Allow some quiet time for participants to consider these parting thoughts…
Thank everyone for their attention and invite questions

19. Thank you