ETL504 Module 3

Leadership for Learning

What is your understanding of leadership for learning?

'Leaders need to learn and leaders learn as they lead' (Swaffield & MacBeath, 2008, p.32)

O’Donoghue and Clark (2009) discussed the need for teachers to undergo reflective practice and specifically discuss the use of action inquiry to help teachers make informed judgements about their own practice. I am not sure what the current situation is for teaching in other states but under the Victorian Institute of Teaching to become a fully registered teacher. Teachers must submit an action inquiry conducted within their classroom in collaboration with a mentor and backed by the school principal. The action project was a process of trial and error, testing and seeking feedback. The year 11 students knew that I was trying new things and for the most part were eager to give it a go, and let me know what was or wasn’t working for them. There was an overlap in student and teacher learning and leading.  I cannot speak for every teacher doing this but my report was well over 60 pages of action plan discussion, evidence collection, reflection and evaluation of practices. While I had put off doing it a long time, fearing the increased workload would be too much, when I finally did the inquiry the planning, flow of teaching and consequential learning experiences were probably better than any other point in my teaching. While there was a lot of work put into this registration ‘hurdle’ it did make my teaching practice better.

I liked how both (Swaffield & MacBeath, 2008, O’Donoghue & Clark, 2009) both mentioned that teaching leadership should not be a gift handed out to a select few (or a burden delegated to them) but a right and responsibility of all. Teachers are to be treated as professionals capable of leadership and should be supported in there learning to fulfil this role.

Leadership for learning means that there is a major focus on learning and the conditions favour learning. Leadership of learning is shared and accountable.

‘Teaching is leadership, and leadership begins in the classroom as teachers “act with meaning”, seeking greater learning for their students and colleagues.’ (Collay, 2011 p.75)

Below is a diagram of the inquiry action plan mentioned earlier. Three major stages of the cycle involve planning, action and reflection.  

Have you been able to identify any particular element of leadership practice in collaborative environments, that has made you stop and think about the practical professional opportunities that you may like to explore or adopt in your school?

Reading the first paragraph of Semadeni’s section on professional development it made me reflect back on my teaching practice early in my career (2009, p.28). Teachers feeling uncomfortable sharing instructional strategies for example reminded me of my competitive attitude towards my teaching, wanting to have the best lessons. I didn’t really like sharing resources because I knew how much time and effort I put into to those resources. I felt really used when other teachers would take my resources (assignments, tests, notes…) for their classes. It was like getting stuck in a team project where you are the only one doing the work.  Semadeni also mentioned how teachers felt uncomfortable engaging in peer observation and allowing peers to give them feedback. I can also identify with this; I don’t know what drove me to go into teaching as I really hated public speaking and reading aloud. Funnily I could easily communicate with my secondary students, speak and read up front of a class, but as soon as a colleague or superior entered the room I was mess of nerves. However, now I feel a bit more open to having colleagues coming and observe and give feedback when it is someone I feel an equal to or have a friendship with. Speaking to students all the time has helped me to speak to adults. I feel at one stage or another I have been through each of the different forms of collaboration; ‘balkanization’, ‘comfortable collaboration’ and ‘contrived collegiality’ (Semadeni, 2009, p.31).

Classroom management was a stumbling point in my teaching; the principal saw this and offered me a mentor. This was horrifying for me as no one else in the school had to have a mentor, clearly I was incompetent. The perception needed to be changed that all teachers can learn from a mentor relationship although this is a can be a hard thing to take for some teachers (p.33). I liked the online schedule for peer observation it makes it seem more on an every practice for observing others teachers and invited teachers into their classroom (Semadeni, 2009, fig. 2.2).

I liked the idea of a co-teaching relationship discussed by Rytivaara & Kershner (2012), but I have not really seen a working relationship in action. I know of teachers that share a class due to being both part-time works but I don’t really know how well they worked together being in on separate days.

Collay, M. (2011). Teaching is leading. Everyday Teacher Leadership: Taking Action Where You Are (pp. 75-108). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Donoghue, T. A., & Clarke, S. (2010). Teachers learning and teachers leading. Leading learning: process, themes and issues in international contexts (pp. 87-99). London: Routledge.

MacBeath, J. E., & Dempster, N. (2009). Leadership for learning. Connecting leadership and learning: principles for practice (pp. 32-52). London: Routledge.

Rytivaara, A., & Kershner, R. (2012). Co-teaching as a context for teachers' professional learning and joint knowledge construction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(7), 999-1008. Retrieved March 19, 2014, from http://www.citeulike.org/article/10851402

Semadeni, J. H. (2009). Professional development. Taking charge of professional development a practical model for your school (pp. 28-48). Alexandria, Va.: ASCD.