Transcript PowerPoint Presentation of the Ontario Leadership Framework (OLF)
The Ontario Leadership Framework
The framework:
• describes what good leadership looks like, based on
evidence of what makes the most difference to student achievement and well-being
• identifies the practices of successful school and
system leaders,
as well as the
organizational practices
of successful schools and districts • includes a small but critical number of
Personal Leadership Resources
(leadership traits and dispositions) that have been found to increase the effectiveness of leadership practices
The Evolution of the OLF
• • •
The Ontario Leadership Framework
The goals of the OLF are to: provide a Strategy robust research foundation on which to base the elements of the Ontario Leadership help ensure that Ontario leadership practices and personal leadership resources well-being support the key goals of improving student achievement and provide a common language and understanding for leaders to engage in discussions about effective practice
History of the OLF
Background
• OLF designed in 2006 • IEL provided workshops to districts in 2008 • Leithwood research report informed revisions to OLF in 2012: – No longer included competencies, now includes the addition of Personal Leadership Resources – Revised practices – Introduction of District Effectiveness Framework (DEF) – Connection to Student Effectiveness Framework (SEF)
History of the OLF (con’t)
In 2013
• Strong Districts and their Leadership (Leithwood 2013) • Nine characteristics of strong districts and related practices • Two new personal leadership resources • Revised DEF and System-level Leadership placemats
Individual
Components of the OLF
Organization
Big Ideas in the OLF
• Context is important • Leadership and Management are integrated • Formal leaders enact practices directly and indirectly • Leadership is best shared coordinated way in a planned and • System leaders and districts add significant value to the learning of students beyond the contribution of schools and classrooms
Personal Leadership Resources in 2012
• Cognitive resources: • • problem-solving expertise knowledge of school and classroom conditions that directly affect student learning • Social resources: • • • perceive emotions manage emotions act in emotionally appropriate ways • Psychological resources: • • • optimism self-efficacy resilience
What happened in 2013?
• The Institute for Education Leadership (IEL) and the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE) commissioned Ken Leithwood to do a research study on the role of the district leader • Result:
“Strong Districts and Their Leadership”
• Impact: Changes to the system-level leadership placemat, addition of two new PLRs to school and system level placemats; and changes to the DEF
Leadership Practices in Schools
Scenario 1
• It’s September, and you have just learned that because of declining enrolment you will have to cut two teachers from your staff and re-timetable the school (and you have 4 days to do it!) • Look at the bolded leadership practices in the School-level Leadership placemat and pick out several that you think are the most critical to solving this problem effectively • Highlight these practices and be prepared to defend your choices and explain your thinking
Leadership is Contingent
•
Scenario 2
: You are a candidate in a principal interview. You are asked to state what your entry plan would be if you were appointed to a specific school in your district.
• How would you apply the idea of “contingent leadership” to this question? • What are the look-fors in your answer?
Shared Leadership
Scenario 3
: Think of a principal for whom you have worked who Demonstrated excellent “shared leadership” practices. • Find a few practices in the framework that reflect what this principal did to be so effective.
• What were this principal’s strongest personal leadership resources and how did he/she demonstrate these?
• As a teacher in this school, why was this important?
• Have you made mistakes or witnessed mistakes in sharing leadership that you have learned from?
System-level Leadership
• System leaders start with the school level practices • System-Level leadership practices organized by the
9 characteristics of strong districts
• Note the use of
verbs
to describe the practices (what leaders do) • Sub-bullets provide more detail of
how these practices are carried out
Two New PLRs
• Proactivity – Ability to
stimulate and manage change
under complex circumstances on a large scale – Show initiative and perseverance in bringing about change • Systems-thinking – Ability to
understand dense, complex and reciprocal connections
among different elements of the organization –
Foresight
to engage others in likely futures and consequences for action *
proactivity and systems thinking are important for all leaders but especially useful for district leaders
System-Level Leadership Placemat
Referencing one of the highlighted practices in the System-Level leadership placemat, unpack the practice: – What does it mean?
– How would it be enacted?
– What are the look-fors?
Activity
How will proactivity and/or systems thinking be helpful in carrying out your role as a system leader? How can you foster proactivity and systems thinking in other leaders?
District Effectiveness Framework
Characteristics of Strong Districts: 1. Shared mission, vision and goals 2. Coherent instructional guidance system 3. Multiple sources of evidence to inform decisions 4. Learning-oriented organizational improvement 5. Job-embedded professional learning 6. Resources and structures aligned with mission 7. Comprehensive leadership development 8. Policy-oriented board of trustees 9. Productive working relationships
District Effectiveness Framework (DEF)
• 9 characteristics of strong districts • Note the use
nouns
characteristics to describe these – e.g. mission, guidance system, use of evidence, etc. • Sub-bullets provide more detail about what the characteristic
looks like
in practice
DEF: Learning-oriented Organizational Improvement
• Coherent approach to improvement, small number of goals, consistently pursued over sustained time • Integration of new initiatives into existing routines • Professional learning networks to share, assess and refine
Activity
• How can you influence the discussions in your district to support the characteristic, “Learning-oriented organizational improvement processes”?
Think about:
– Advocacy for leaders in carrying out the district mission and vision – Sense-making – Leadership development needs organizationally and individually What is your role as system leader?
How do you connect with other district leaders?
Activity (cont’d) Consider the following …
• How do you exert your influence? • What does it look like when you do so? • Are there ways that you could strengthen this influence?
• Who else should you talk to in your district?
• What are the vehicles and venues through which one can influence? (Adm. Council meetings, BIPSA meetings, PPA, principals’ meetings) • What is the impact on organizational leadership if you are not at some of the district tables – how would you connect with other district leaders?
What Fullan calls “coherence making” involves seeking a balance between letting go and even encouraging “disturbance” on the one hand and on the other hand building coherence, sense and direction.