Shared and Supportive Leadership

Module 2:Genesis

Agenda

This module will cover the following components of shared and supportive leadership: Active Staff Participation in School

Programs Access and Use of Pertinent Information Principal Shares Authority Opportunities to Make Change Responsibility and Reward

Learning Outcomes The participants will develop an

understanding of the genesis of professional learning communities in Domain 1 – Shared and Supportive Leadership.

The participants will identify the specific roles and responsibilities of the principal and school faculty in Domain 1.

Phases of Development

There are three phases of development for PLCs:

Genesis – The initiation of the process. The primary responsibilities for facilitation are incumbent on the principal. The principal works extensively on building the leadership of the faculty to foster capacity and start the process of developing shared leadership.

Phases of Development

Process – the second phase of development starts once there is an understanding of the purpose and function of PLCs.

The principal collaborates with the faculty to build leadership capacity. As this process matures, more of the facilitation and leadership responsibilities are managed by teacher leaders.

Phases of Development

Implementation – the collaborative practices of PLCs are institutionalized in school practices.

The culture of the school is based on collaboration between the faculty, administration, and school community. School practices are regularly adjusted to meet the needs of the students, teachers, and school community. Decision-making authority is shared.

Shared and Supportive Leadership

Shared Power, Authority, and

Decision-Making

Active Staff Participation

Collaboration requires active participation of the stakeholders to make informed, owned decisions that impact practice and working conditions.

Goal: All decision-making processes and leadership are shared equally between stakeholders.

Actions

Professional conversations are focused on the instructional program. Area of highest importance and

most relevant to job responsibilities

School leadership works to build leadership capacity for making decisions. Implicit consequences Explicit consequences

Principal Actions Principal – leads the discussions and models

the thought processes required for understanding the implications of decisions. Engage faculty in informal conversations Prepare teachers by indicating what are

potential areas are affected by the decision Lead the conversation – personal

participation should be in the form of questions versus directives

Provide clear explanations for decisions with an emphasis on unintended consequences

Teacher Actions Teachers – actively participate in the

discussions to gain an understanding of the larger context of decisions and school programs Actively listen to create a larger perspective

of issues outside of the classroom Be ready for potential periods of frustration

as issues are discussed. This aspect is slow to start, but the pace increases quickly the group understands PLC fundamentals.

Access and Use of Pertinent Information

PLCs need to identify data and data sources that are required to make informed decisions.

Example of Sources:

Classroom Performance Data

State Testing Data

Teacher Observations

School/District Policies

Goal: Stakeholders have access to needed information to make informed, data-based decisions.

Principal Actions Principal – facilitates the discussion of

what data is needed by the faculty to make informed decisions. Information is tied directly to direct and

indirect consequences. Provide methods of obtaining the

needed data Guide conversations to only include

relevant data to prevent data overload

Teacher Actions Teachers – collaborate with leadership to

determine necessary information Learn the process of determining what

data is relevant to prevent data overload Understand that information needs to be

used, not simply restated. At this stage, focus efforts on

instructional information.

Authority and Leadership Capacity

Principal collaborates with staff to develop an understanding of shared leadership and decision-making.

Goal: The school is a collaborative enterprise where power is shared equally and decisions are made in alignment with the shared vision.

Principal Actions Principal – needs to facilitate professional

dialogue that models leadership principles consistent with PLCs. Focus efforts on leadership actions that

directly impact classroom instruction. Engage faculty in frequent conversations

about leadership. Present methods of leadership that allow

teachers to maintain a focus on classroom instruction while incrementally addressing the larger context of the school.

Teacher Actions Teacher – starts to build a deeper

understanding of teacher leadership and the value of participating in decision-making. Participate to increase ownership of the

school practices Learn the many ways that teacher

leadership can manifest in schools Seek opportunities to increase

involvement in school activities

Opportunities to Make Change*

Principal leads professional dialogue with school stakeholders to examine current practices to determine areas that might not integrate with the new shared vision of the school.

Goal: A school that amends practice as needed to best meet the demands of the vision and student needs.

* This aspect runs concurrent with the development of a shared vision.

Principal Actions Principal needs to facilitate the professional

dialogue. Determine areas that are potentially in

conflict with the new shared vision or vision discussions.

Explicitly identify the areas of potential conflict to focus teacher discussion

Model the process of reconciling conflicting points of view to achieve consensus on changes

At this point, final decision-making authority still resides with the principal

Teacher Actions Teachers – need to deeply examine personal

and institutional practices to determine which practices potentially need to be addressed. Open this process with an open mind. The

change may create better working conditions or better results.

Prepare for uncomfortable conversations that could address aspects of the school that you believe are important.

Responsibility and Reward

Principal opens a dialogue on how responsibilities and reward can be shared with stakeholders.

Goal: A school that equitably shares responsibility and reward for meeting school goal.

Principal Actions Principal – bases professional conversations about

responsibility and reward on the concurrent dialogue about a shared vision. Facilitate conversations that address current

responsibilities and methods of meeting these responsibilities

Develop a menu of options for how responsibility can be shared without generating an overload of professional responsibilities.

Solicit feedback and create structures that reward stakeholders for active participation at the classroom and school levels.

Teacher Actions Teachers – actively participate in discussions

about responsibility and reward. Consider what aspects of the school

program which are most important to meeting the central mission of student learning

Consider the how these aspects can be made to share responsibility and reward

Consider the areas of most importance to teachers and methods of addressing these areas of importance

Teacher Actions Teachers – actively participate in

discussions about responsibility and reward. Consider what aspects of the school

program which are most important to meeting the central mission of student learning

Consider the how these aspects can be made to share responsibility and reward

Consider the areas of most importance to teachers and methods of addressing these areas of importance

Reflections

1. What aspect of shared and supportive leadership do you find to be the most important? Why?

2. What aspect of shared and supportive leadership do you see as the greatest challenge? Why?

3. How do you feel about assuming a larger role in the school program?