School Leadership

Symposium on Education Reform: Ensuring Excellence Through Leadership & Assessment

Supreme Council of Education The British Council

Prepared By Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Horr

Thanks to ..

Supreme Council of Education

&
The British Council

What is leadership?

Draw the first image comes to your mind when you here the word school leader ?

The Max Strategy

In order to get better, you have to get Different !

Different Reform Model

Independent School Model

Partially decentralized / privatized system produces schools

operated by nongovernmental parties subject to a charter undergo independent monitoring allow parental involvement and choice

Reform Plan Emphasizes Four Principles of Educational Improvement

Autonomy: schools are publicly funded but privately run, subject to charters Accountability: objective and transparent assessment system holds schools responsible for students success Variety: different kinds of schools and instructional programs Choice: over time parents will be able to select the schools that best fit their childrens needs

The Internal Dynamics of the Reform

Autonomy

High Quality Education

Promotes

Promotes

Variety

Parents informed decision

Promotes

Promotes

Competition

Entails

Accountability

Reform Has Several Key Elements

Internal dynamic forces of the reform will always

promote high quality of education

Educational programs are aligned with

international curriculum standards

Systematic, objective monitoring and evaluation of school

and student performance through standardized assessments

Building local capacity with support from international

experts
Ongoing evaluation to allow for adjustments

Characteristics of High-Achieving Schools

Focus on High Academic Standards for All No Excuses Attitude Careful Experimentation with Instruction Involvement of All Stakeholders Strong Sense of Family Collaboration Focused on Instruction Passion for Continual Improvement

No Excuses Attitude
The successful schools . . . Believed that ALL Students could and would achieve to high standards. Worked together to create an environment in which all students would succeed. Acknowledged that there were barriers that could make progress difficult at times; however, they refused to allow those barriers to become excuses. Held high expectations for students, but also held high expectations for themselves and their colleagues. Did whatever it took instructionally to ensure ALL students were learning to the standards.

Focus on High Academic Standards for All

The successful schools . . . Established clear, measurable, and challenging academic goals for each and every student group. Anchoring: Emphasized the expectation that all groups of students (even those furthest behind) would attain the goals. Determined systematic ways of regularly gauging progress toward the attainment of the goals. Rigorously monitored progress. Aligned decision-making processes with goals. Student-Centered Decisions always

Careful Experimentation with Instruction

The successful schools . . . Knew that school improvement meant improved instruction. Used Research-based practices Knew the academic strengths and needs of their students, related to the country standards. Encouraged the careful examination of alternative strategies, approaches, and programs. Selected only the approaches that best matched their strengths and needs. Pre-determined how success would be gauged. Were willing to adapt, modify, or supplement.

Involvement of All Stakeholders

The successful schools . . . Included everyone who touched the child (including teachers, staff, students, and parents) in the school improvement process. Found ways to use everyones talents to help attain the schools goals. Found ways to build everyones talents so that they had more to contribute to the attainment of the schools goals. Always asked, What can you do to help us teach this concept or skill?

Sense of Family
The successful schools . . . Made everyone (students, teachers, support staff, administrators) feel valued and appreciated. Found ways to acknowledge the contributions of all members of the school family and helped people know that they belonged. Treated all students with a sincere respect so that students knew they were wanted at school.

Collaboration Focused on Instruction

The successful schools . . . Increased the amount of time teachers spent collaborating with each other. Built an atmosphere of trust so that collaboration would be more effective. Focused collaboration times on instructional issues directly related to key academic standards. Used collaboration to create a culture of professional development.

Passion for Improvement

The successful schools . . . Acknowledged and celebrated successes, then established even more challenging goals. Assumed that they could always improve, even when they had achieved more than comparable schools. Nurtured a collective, yet very personal sense of responsibility for student success. Were relentless in pursuing higher and higher academic goals.

What Dose the Reform Need

Committed and well-prepared leaders are essential to school reform and will always be the catalyst for improving the academic achievement of students.

Why Is That?

Leadership not only matters it is second to only teaching among school related factors in its impact on student learning. Excellent leadership can make a profound difference in schools where there is the greatest need.

How Is That?

Successful Leadership Setting Directions Shared Understandings Focus on Goals with a sense of Purpose or Vision A Sense that Goals are Achievable High Performance Expectations Monitoring Performance Promoting Effective Communication Shared Organizational Purposes

How Is That?

Developing People Offer Intellectual Stimulation Ensure Individualized Support Provide Models of Best Practices Establish a Foundation of Beliefs that Support Action Guarantee High Quality Professional Development

How Is That?

Redesigning the Organization Develop schools as effective organizations that support and sustain the performance of administrators, teachers and students Modify organizational structures Build collaborative relationships

How Is That?

Influencing student achievement: Guide and influence others and the organization Provide ongoing examination of evidence and conditions for teaching and learning Focus on the high priorities

Leaders Who Matter

Create and Sustain Direction (focus) Empower Others (data driven) Provide Guidance (good teaching) Focus on Continuous Improvement (learning and planning)

Standards
What school leaders need to know and be able to do:
Professional Standards for Educational Leaders

Instructional Leader for Learning

Traditional Management Responsibilities

As well as Manager, Instructional Leader, Visionary, Politician, Strategist, Health & Social Services Leader, Community Leader, and Motivational Emotional Leader

School Improvement Means People Improvement

To Improve [schools], one must invest in people, support people, and develop people

Phil Schlecty Schools for the 21st Century

Strategies that Facilitated Progress

Targeting an Attainable First Goal Refocusing Energies on Service to all Students Creating an Environment that Promotes Positive Student Behavior Building a Collective Sense of Responsibility among stakeholders Increasing Instructional Leadership

Strategies that Influence Progress (continued)

Aligning Instruction to Standards Getting Teachers Needed Resources Creating Opportunities for Collaboration Building Partnerships with Parents Creating Additional Instructional Time Persisting through Difficulties

Targeting an Attainable First Goal

We focused upon an important, visible, attainable first goal. We acknowledged that we could not do everything at once. Yet, it was important to help everyone know that the school was changing. By focusing on one important, attainable goal, we were able to generate a visible success in a short period of time. This first success became the cornerstone of future successes.

Refocusing Energies on Service to Students

We helped teachers, support staff, and parents to direct their energy towards the improvement of services to students. We encouraged teachers, staff, and parents to focus on creating a positive teaching and learning environment.

Creating an Environment that Promotes Positive Student Behavior

School personnel established clear, simple rules for student behavior that reflected high expectations. Rules were enforced consistently and fairly. Student responsibility for their behavior was nurtured through student leadership activities. Students knew they were respected and valued.

Building a Collective Sense of Responsibility

Principals emphasized the importance of each individuals contribution to the attainment of school goals. Planning processes provided avenues for the involvement of many staff and faculty. Staff members took on new roles in support of school goals.

Increasing Instructional Leadership

Principals spent a substantial amount of time engaged in instructional leadership activities. We kept teachers focused on improving teaching and learning. We used data to help teachers improve instruction.

Aligning Instruction to Standards

Educators meticulously ensured that children were being taught the skills articulated in an Education Institute standards. Alignment processes provided teachers a road map for student improvement.

Getting Teachers Needed Resources

We made sure that teachers felt like they had adequate materials, equipment, and training. Teachers were given access to high quality professional development opportunities that had a direct relationship to critical academic issues in their classrooms.

Creating Opportunities for Collaboration

We created blocks of time for teachers to work and plan together. In our, schedule was organized so that teams of teachers would share a common planning time and meet together once or twice a week. Planning times were used to focus on critical instructional issues, discuss strategies, and share insights.

Building Partnerships with Parents

Parents saw tangible evidence of the schools concern for their children. Thus, parents were more eager to support school improvement efforts. We met with them 8 times in 6 months. School personnel made parents feel like they were welcome as equals at the school.

Persisting through Difficulties

We refused to give up as difficulties emerged. We kept focused on school goals and acted upon the assumption that those goals would ultimately be achieved. We perceived their work, less as a job, more as a mission. We believed in themselves, their staffs, and they believed in the ability of their students to succeed.

You Are The Leader

If your actions inspire other to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

John Quincy Adams