Plym Middle Leadership Course

Cohort 1 Summer 2014 – Summer 2015

Welcome

• Introductions

• Housekeeping

Objectives

Building on your experience:

• Secure and develop your knowledge and your understanding of your actions as a leader

• Opportunity to reflect and challenge your own practice as part of your own professional and personal development

• Bridge the perceived gap between the ‘academic theory’ & practice

Plan for this evening…

• Thinking about Professional Development• Thinking about Leadership• Thinking about Effective Middle Leadership

Thinking about Professional Development

According to Hargreaves…

Professional Development is not merely a sound investment in teacher and school improvement : It is a critical way in which teachers constantly demonstrate to their students that everyone is learning all the time and that this can be profitable and pleasurable.

(Yes – he said “pleasurable!”)

Thinking about Professional Development : Activity

• What was your best experience of CPD?

• What was your worst experience of CPD?

• What are you hoping to gain from this programme?

• How do you intend to approach this programme?

CPD / JPD

• What is your understanding of JPD?

Joint Practice Development

Process of mutual engagement which opens up and shares practice with other learners.Fielding et al (2003)

JPD is principle underpinning this programme:• Interactive• Mutual development• Trust • Challenge & Support• Recognition of roles and contribution• Research informed & evidence based

Summary of Differences between CPD and JPD

CPD JPD

Outcomes for Teachers In general, little evidence of impact from ‘traditional’ CPD, though collaborative CPD is more effective.

Teachers remain isolated, in particular in small schools, from peers with ‘common interest’

Offering or receiving good practice does not lead to improvement.

Reflection on own practice becomes embedded and on-going leading to improvement

Teachers establish networks across schools providing on-going relevant challenge and support

‘Peer-to-peer learning in which development is fused with routine practice’

Summary of Differences between CPD and JPD

CPD JPD

Outcomes for Leaders Leaders are most likely in a ‘provider’ role taking sole responsibility for in-house CPD

Leaders are responsible for ‘dissemination’

Leaders identify ‘talent’ – those that will lead JPD in each area – support and challenge is provided by them within each school and across schools

‘Dissemination’ is undertaken by all participants in the partnerships.

Source: Hargreaves, D,H 2012 , A self-improving school system: towards maturity, NCSL

Thinking about Professional Development : Activity

• What could I offer someone else?

• What would I like to gain from someone else?

Thinking about Leadership

Thinking about Leadership: Activity 1

Distributed Leadership

• What is your understanding of Distributed Leadership?

• What is your experience of Distributed Leadership?

Distributed Leadership

• Perspective of a Senior Leader

• Perspective of a Middle Leader

• Perspective of a Classroom Teacher

Thinking about Effective Middle Leadership

Interview Question!

• Identify 3 of your strengths.

• Identify 1 of your ‘areas of development’ (We don’t say ‘weaknesses’!

Look at your ‘Interview Question’

• Are your strengths and weaknesses related to leadership?

Thinking about Leadership : Activity

How would you define ‘Middle Leadership’?

Why did you become a Middle Leader?

What is your understanding of Leadership and Management?

Thinking about Effective Middle Leadership : Activity

• List the characteristics of an effective leader?

• Compare your list with your partners – Similarities/Differences?

• Rank – Top 3

Thinking about Effective Middle Leadership : Activity

Match the quote to the heading:

Focus on Learning CultureMonitoring Commitment

High Expectations DialogueCare ConsistencyModelling Professional Development

& TrainingStructures & Systems Retention of Staff

Thinking about Effective Middle Leadership

• Which of the headings are leadership characteristics?

• Which of the headings are leadership strategies?

Thinking about Effective Middle Leadership : Activity 3

• Homework – Middle Leader Reflection Sheet(s)

• RED • AMBER • GREEN

Plenary

This bit is yours Mr Dyke!