2013 the role of current and future deputy principals background of the research what –mxied...

The role of current and future deputy principals as leaders of

learning.

Wanda Snitch NSWSDPA 30 Aug 2013

Engage your brain – 2 minutes Reflect on your last week or so at work

Consider what activity or type of activity dominated this time

Think of a metaphor for this type of work

Write it on the card

Discuss with someone near you


The promise:Report on research into the role and

preparation of secondary DPs

Reflect on implications of research into what leadership activities impact on student learning outcomes

Learn how other systems identify, prepare and recruit school leaders, and consider implications for NSW secondary schools as well as for DPs as leaders


Pease note: about the research


Some points that may be of interest

Research involves compromise...

Confirmatory and exploratory – new links

More analysis to be done

Findings for your reflection – discussion and implications still evolving

*Much may reassure you, but some may challenge you...

Questions about any research


So what?

Who cares?

Secondary deputy

principal

Leadership of learning

Preparation &

succession

*Feel free to ask me ‘Why did you ask that question???’


Brief background of the researchWhat – mixed method

survey (n=237), interviews (8)

Why – linking three areas Secondary deputy principals research findings Educational leadership theory Preparation and succession planning for school leaders –

international practice

Who NSW government secondary DPs some demographics and context

*Most results will reflect surveys (broad but shallow) and interviews (narrow but deep)


The survey – March 2012Data collected:

Demographics and background of DPs School context Time spent on, operation as DP and SMT Educational leadership – views and practice

Thank you to the 237 people who completed the survey, and apologies and understanding for those who started but did not complete...


Age, gender, teaching and DP experience


School location, size, type


The interviews – Term 1 2013

8 semi-structured interviews, approx one hour

Gender, location equally represented

Diversity of school size and type, age group and views and experiences represented

Selected from 111 volunteers – thank you!


‘Purposively selected’ interviewees


Male Female

Rural/regional 2 2

Metropolitan 2 2

Interview Questions1. Becoming a deputy principal – including

any encouragement

2. *Operating as an educational leader –and barriers to this

3. Preparation for the DP role – your own and suggestions for the future.

4. Aspirations Principal? DP good preparation for principal? ‘Career deputy’?


Results: What DPs spend their time on

Survey *In a typical week, how much time to you generally

spend on the following activities: [little or no, some, great deal] Management/administration Strategic leadership Student issues Educational/curriculum leadership Parent/community issues Staffing issues Operational matters

Add any types of activities which take up a significant proportion of your time which are not reflected above


Survey results – time spent


What do the means mean...


Two highest Student issues: 2.91 Management/administration 2.82

Two lowest Strategic leadership 1.78 Educational/curriculum 1.85

leadership

Time: Survey comments - themes Welfare and discipline Family issues and needs:

emotional, dysfunctional, social, psychological

Technology driven imperatives

Bullying inc Facebook/SMS Reports, Accountability, BOS Assessment and reporting Outside agencies liaison Grounds, tradesmen,

maintenance Public relations, school

promotion

N=58

Enrolments Teaching including

preparation, marking VET NAPLAN Individual teacher, HT, YA

meetings After hours functions Teacher professional

learning Staff, student and family

mental health Non-school issues brought

to school


Interview responses: DP role (general)NB Importance of context – size of school,

number of DPs Broad, complex and unpredictable role Student welfare and discipline Liaison between principal and others in school Impact on learning – indirect and direct

including teaching Staff management – development and welfare Administration – casuals Strategic, vision


How roles are determined: interviews Role statements rarely mentioned

In ‘single DP’ schools roles negotiated with principal but less flexibility

In some cases negotiated between DPs rather than directly with principal

New DPs have less negotiating power than incumbents

Perceived need to revisit roles occasionally

Year or stage organisation for student and curriculum management – range of models and views


Results: Becoming a DPSurveys:

97% trained in NSW, mostly 4 years All permanent DPs recruited via Merit Selection

– lateral included. 82% had specific encouragement Many completed postgraduate study e.g. 25%

Masters DEC leadership programs helpful but not

sufficient 26% in second DP position 42% worked with only 1 principal >2 terms


Becoming a DP Interviews (open ended question) Most did not aspire – ‘accidental deputy’ Experiences beyond the school - positive Moving between schools – positive, rural

issues, isolated and challenging schools Relieving - positive but... Encouragement generally from DP or P,

rarely from HT Merit Selection


Educational leadership: DP views, practice and research4 survey sections: self-perception

1. *Time spent on 7 types of leadership activity

2. ‘I operate as an educational leader in my current role’ agreement /5

3. Responses to 5 educational leadership dimensions from research – Important vsActual

4. Frequency of engagement in activities (18 items)


1. Time spent on types of leadership activity (after Cranston 2002)


2. ‘I operate as an educational leader in my current role’ agreement /5mean = 3.88

Strongly disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

Mean /5

6 16 33 127 55 3.88

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

Series1



3. Dimensions of educational leadershipaccording to major research

1. Establishing teaching and learning goals and expectations

2. Using resources strategically so they are devoted to achieving goals

3. Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum

4. Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development

5. Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment

3. Leadership dimensions

DP view of importance

Research – effect size


3.9

3.95

4

4.05

4.1

4.15

4.2

4.25

4.3

4.35

4.4

Series1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1 2 3 4 5

Series2

4. Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development5. Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment

One interpretation...


Deputies may overestimate the importance of ensuring an orderly and supportive environment and underemphasise the importance of promoting and participating in teacher learning and development.

Concept of “Necessary but not sufficient”

3. Ideal vs real: dimensions of educational leadership

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Goals &expectations

Match res to goals Plan & evalteaching & learn

Promote & particTeacher L &D

Ensure orderly &supportive env

DP ideal

DP real


4. Sub items based on 5 dimensions


Frequency of leadership activity identified by research as having impact on student learning outcomes

*18 items ranked 1-5 Never – Very frequently (see handout 1)

Wide range of responses to individual items and ‘total’ score – self-assessment incurrent context

Mean scores on sub items


3 highest meansI ensure consistent discipline routines 4.55I identify and resolve conflict quickly & effectively 4.12I promote collective responsibility/accountability for

student achievement and wellbeing 3.92

3 lowest meansI observe classroom teaching and give useful feedback to

teachers 2.47I am actively involved, as a leader or learner, in

professional learning with staff 3.12I work directly with teachers or executives to plan, coordinate,

evaluate teachers and teaching 3.40

4. Previous DP research –confirmatory/exploratory items


14 items (see handout 2)

Includes operation of Senior Management Team (SMT) perceptions of current role aspirations and preparation for Principal

What do the means mean...


Highest scoring items:

Equal member of SMT 4.24

I spend the bulk of my time on student behaviour and welfare 4.14

My main focus is on keeping the school running smoothly 4.06


Lowest scoring items

My role to replace previous DP...2.51

I am actively interested in becoming a Principal... 3.35

My role as a DP is good preparation for becoming a principal... 3.62

Educational leadership: interviews


Specific question – a range of interpretations Curriculum delivery e.g. innovative St 6

timetabling Building and leading teams i.e. PL, Learning

Support Working through/with the executive Influencing classroom practice – leading PL in

QT, assessment, In class – expert teaching, observation Building positive staff culture

Educational leadership - barriers


Staff reluctance to change, participate

Time on student welfare and discipline

Allocation of DP and other executive roles

Differing educational vision with Principal

Community or clientele

Lack of system support/understanding

NSW now: Identification, preparation, recruitment and selection


Self identification Some encouragement/targeting by senior

executives for opportunities in schools Relieving opportunities may arise Dependent on school context and SMT Merit Selection No requirement for course or study

completion

*‘serendipity’ – ‘serendeputy’ – hard work but also a lot of luck involved

*Future: preparing for school leadership


‘great organisations look for people with the potential to develop the learnings necessary to provide creative leadership well into the

future...[rather than] hiring people who possess a set of proficiencies required at the moment to do the

job’

Pool not just pipeline; learnings not ‘laundry lists’


Learnings: Understanding learning Contextual knowledge – internal and external

to school Political acumen Emotional understanding Critical thinking Making connections Futures thinking

Big picture, outside the box


Think beyond immediate needs and today’s role

2 strategies or ideas - system, school, any level to prepare secondary deputies

1 way of dealing with some of the non-learning parts of the role

How other systems prepare and select leaders


High performing leaders

Focus on student achievement and developing teachers

Coach others and believe it is most important skill

Work same hours but spend time differently

Spend more time at school and less in the office

3 main system approaches


1. Self-identification, informal mechanisms i.e. coaching and opportunities in schools

1. Opportunities for potential leaders –courses, programs to build capacity and interest

2. *Proactive guidance - early identification ‘leadership track’, progressively greater leadership training, mentoring and opportunities

Ontario Singapore


Aspiring School Leaders track

Lead and Development Officer: plan

Principal mentor Whole school roles Principal Qualification

Program Principal and Super

support in several rounds of recruitment

Actively matched to appropriate roles

Mentoring for 2 years by trained/paid Principal mentor

Early identification: CEP (intellectual capacity, interpersonal skills, drive & resilience )

*Leadership track Opportunities, formal

training, Principal apprenticeship

Work attachments at head office, overseas study encouraged

6 month course to build strategic skills for VPs to become Principal.

Appointed and moved to appropriate positions

Proof!


Alberta Canada 2006

SingaporeHong Kong 2010

Qualifications and assessment


3/7 now require specific program completion others have ‘expectation’ or highly recommend

Masters or have theory as part of Leadership development programs

Vast majority of Principals complete pre-appointment and induction programs

New NPQH (England) 36 hour assessment‘good evidence that leaders who engage in formal preparation programs are more effective, particularly if training is of high quality’

Closer to home: Secondary SMT reflections in New Zealand


‘Opportunistic’ ...’osmosis’ development of leadership skills

Greater ‘promotion velocity’ is beginning Currently learning IN the role rather than being

adequately prepared before appointment: Concern that competence will barely be achieved before moving on to next level

‘Learned in retrospect the limitations of learning on the job’ - need for basic competency prior to appointment

Need blend of role specific skills training and deep evidence- based learning about leadership [nuts & bolts & theory]

‘An unmet and latent demand for leadership development’

As DP or principal... Building own and others capacity


Be future focused

Recognise the importance of lateral learning : networks, mentoring, coaching, shadowing

Working in different contexts and with different leaders has benefits

Programs and courses – benefits. Balance of theory and practical.

Be aware of developments and implications –AITSL (Australian Professional Standard for Principals), Great Teaching, Inspired Learning

In your own school


Look for potential leaders...early and carefully – ‘an organisation often has more potential leaders than it realises’

Encourage whole school responsibility to develop not just use them

Be aware of the potential of the NSWSDPA for learning and also as an engine for change

References


Robinson, V; Hohepa, M; Lloyd, C (2009) School leadership and student outcomes: identifying what works and why: best evidence iteration (BES) NZ Ministry of Education

Fink, (2010) The Succession Challenge: Building and Sustaining Leadership Capacity through Succession Management. SAGE Publications

Barber, M; Whelan, F; Clark, M (2010) Capturing the leadership premium: how the world’s top school systems are building leadership capacity for the future. McKinsey & Co for NCLSCS

McPherson, R (2009)How secondary leaders view NZ leadership preparation. Leading & Managing 15, 2

Contact


Wanda [email protected]@yahoo.com0412 027 484Insiderlearning.com.au

Some images used by DPs: I need a cartoonist to capture these!


Getting into the job Tapped on the shoulder Putting up your hand Getting a leg-up By accident Falling into it Having a walk up start Sink or swim Fish out of water Stepping up / stepping in Climbing quickly Being targeted Getting pushed The principal got on

board Having a crack

Being a DP Putting out bushfires Setting kids on fire re

learning Need a rocket-powered set

of roller skates I’m the conduit.. the

sounding board Battling with other agencies Put myself in their shoes Going overboard Doing it on your ear Knives in backs Day-to-day running Leading from the front ‘Dunnies drains and

dickheads’ Kids sinking in the HSC ‘Changing the wheel while

driving the car’

2013 the role of current and future deputy principals background of the research what –mxied...

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