Transcript Document

Leadership
Qualities of a
Middle
Leader in
Ling Khoon Chow
School-Based
Curriculum
Development
Introduction
Aim of Study
Scope of
Presentation
Research Method
Setting of Case
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
School based curriculum
development (SBCD)
to improve educational
outcomes
Introduction
- A form of decentralization of
curriculum decision making to
meet diverse needs of students
- Greater teacher ownership of
curriculum, professional
development
Challenges to SBCD
Introduction
- Implementation issues
- Changing the culture in a school
and support for the change in
school
- Teacher capacity and capability
- Leadership in change process
- Sustainability and staff mobility
Introduction
Leadership is important
Middle leaders are
responsible for the
introduction, planning,
implementation and
evaluation of SBCD
Introduction
- Roles related to middle
management and subject
leadership
- S’pore context - HODs/SHs
- Forefront of leading learning and
improving student outcomes
- Leadership qualities of middle
leaders play important factor in
success of school improvement
efforts
-
-
Educational
Change
-
political and paradoxical
process
cannot be achieved by a
step-by-step,
linear process
More factors supporting
implementation, more
likely change will be
successful
(Fullan, 2001)
Need
Clarity
Educational
Change
Fullan
Principal
Conceptual
Frame of
Change
Teachers
Organizational
Culture
Aim of
Study
To study the leadership
qualities of a middle leader
when leading school-based
curriculum development
in a secondary school in
Singapore
Reseach
Questions
What is the purpose of SBCD
from the perspective of a
middle leader, teacher and
school leader?
Reseach
Questions
What are some leadership
behaviors of the middle
leader that have led to the
success of the SBCD?
Exploratory case study approach
- Middle leader who led a SBCD in a secondary school
Semi-structured interviews
(Triangulation)
Research
Method
- Middle leader in charge of programme
- Teachers involved in programme
- Principal of school
Interviews focused on
-
Purpose of SBCD
Actions of middle leader before,
during and after SBCD
Analysis of interviews
-
Transcribed, sent back to interviewees for verification
Analysed using a thematic analysis framework
Constant comparison method (Corbin and Strauss, 2008)
Action School
Setting of
Case
- Typical school with
3 streams, Exp, NA, NT
- Recognized as high
performing school
- Won MOE awards for
innovative culture
Middle leader
Setting of
Case
- Jane, Design & Technology
(D&T) teacher
- Middle leader for four years
- Reputation of being
innovative and task-oriented
Sec 3 (NT) Holistic programme
Setting of
Case
- Inter-disciplinary project
involves D&T, Elements of
Business Skills, English,
Physical Education,
Mother Tongue, Community
Involvement Programme,
Findings
Purpose of SBCD
Common beliefs between
teachers, middle leader and
principal
- SBCD should meet
students’ needs
- Enhance student learning
experience
Select teachers who shared
the vision of wanting to do
something to meet the
needs of the NT students
-
Findings
Purpose of SBCD
-
Similar beliefs of teachers,
help to accept change easier
“the right people were on the
team…. a group of people
who were interested in the
project and did not need
monitoring….I believe that if
you want to try something
new, you want it to succeed,
and you will want to select the
right people” (Principal)
The first year, the people you
pick has to be strong and
believe in it…because first
year, is the one you have a lot
of obstacles, and it is
unknown” (Jane)
Planner
Findings
Leadership qualities
In Jane
- “She is meticulous and plans
everything very clearly”
(Teacher)
- “her ability to plan, not just for
students, but also for the
teachers, when the teachers
need to do what. And her
discipline to carry out her
plans” (Principal)
- Anticipate issues
- Seek out partnership that
could help in the project
- Flexible in approach
Empowerment of teachers
Findings
Leadership qualities
In Jane
- In-depth knowledge of
individuals, get teachers to act
according to their personalities
and strengths
- Get team to develop tasks with
a sense of ownership and
achievement, creates a strong
motivation for teachers to put
in their effort and contribution
(Leithwood and Beatty, 2008)
Role modelling
Findings
Leadership qualities
In Jane
- “When you lead by doing, it is
easier” (Jane)
- “She will take the lead in doing a
lot of things, she was very handson….she worked with them,
along the way” (Teacher)
Fostering collegiality and
collaboration
Findings
Leadership qualities
In Jane
- Good communication,
harmonious working relationship
- Teachers appreciated that
someone cared
- Interpersonal skills
Sustainability
Findings
Leadership qualities
In Jane
- Planning for others to take over
- “sustaining the programme itself,
she has groomed a second IC to
take over….so I think she has
these processes in place, to
ensure that there is a handover”
(Principal)
Findings
School and
Organization
Culture
Open culture
- encouraged initiatives by
teacher
Findings
School and
Organization
Culture
No-blame culture
- “Generally, people are quite
receptive to new things, so it
is quite open” (Jane)
- “Open culture, meaning we
share very easily, there is no
holding back, no hidden
agenda” (Teacher)
Teacher selection
-
Shared vision
Need for clear vision, target
teachers’ beliefs
Alignment with school goals
(Clarity)
Discussion
Relationship building
-
Schools cannot achieve change by
brute sanity (Fullan, 2007)
Care for teachers, building on
teachers’ strengths
-
Increase level of enthusiasm, reduce
frustration, transmit sense of
mission, indirectly increase
performance (McColl-Kennedy &
Anderson, 2002)
Distributed leadership
-
Shared leadership with team, take
more responsibility in decision
making in areas of strength
People oriented leadership
-
Discussion
Discuss individual concerns explicitly.
Strengthen shared understandings
(Beatty, 2002)
Organizational Culture matters
-
Open culture of management and
collegiality among staff as catalysts
for innovation
Limitations
Limitations
And
Further Work
- Single case study approach, use of only
interviews
- Precludes any comparison between
middle leaders in different contexts
Further Work
- Research could be expanded with more
cases within different school contexts
and teacher backgrounds
- Longitudinal studies and shadowing to
enhance the breadth and depth of the
data collected
Implications
Implications
- Professional development for middle
leaders
- Vision and mission building
- Leadership skills
- Coaching and mentoring, informal
learning at workplace
Role of a middle leader in
school based curriculum
development is complex and
challenging.
-
Conclusion
Consistent with previous studies
(Lee and Dimmock, 1999)
Unless middle leaders are
committed to make SBCD a
priority, the potential of
teachers to contribute to any
curriculum change will not be
realized
The central problem is not just
strategy or structure, it is about
changing the behaviour of
people. (Fullan, 2007)
-
Reculturing teachers, changing
their beliefs and habits
Thank you
Questions
And
Comments