Self-improving School Leaders Within a Self-improving School System

Author(s):

Ian Potter(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2013

Network:

01. Continuing Professional Development: Learning for Individuals, Leaders, and Organisations

Format:

Paper

Session Information

01 SES 01 C, Making a Difference

Paper Session

Time:

2013-09-10

13:15-14:45

Room:

B-204

Chair:

Rosemary Mulholland

Contribution

School systems in many countries are adopting neo-liberal approaches to the organisation of the public sector provision of education. The increasing independence and autonomy that school leaders have, now operating more like Chief Executives of state commissioned 'businesses', has led to questions around how able and prepared are our school leaders to operate in such ways, and what might be the impact of these changes on improvement of the whole system.

The question this paper addresses, drawing on the auto-biographical narrative of the author, is how does a school leader who learnt to be 'king' of his empire re-learn the ability and capacity to be a system leader collaborating with other school leaders for the good of the system as a whole.

The research question draws on theoretical frameworks in relation to shared and distributed leadership and notions of system leadership. The paper provides a conceptual model for how the transformation to system leadership can be achieved. It is an innovative approach to leadership development and continuing professional learning.

Method

In addition to the literature review, which has refined the research question and tailored a conceptual model for understanding the leadership transformation that is the topic of this enquiry, the data being used to develop further the conceptual model is being taken from a reflective journal written by the author in his first seven years of headship. An auto-ethnographical methodology is used to interrogate the theoretical proposition. It is designed to be a method of learning from one's own practice that enables a deeper appreciation and understanding of the demands of headship in a seemingly ever-changing landscape.

Expected Outcomes

The findings that are emerging include a need to re-conceptualise what is known as a systems leader. A five-stage model for leadership transformation is presented and the outcome is a conceptual framework in which the theories of distributed and systems leadership are combined. A emerging conclusion from my research is the relationship between self-improving leaders in order to achieve a self-improving system.

References

Gronn, P. (2003) 'The New Work of Educational Leaders' SAGE Gonn, P. (2010) "Leadership: it's genealogy, configuration and trajectory" in Journal of Educational Admistration and History vol. 42 (4) p 405-435 Gunter, H, M (2012) Leadership and the Reform of Education PolicyPress Dimmock, C. (2012) 'Leadership, Capacity Building ans School Improvement'. Routledge Ball, S. J. (2008) 'The Education Debate' PolicyPress Ball, S. J. (2012) 'Global Education Inc. New policy networks and the neoliberal imaginary' Routledge Hargreaves, D. (2011) Leading a self-improving school system. NCSL

Author Information

Ian Potter (presenting / submitting)

Bay House School

Gosport

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