Affiliation: Wilderness School. University of Melbourne

Innovate session title: Building the engine room of schools: leadership moves for middle level leaders

Presenter: Heather De Blasio,

Affiliation: Wilderness School. University of Melbourne

Conference Subtheme: Leading Capacity For Change

Network: Educational Leadership

Description:

Implementation of educational improvement in schools and systems necessitates leading change. Within schools, the successful enactment of change rests heavily upon the shoulders of those who must deliver it: the middle tier of school leaders, often called the 'engine room' of a school. Research suggests that in Australia such leaders are frequently appointed for their skills as classroom practitioners or leadership potential, often with little formal preparation.

This session focuses on ideas drawn from contemporary middle management, educational leadership literature and a successful school initiative. Through group activities and discussion, participants will learn strategies and tools to build the leadership capacity of middle-level leaders through noticing, naming and leveraging the characteristics and behaviours used by successful leaders.

Given the increasing evidence of the crucial role that middle-level leaders play in the learning agenda of our schools, this workshop offers a practical and purposeful approach for developing the capacity, skills and willingness needed. This is critical if the benefits of school improvement are to be realised in the daily life and experiences of all teachers and students.

Abstract:

The successful enactment and implementation of a school’s educational mission and strategic plan rests heavily upon the shoulders of those who must deliver it: the middle tier of school leaders, often called the ‘engine room’ of a school. Such leaders are frequently appointed for their skills as classroom practitioners or their leadership potential (Adey, 2000; Buck, 2016: Bush, 2012; Buck, Tomlinson & Toop, 2014; O’Rourke & Burrows, 2013), and often have no formal training for this role (Buck, Tomlinson & Toop, 2014; Dinham, 2007; Gurr & Drysdale, 2013; Irvine & Brundett, 2016; White, 2001). But how do we go about intentionally fostering the capacity of our middle leaders and potential leaders – those upon whom such a weighty responsibility depends? Particularly, as the nature of this role has changed so significantly in the past two decades (Buck, Tomlinson & Toop, 2014; Gurr & Drysdale, 2013; O’Rourke & Burrows, 2013; White, 2001).

Drawing on contemporary middle management and educational leadership literature, strategies that can be leveraged to build the capacity of middle-tier leaders as leaders of learning, not just event managers or administrators will be examined. Based on an initiative in an independent Australian school, it includes ideas to build both the personal qualities middle leaders need to enhance relationships with those they lead, as well as their knowledge of educational leadership and a language of leadership.

Group activities and discussion ideas, based on purposeful process design (Lipton & Wellman, 2016),which assistmiddle leaders to identifyand intentionally leverage a range of behaviours, known here as ‘leadership moves’ are explored. In addition to this, adopting Breakspear’s (2016) notion of ‘sprints’, a cyclic iterative model for the pursuit of small achievable goals, reflections and resetting is proposed.

Evidence of the positive impact of this initiative on the leadership skills and practices of the school’s middle leaders will be presented, as well as the school’s plans for the ongoing development of middle leaders through Action Plans, annual leadership goals, reflective conversations (Costa & Garmston, 2002) and systems for follow up.

This paper delivers a timely message about the importance of an intentional approach to developing the capacity, skills and willingness of middle leaders to drive the learning agenda of our schools (Breakspear, Peterson, Alfadala, & Khair, 2017; Buck, Tomlinson & Toop, 2014). This is critical if schools’ strategic intents for school improvement are to be realised in the daily life and experiences of all teachers and students.

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