O N T A R I O L E A D E R S H I P S T R A T E G Y

Resources for Building Leadership Capacity for Student Achievement and Well-Being

The success of all students in Ontario depends on effective leadership at every level to guide and support teaching and learning in Ontario schools. The Ontario Leadership Strategy (OLS) was developed to foster leadership of the highest possible quality in schools and school boards.

Key Elements of the Ontario Leadership StrategyBoard Leadership Development Strategy Manual, 2012 (This edition reflects the latest version of the Ontario Leadership Framework.)

Board Leadership deveLopment strategy

M A N U A L • 2 0 1 2

O N T A R I O L E A D E R S H I P S T R A T E G Y The Ontario Leadership Framework (revised August 2013): A School and System Leader’s Guide to Putting Ontario’s Leadership Framework Into Action

The OnTariO Leadership FramewOrk

A School and System Leader’s Guide to Putting Ontario’s Leadership

Framework into Action

Revised: September 2013

The Ontario Leadership Framework 2012, With a Discussion of the Research FoundationsBy Kenneth Leithwood

Principal/Vice-Principal Performance Appraisal: Technical Requirements Manual, 2013

O n t a r i O L e a d e r s h i p s t r a t e g y

Principal/ Vice-Principal Performance Appraisal

t e c h n i c a L r e q u i r e m e n t s m a n u a L • 2 0 1 3

A Companion Piece to the Ontario Leadership FrameworkSchool Effectiveness Framework: A Support for School Improvement and Student Success, K–12, 2013www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/Framework_english.pdf

Ideas Into ActionLearn more about the Ontario Leadership Framework and the five Core Leadership Capacities (CLCs) of effective leaders.

Bulletin 1: Five Core Capacities of Effective LeadersBulletin 2: Engaging in Courageous ConversationsBulletin 3: Promoting Collaborative Learning CulturesBulletin 4: Setting Goals: The Power of Purpose Bulletin 5: Using Data: Transforming Potential into PracticeBulletin 6: Aligning Resources with Priorities – Focusing on What Matters Most

The S

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K–12

School Effectiveness FrameworkA support for school improvement and student success

2013

OntariO Leadership strategy Bulletin #3 • SPRinG 2010

Exploring Five Core Leadership Capacities Promoting CollaborativeLearning Cultures: Putting

the Promise into PracticeThe case for collaborative learning cultures – and their direct impact

on school improvement and student achievement – has been made so

consistently and conclusively that collaborative approaches of one form

or another have become a common feature of effective education practice

in Ontario.

Yet most education researchers and practitioners would agree that we

may have, individually and collectively, only begun to scratch the surface.

What does a genuine collaborative learning culture look like? Are we

there yet? If not, how can we move beyond structural change and bring

about this kind of deep cultural change? What are the necessary conditions

for establishing an authentic collaborative learning

culture? How can we evolve from an organization of

individual learners to a true learning organization

in which knowledge is shared, developed and

applied and practice is deprivatized? How

can we build networks beyond our own individual walls to embrace – and benefit

from – a system-wide collaborative learning

culture? And how can we help ensure that

the work of educators coming together

results not only in more knowledge, but

also significantly improved practice in

classrooms?

Ideas Into Action is published by the Ministry of education to support Ontario’s school and district leaders. it is designed to provide research insights and practical strategies for school and system leadership that align with the Ontario Leadership Framework (OLF) and to help implement the Ontario Leadership strategy (OLs). Ministry-sponsored professional learning and resources are focussed on five Core Leadership Capacities (CLCs) derived from the OLF: setting goals, aligning resources with priorities, promoting collaborative learning cultures, using data, and engaging in courageous conversations.

Ideas Into Action is likewise devoted to exploring these five CLCs as one of many supports being provided to assist leaders in further strengthening and integrating these capacities into their daily practice. each issue has as its primary focus one of the CLCs and shows how it is derived from the Ontario Leadership Framework, which

describes the full range of capacities leaders use to meet their specific challenges and leadership goals.

aligning resources with priorities

CLC

CLC

setting goals

Promoting Collaborative Learning Cultures CLC

Using dataCLC

engaging in Courageous ConversationsCLC

iSSn 1920-5651(Online)

IdeasIntoActionF o r S c h o o l a n d S y S t e m l e a d e r S

F r o m r e s e a r c h t o P o l i c y t o e F F e c t i v e P r a c t i c e

Ideas Into Action is published by

the Ministry of Education to support

Ontario’s school and system leaders.

It is designed to provide research

insights and practical strategies for

school and system leadership that

are aligned with both the Ontario

Leadership Framework (OLF) and the

broader Ontario Leadership Strategy

(OLS). This and future issues during

2009-10 will focus on five Core

Leadership Capacities and assist

leaders in further strengthening and

integrating these capacities into their

daily practice. You will find more

information about Leadership

Development on the ministry website.

If you have any comments or

suggestions, please contact us at:

ldb-ddl@ontario.ca.

OnTarIO LEaDErShIp STraTEgY

BuLLETIn #2 • WInTEr 2010Exploring Five Core Leadership Capacities

Engaging in Courageous

Conversations

In the first issue of Ideas Into Action we introduced five Core Leadership

Capacities (CLCs) derived from Ontario’s Leadership Framework that

have been adopted by the Ministry of Education as a key focus for capacity

building beginning in 2009-10:

• Setting goals

• Aligning resources with priorities

• Promoting collaborative learning cultures

• Using data

• Engaging in courageous conversations.

Five Core Leadership Capacities (CLCs) as key focus for 2009-10

This issue and the next four will focus on one of the five

CLCs. In this issue we will explore “engaging in courageous

conversations”. Focusing on these core capacities will help

school and system leaders further strengthen and integrate

them into their daily practice. In turn, these key capacities

will help leaders use their time, energy and resources as

effectively as possible, and contribute to building excellence

in instructional leadership across the province.

Engaging in Courageous

Conversations

promoting Collaborative

Learning Cultures

using Data

aligning resources with

priorities

Setting goals

CLC

CLC

CLC

CLC

CLC

ISSn 1920-5651(Online)

IdeasIntoActionF o r S C h o o L a n d S y S t E m L E A d E r S

F r o m r e s e a r c h t o P o l i c y t o e F F e c t i v e P r a c t i c e

Ideas Into Action #2.indd 1

1/19/10 9:01 AM

THE ONTARIO LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK 2012

with a Discussion of the Research Foundations

Kenneth LeithwoodProfessor Emeritus

OISE/University of Toronto

March, 2012

W W W . O N T A R I O . C A / E D U L E A D E R S H I P

In ConversationEnhance your professional learning sessions with discussions focusing on “big ideas”.

• Leading Change – An Interview with Michael Fullan • Values-Driven Leadership – by Steve Marshall • Leadership and Integrative Thinking – An Interview

with Roger Martin • The Authentic Leader – An Interview with Steve Munby• Evolving Perspectives: Leaders and Leadership – An

Interview with Ken Leithwood • Leading the Instructional Core – An Interview with

Richard Elmore • Strong Roots, Bright Futures: The Promise of Education

and Early Human Development – An Interview with Fraser Mustard

• Student Engagement: A Leadership Priority – An Interview with J. Douglas Willms

• 21st Century Leadership: Looking Forward – Interviews with Michael Fullan and Ken Leithwood (forthcoming)

• Know Thy Impact: Teaching, Learning and Leading – An interview with John Hattie

• Healthy Relationships: The Foundation of Positive School Climate– An interview with Megan Tschannen-Moran

Principals Want to KnowA series of fact sheets supporting the Ontario Leadership Strategy. Nineteen issues have been published so far:

1: Using EQAO Data2: Differentiated Instruction3: Math Clips4: Student Voice Initiative5: Moving to Public Practice6: Having Courageous Conversations7: Making Time for Instructional

Leadership8: Setting Goals9: Engaging Students10: Principal Performance Appraisal11: Individual Education Plans

12: IPRC and IEP13: IEP Development and

Implementation14: Coaching to Support Adolescent

Literacy15: Documentation in Full-Day

Kindergarten 16: Supporting Educator Teams in

Full-Day Kindergarten 17: Intentional, Play-Based Learning

in Full-Day Kindergarten 18: Using Data

19: Annual Learning Plans and Teacher Performance Appraisal

20: Engaging parents in their children’s learning

21: Ontario Leadership Framework 2012

22: Fair and Transparent Hiring Practices

23: A Sound Investment: Financial Literacy Education in Ontario Schools

Additional ResourcesClosing the Achievement Gap: Advice from Expert Ontario Principals, 2012www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/leadership/pdfs/ClosingTheGap.pdf.

Quick Facts 2013–14• Ontario Leadership Strategy• Ontario Leadership Framework• Board Leadership Development

Strategy

• Ontario Leadership Congress• Principal Performance Appraisal

Also of Interest to LeadersAppliki – A practical online resource exchange, by stakeholders and for stakeholders, to support board implementation of succession planning and talent development http://appliki.apandrose.com/.

Safe and Accepting Schools – This IEL website features the latest resources and best practices related to the whole school approach to ensuring safe and accepting schools. Available at www.safeacceptingschools.ca.

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in conversation

Spring 2013 – Volume IV • Issue 2ISSN 1922-2394 (PDF)

Know Thy Impact: Teaching, Learning

and LeadingAn interview with John HattieIn this issue of In Conversation, we present a thought-

provoking interview with internationally acclaimed educator

and researcher Dr. John Hattie, whose influential book

Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating

to Achievement has been recognized as a landmark in

educational research.We learn more about “visible learning” – not only what it is

but also what it isn’t. We are also exposed to Hattie’s passion

for learning. It is a passion that shines through this interview

as Hattie articulates his beliefs and values about the mind

frames that underpin the visible learning concept.

Hattie’s work represents the single largest analysis of

evidence-based research ever undertaken into what

actually works in schools to improve learning. It has in

turn created considerable discussion among professional

educators about the many traditional assumptions the

research challenges.Hattie’s findings showed that feedback is one of the

most important factors in effective learning, followed by

a student’s expectations and the trust built by teachers

with their students. Not surprisingly, it demonstrated

that positive teacher-student interaction was by far the

essential factor in effective teaching. In talking about feedback, Hattie makes some significant

observations about the role of error in learning. He says

that feedback and learning thrive in conditions of error

or “not knowing” – not in environments where we already

know and understand. Thus, he says, teachers and leaders

need to welcome error and misunderstanding in order

to promote learning in their classrooms and schools.

Students and adults alike learn and grow most easily in

an environment in which they can get and use feedback

about what they don’t know – without fearing negative

reactions from their peers, their teachers and leaders or

their parents. Throughout the interview, Hattie tells educators – including

himself – to talk less, or in other words, to “just listen.”

He argues that we as teachers and leaders tend to have

a concept of ourselves tied to the belief that we have

knowledge we need and want to impart. But, he argues,

it is only when we stop talking – when we engage closely

and listen actively – that deep learning can take place.

In his words, “Our job is to help teachers and leaders see

learning through the eyes of kids and the great thing is

when they do, teachers change.’’In closing, I encourage you tas I have, and explore how thown leadership practice.

o consider these ideas deeply, ey might be applied in your

George ZegaracDeputy Minister of Education

Ontario Leadership Framework 2012

SuppOrting the OntariO LeaderShip StrategyQu ick FactS : 2012–13

What Is the Ontario Leadership Framework 2012

(OLF 2012)?The OLF 2012 describes what good leadership looks like,

based on evidence of what makes the most difference to

student achievement and well-being. It identifies the

practices of successful school and system leaders, as well

as the organizational practices of successful schools and

districts. In addition, the framework includes a small but

critical number of personal leadership resources (leadership

traits and dispositions) that have been found to increase the

effectiveness of leadership practices.Why a Framework? The framework, first set out in 2008, provides the foundation

for all aspects of the Ontario Leadership Strategy (OLS). It

is a resource that can assist educators in building coherence

and aligning practices across schools and districts. Discussion

of the OLF practices provides opportunities for educators

to determine areas of strength and areas for growth. The

framework is not a checklist but rather a tool for discussion.

Ontario Leadership Framework components School-level Leadership

System-level Leadership district effectiveness Framework

k--12 School effectiveness Framework

The Institute for Education Leadership (IEL) is

leading the launch, distribution, and implementation

of the Ontario Leadership Framework 2012.

Key Components of the OLF 2012• School-level Leadership Practices. Identifies 21

distinct practices, organized in five domains, for formal

and informal leaders in schools. As before, the five Core

Leadership Capacities – setting goals, aligning resources

with priorities, promoting collaborative learning cultures,

using data, and engaging in courageous conversations –

are seen as fundamental to all leadership practice.

• Characteristics of Effective Schools: The K–12

School Effectiveness Framework (K–12 SEF).

Identifies evidence-based indicators of successful practice

in six components of effective schools. Created in 2010

by the ministry’s Student Achievement Division, the

K–12 SEF is key to the work of schools and boards. It

is a companion piece to the OLF 2012, included as one

of its components to show the link between school-level

leadership and school effectiveness.• Characteristics of Successful School Systems:

A District Effectiveness Framework (DEF).

Describes features of school systems, in four domains,

that make positive contributions to growth in student

achievement and well-being.• System-level Leadership Practices. Identifies a set

of unique practices required of system-level leaders

(academic and business), in four domains matching those

in the DEF, that enhance the school-level practices.

• Personal Leadership Resources. Describes a set of

personal attributes, in three categories, found to be key

to the effective enactment of leadership practices at both

the school and system level.