Leadership for School Improvement Miami Beach, 2011 Tobin Bechtel Andy Krawczyk

1. Leadership for School Improvement Miami Beach, 2011 Tobin Bechtel Andy Krawczyk

2. Leadership Questions – The ToK Approach… Can a leader be a leader if s/he does not have any followers? Can a leader be a leader if s/he is going in the wrong direction? Can a leader be a leader if s/he does not have any control over an organization’s resources?

3. Workshop Goals: Learning and doing • Goals and Objectives: • To introduce participants to a range of leadership strategies which are research- and evidence-based with a strong focus on improving student learning outcomes. • To explore the research into effective school leadership and the practical application of current research into leadership practices through scenario planning and action plans for participants • To develop a deeper understanding of the principles underpinning effective schools and how this can be applied at the local level • To explore the role of data collection and analysis for leaders in school improvement strategies • To understand the principles of effective professional learning and how to plan strategically for implementation • To examine a range of performance management models for improving teacher performance and to develop a model for participants’ schools.

4. Suggested norms • All suggested ground rules or group norms should support this overarching principle: • “Do not prevent yourself or others from participating or learning during the workshop sessions.” • The workshop leaders and participants agree to . . . • Start and end on time. • Remember my school’s particular experience may be different from all other IB World Schools. • Express disagreement with ideas, not individuals. • Listen respectfully to all ideas. • Avoid interrupting others when they are speaking. • Conduct personal business (e.g., phone calls, e-mails, health and beauty) outside of the meeting room. • “What is said in Miami stays in Miami” (please respect confidentiality of comments or observations made in the context of this workshop).

5. Expert or novice On each of the six workshop goals posted around the room let us know if you are an expert or novice. Experts – On a post-it provide at least one good resource for others related to this goal (more are welcome but put them each one on a separate post-it) Novice – On a post-it write down one question you would like answered before you leave the workshop (more are welcome but put each one on a separate post-it)

6. Introductions • Please briefly introduce yourself to the group by stating: • Your name • Your school’s name and location • Your role at the school • The length of your experience in the IB (your experience not your school’s)

7. 4, 3, 2, 1, activity Use separate post-it notes to write down the following 4 – Words that describe what a school leader does or is (4 separate post-its) 3 – Sources of power for a school leader (3 separate post-its) 2 – Things a school leader should never do (2 separate post-its) 1 – A common misconception about school leadership (1 post-its) Share your responses with a neighbor and compare similarities and differences. Next, put your post-it on the designated space in the room.

8. Claim 2: There are eight key dimensions of successful leadership (Day et al.) • Successful leaders: • define their values and vision to raise expectations, set direction and build trust • reshape the conditions for teaching and learning • restructure parts of the organisation and redesign leadership roles and responsibilities • enrich the curriculum • enhance teacher quality • enhance the quality of teaching and learning • build collaboration internally • build strong relationships outside the school community Although the sequence, timing, order and combination of these strategies varies from school to school, the visions and values are strikingly similar.

9. 8 Dimensions Task – Who is responsible and How do they do it? • PYP/MYP/DP groups • Workbook pp 17-19 – 8 key dimensions further defined •  At tables discuss who is responsible for implementing each of the of the 8 dimensions and how would it be done •  Who ideas: Superintendent, principal, coordinator, department head, district admin, teachers, parents, students, board, •  How ideas: Words, Deeds (Actions), process, systems, resources,

10. Organizing for School Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Five essential supports Bryk, Anthony S.; Sebring, Penny Bender; Allensworth, Elaine; Luppescu, Stuart; and Easton, John Q. (2010). Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

11. Organizing for School Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Five essential supports (1) School leadership: This support refers to whether principals are strategic, focused on instruction, and inclusive of others in their leadership work. Elementary schools with strong school leadership were seven times more likely to improve in math and nearly four times more likely to improve in reading than schools weak on this measure. (2) Parent-community ties: This support refers to whether schools are a welcoming place for parents and whether there are strong connections between the school and local institutions. Elementary schools with strong parental involvement were ten times more likely to improve in math and four times more likely to improve in reading than schools weak on this measure.

12. Organizing for School Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Five essential supports (3) Professional capacity: This support refers to the quality of the faculty and staff recruited to the school, their base beliefs and values about change, the quality of ongoing professional development, and the capacity of staff to work together. Elementary schools where teachers were highly committed to the school and inclined to embrace innovation were five times more likely to improve in reading and four times more likely to improve in math than schools weak on this measure. (4) Student-centered learning climate: This support refers to whether schools have a safe, welcoming, stimulating and nurturing environment focused on learning for all students. Elementary schools with strong safety and order were two times more likely to improve in reading than schools weak on this measure.

13. Organizing for School Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. Five essential supports (5) Instructional guidance: This support refers to the organization of the curriculum, the nature of the academic demand or challenges it poses, and the tools teachers have to advance learning (such as instructional materials). Elementary schools with strong curriculum alignment were four times more likely to improve in math and reading than schools weak on this measure. Bryk, Anthony S.; Sebring, Penny Bender; Allensworth, Elaine; Luppescu, Stuart; and Easton, John Q. (2010). Organizing Schools for Improvement: Lessons from Chicago. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

14. You as a leader • Now that we have explored a few components of leadership… • CISIT - Calnin International Schools Improvement Toolkit (CISIT) • Self Evaluation – we will use this later in the workshop

15. Session 3 – Managing Staff and Difficult BehaviorsManaging Change

16. How am I a difficult person? (self-assessment) When working with others, do you worry more about getting the job done or maintaining a good relationship with the group? If you could have only one outcome, which would it be? When dealing with others, do you tend to be more aggressive, offering your opinions first, or do you tend to be more passive, waiting to see what others have to say? Are you intent upon defining the situation to suit your needs or are you more likely to hang back and look for opportunities? At your most annoying and obnoxious, would those who know you best say that your primary need is: • to get things done? • for attention and recognition? • to get along? • to get it right?

17. Seven assumptions about learning to deal with difficult people • There is no simple, foolproof way to deal with difficulty people; human beings are more complex than all the theories of human development. • Learning to deal with difficult people is an opportunity to learn about ourselves. • The only person I can change is myself; by changing my behavior, I can change how others deal with me. • Labeling a behavior as difficult helps us identify and choose strategies; it is not useful for building a long-term relationship.

18. Seven assumptions about learning to deal with difficult people • Behaviors of difficult people can indicate personality strengths. • Although conflict is not acceptable in some cultures, change cannot occur without some conflict. • Difficult people are identified as such because they block us from what we want. Newton, A. (1994). Mentoring: A resource and training guide for educators. Andover, MA: The Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement.

19. Questions to ask yourself when dealing with a difficult person • What is it worth to me to get involved? • Am I clear about my goal?How is this an opportunity for me? • How flexible am I willing to be? • What’s really going on here? • Do I think I can make progress here? • Am I prepared for setbacks? • Others? Newton, A. (1994). Mentoring: A resource and training guide for educators. Andover, MA: The Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement.

20. Five Steps for Getting Past “NO” 1. Don’t react “Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” Ambrose Bierce 2. Disarm Them “One must know how to sail with a contrary wind and to tack until one meets a wind in the right direction.” Fortune DeFelice 3. Don’t Reject . . . Reframe “Craft against vice I will apply.” William Shakespeare 4. Build Them a Golden Bridge “Build your adversary a golden bridge to retreat across.” Sun Tau 5. Make it Hard to Say “No” “The best general is the one who never fights.” Sun Tau Ury, William (1991) Getting Past No: Negotiating with Difficult People. Bantam Books

21. Curriculumreview Studentpopulation Facultyexperience Availableresources Periodicself-study Communityexpectations The IB and your school: the only constant is change

22. Elements of effective professional learning Tell me and I will forget Show me and I may remember Involve me and I will understand • We teach how we were taught • Inconsistency of memory • Single loop learning - Actions • Conceptual frameworks • Multiple modes and inputs • Double loop learning - Thoughts • Creating a need to know • Coaching, practice, feedback • Triple loop learning - Being

23. Elements of effective professional learning Pedagogical content knowledge Deep subject matter knowledge Has arsenal of forms of representation Grasps what makes it easy or hard to learn Draws from research and practice Knows common preconceptions / misconceptions Reorganizes others’ understanding

24. IB Standards and PracticesSection C: Curriculum Standard C1: Collaborative planning Collaborative planning and reflection supports the implementation of the IB programme(s). Standard C2: Written curriculum The school’s written curriculum reflects IB philosophy. Standard C3: Teaching and learning Teaching and learning reflects IB philosophy. Standard C4: Assessment Assessment at the school reflects IB assessment philosophy. [These will keep you busy for years]

25. Professional learning communities (PLC) • Shared values and vision • Collaborative culture • Focus on examining outcomes to improve student learning • Supportive and shared leadership • Shared personal practice Professional learning communities (PLC) is a broadly used term often misapplied to meetings between educators that do not exhibit the above combination of characteristics.

26. Four square evaluation Please divide a blank sheet of paper into four sections. Using the lables in the sample below provide the presenters with your formative feedback.