Distributed Leadership: Bridging the Gap

Lisa Ziebart

B.Ed., University of Lethbridge 2007B.A., University of Lethbridge 2007

A CapstoneSubmitted to the School of Graduate Studies

of the University of Lethbridgein Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree

MASTER OF EDUCATION

FACULTY OF EDUCATIONLETHBRIDGE, AB

March 2013

Distributed Leadership: Bridging the Gap

Lisa Ziebart

Approved:

________________________________________________________________________Supervisor: Richard Butt, Ph.D. Date

________________________________________________________________________Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in Education: DateKerry Bernes, Ph.D.

Dedication

I dedicate this paper to my family. To my parents Larry and Judy, thank you for

always encouraging me to pursue what makes me happy. To my sister Jennifer, thank

you for always keeping me in check of reality and reminding me to find gratitude in this

process. To my brother Tim, thank you for supporting my choices and keeping me up to

date with pop culture, especially in matters of what to do in a zombie apocalypse. All of

this support has allowed me to reach this pinnacle and I could not have done it without

your unconditional acceptance of me. Thank you.

Abstract

“Today there are fewer places and occasions where and when lone leadership works well.

Belief in the power of one is giving way to a belief in the power of everyone”

(Southworth, 2009, p. 94).

Leadership in education is evolving as education is being held to greater scrutiny

and account in a more informed world. Formal school leadership must undergo a

paradigm shift to accept that all demands cannot be completed by one individual or a

small group of people in isolation. Instead, leaders must look within the organization to

engage and enroll the school team through mutual trust, collaboration, and building

capacity. It is here that I believe distributed leadership plays a crucial role in overcoming

the hierarchical structure and rigid mentality that exists between school leaders and other

staff. Leadership is a shared responsibility in which every individual must take part; this

paper examines my evolving role in and insights into this complex puzzle.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the remarkable mentors and friends who have guided

me throughout this process.

The support of the University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education has remained a

consistent stronghold in my career. Thank you to David Townsend and Pamela Adams

for insisting that I continue my learning journey; I never would have pursued graduate

studies without your unshakeable belief in me and for this I am eternally indebted. Thank

you to Richard Butt for your encouragement, feedback, and positive support. I am

grateful to have received incredible mentorship from Carmen Mombourquette and

George Bedard- your guidance, support, and flexibility has allowed me to be successful

in this program. I would also like to acknowledge Paulette Hanna as I really valued

working with such a wonderfully smart, strong, and successful female leader. You all

have inspired me to be a better educator and leader.

I feel so blessed to have been fortunate enough to study with such a passionate,

knowledgeable, and caring group of educators. Brenna – thank you for your friendship

and for inspiring me to always push harder. To my fellow doyens Brenna, Jodie, Jenn,

and Jackie- thank you for sharing my twisted sense of humour, and for always making me

laugh, even and especially during inappropriate times. I am going to miss seeing you!

To my mentors and friends in education, especially those who were a part of my

capstone research, thank you for imparting your invaluable knowledge and accepting my

shameless briberies of beverages and baking in return. I could not have completed this

without your insights. Thank you all for recognizing and helping to ignite what I often

could not see in myself.

Table of Contents

Dedication..........................................................................................................................iii

Abstract...............................................................................................................................iv

Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................v

Table of Contents................................................................................................................vi

Introduction..........................................................................................................................1

Literature Review................................................................................................................3

Other Requirements for Effective Distributed Leadership................................................12

Field Interviews.................................................................................................................16

Examples of Distributed Leadership in My Career...........................................................21

My Leadership Action Plan...............................................................................................29

Concluding Remarks.........................................................................................................33

References..........................................................................................................................35

Appendices........................................................................................................................38

A: Interview Instrument.................................................................................................38

B: Internship II Residence Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals...................................40

1

Introduction

My Interest in Leadership

My interest in leadership began long before I became a teacher. My innate interest

in leadership from a young age grew as I became involved in student governments and

other leadership capacities in school and various jobs. Though I am only in my sixth

year of teaching, I can say that I have been exposed to nearly every kind of leadership

there is, from authoritarian to charismatic, ambiguous to political. My experiences have

ranged from not being given any autonomy in my teaching to being given as much

responsibility as I could handle. In my fourth year of teaching I was given the incredible

opportunity of becoming the high school division coordinator for a school that I have

since left. This opportunity was a huge tipping point for me, as it gave me insight into

leadership in education and made me realize that I had a great deal to learn.

When I chose to pursue graduate studies, I was hesitant to apply to the educational

leadership cohort even though it seemed like a natural fit. Though I inherently gravitate

toward being a leader, something about the traditional structure of leadership in schools

did not appeal to me at all. I now see that there is another way of being involved in

leadership and that it is up to me to contribute what I can, wherever I am, in whatever

role I hold. I have learned that informal leaders can have just as much influence,

sometimes more, than the formal leader. I have learned that leadership is not about the

title or the ego that often accompanies the title; instead, leadership is about coming

together for a common cause to achieve agreed upon objectives and goals. I am excited

to one day move forward as a leader in this way and hope that I can encourage and

inspire others to do the same.

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Defining the Research Question

The research question I have created for my capstone is: how can distributed

leadership create a bridge between formal and informal leaders? It is no secret that a gap

exists between the leadership team and the rest of the staff in schools today. My question

aims to go beyond the perplexing hierarchical culture that has traditionally existed by

exploring and suggesting the distributed leadership approach. I have created a question

that reflects my personal struggle and professional experience as an informal leader in

education, and the limitations and opportunities that I have encountered as a result. I

address what I believe to be the core problem of educational leadership by recognizing

the need for vulnerability, trust, and capacity building within the leader. With these

skills, the leadership team can then identify and encourage the strengths of others to work

more collaboratively toward improving student learning. I believe that distributed

leadership can be the driving factor which can allow the above to effectively exist.

Three definitions are needed for clarification before proceeding as I refer to

different players in the school setting. Firstly, a formal leader is simply a leader in

education who holds a formal role or title; examples of a formal leader include principal,

vice-principal, department head, and specialty co-ordinators. Secondly, an informal

leader refers to any person in education who does not hold a formal title or role, but

consistently demonstrates qualities of leadership. Informal leader and teacher-leader are

synonymous and, in this paper, will replace the label of follower. When I refer to

teacher, I am referring to anyone in an educational setting who engages in direct teaching

and learning opportunities with students. Please note that it is not my intention to suggest

that everyone needs to demonstrate key leadership capacities in education at all times, but

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rather I want to suggest that there is an approach to ensure that individual strengths are

identified, valued, and utilized to the best possible degree with the goal of collectively

improving teaching and learning.

Literature Review

Defining Distributed Leadership

Today’s school leader is rarely referred to in singular form. In fact, the demands

that have been placed upon the complex institution of education have made the single

leader obsolete as this expectation is simply unreasonable (Spillane, 2006). The structure

of the dynamic school environment has required a shift from leader to leadership

development whereby more people are enrolled in leadership roles throughout the

institution (Earley & Jones, 2009). Leithwood et al. (as cited in Harris, 2006) define

distributed leadership as “A set of direction-setting and influence practices potentially

enacted by people at all levels rather than a set of personal characteristics and attributes

located in people at the top” (p. 38). If schools are to keep up with the fast-paced and

cutting-edge practices of teaching and learning, then it must be acknowledged that

“Leading schools require multiple leaders” (Spillane, 2006, p. 13).

The idea of distributed leadership through multiple leaders, however, is not to be

confused with delegated leadership; rather, distributed leadership “Increases the density

of leadership” (Southworth, 2009, p. 108). By adding depth to leadership, schools can

focus on effective teaching and improved learning through intentional and collaborative

leadership actions. Therefore, distributed leadership is primarily concerned with

leadership practice and how leadership influences organisational and instructional

progress (Spillane, 2006).

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It must be acknowledged that school leadership is a “Shared function, not restricted

to those who occupy senior role positions in the organization” (Southworth, 2009, p. 94).

With this acknowledgment, Spillane (2006) contends that more people can be involved in

school initiatives and greater, more purposeful collaboration can occur as “Leadership

practice is stretched over multiple leaders” (p. 15). The leader must ignite individual

knowledge and strengths to come together for a common purpose – student learning. The

perpetual journey to improve student learning cannot be done in an office or in isolated

classrooms; instead, the pursuit must be carried out “As a collective endeavour”

(Southworth, 2009, p. 108). Educators must work together because education needs “As

many leaders as possible making a positive difference to what happens in classrooms”

(Southworth, 2009, p. 108). Singh (2012) adds that “Strong leadership throughout the

school, in time, will make a difference in each classroom” (p. 17). It can be agreed, then,

that leadership can in fact improve and contribute to student learning (Harris, 2006);

specific to distributed leadership, is how the leadership of many, rather than the

leadership of one, can positively impact a school.

Distributed leadership “Offers the real possibility of looking at leadership using a

new and alternative organizational frame that challenges the tacit understanding of the

relationship between leaders and followers” (Harris, 2006, p. 43). Distributed

leadership allows leaders to act and interact purposefully and inclusively, and enrolls and

engages the school staff to work together for a common purpose.

Implementing Effective Distributed Leadership

The ideas brought forth by research in distributed leadership revolve around

creating a culture of leadership as a team effort rather than an individual pursuit in order

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to effectively achieve school goals (Harris & Spillane, 2008; Leithwood, Mascall, &

Strauss, 2009; Southworth, 2009; Spillane, Diamond, & Jita, 2003). The researchers

suggest that school reform happens at the instructional level and for this reason a more

grassroots approach needs to take place for purposeful implementation.

Spillane et al. (2003) indicate that the most effective way to support educational

reform is to use the resources, strengths, and knowledge of various people within a school

but also note that actual research is lacking on how this can be done in a more widespread

manner. The authors advocate for a shift from focusing on formal leadership roles to an

approach of distributed leadership in schools where the principal, vice-principals,

learning coaches, specialist teachers, and classroom teachers can be involved in site-

based choices and action plans with a focus on student learning.

Instead of keeping track of how and when individual leaders complete certain tasks,

distributed leadership focuses on making a difference through “The interactions among

leaders, followers, and their situation” (Spillane, 2006, p. 12). These interactions,

however, need to be purposeful and be “Collaborative, dynamic, mutually accountable,

and based on a match between organizational need and individual expertise” (Singh,

2012, p. 16). For example, collaboration in literacy education at Adams school in

Chicago, “Typically involves at least the principal, a literacy coordinator, and one or

more teacher leaders working together” (Spillane, 2006, p. 15). Adams School also

created a breakfast club, where staff met monthly for professional learning in the form of

professional learning communities. Elements that made the breakfast club successful

included: the creation process involved multiple leaders, including teacher-leaders;

varying and often overlapping leadership roles; and co-facilitation of professional

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development meetings (Spillane, 2006). Harris (2006) also supports the use of

collaboration and teams, but warns of using this fluid and malleable approach for a one

size fits all fix:

Within schools this could manifest itself in the work of subject departments, cross curricular groupings, action learning sets and school improvement groups. The important point here is that distributed leadership is not restricted to any particular configuration whether in an individual school or across a group of schools. (p. 41)

Every example of distributed leadership is going to look different as every school has

different needs. This ambiguity requires visionary leadership as innovation will allow for

people to break through traditional barriers in order to come together.

Singh (2012) builds on this notion of interaction and collaboration and provides an

authentic example of distributed leadership in a high school in Mexico where she was the

founding director:

One example of distributed leadership is a group of teachers in a professional learning community (PLC) who are problem solving about how they might address the issue of low student performance on test items related to place value in math. The principal, a math coach, and several teachers are analyzing student data, exploring benefits and disadvantages of the textbook and accompanying software, and discussing types of assessments used as benchmarks in each classroom. One teacher who uses music in her lessons reminds colleagues that learning a song helps students with content retention, and she offers to create a song on place value and teach it to her colleagues. Another teacher says that he will explore other instructional resources such as interactive Web pages and games. A third says that she is willing to organize walk-throughs so colleagues can observe one another's classroom to learn new ideas and provide feedback. The principal offers substitute time for two walk-through days, and mentions that there may be funds available for instructional materials. He points out an upcoming workshop on using games and music to teach math. Each member of the group has stepped up to offer suggestions and, in doing so, has assumed a leadership role—organizing walk-throughs, exploring instructional materials, creating teacher-made materials and sharing them, providing funding, and offering staff development. The group has identified an issue and worked together to address it. The solutions have come from the group, not from ‘above.’ (pp. 16-17)

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The process described by Singh (2012) would face criticism and skepticism if presented

to a staff as a way to introduce distributed leadership. Conversely, I believe that no true

teacher or leader would attest that Singh’s (2012) vignette is less effective in comparison

to one person analyzing data and solving problems in isolation.

By no means is distributed leadership an easy approach to school improvement;

the pieces required for success take time to develop and even then there is no guarantee.

Distributed leadership, though risky, is a meaningful and intentional approach to

improving teaching and learning.

The Need for Teacher-Leaders

Though formal leaders play a significant role in the success of distributed

leadership, the role of the teacher cannot be understated. Teacher-leaders are needed just

as much as formal leaders for successful distributed leadership. If teachers are unwilling

to be a part of the process, then the perpetual cycle of traditional top-down leadership will

ensue. Overall, the research shows that developing teachers as leaders contributes to a

greater quality of work life which leads to a better school climate (Leithwood, Harris &

Hopkins, 2008). So why aren’t more teachers stepping up to the leadership arena? One

reason may be that great teachers are already busy enough and simply feel that they do

not have the capacity to give any more. Partial reasoning may also lie in the fact that

teachers, generally speaking, have not been allowed the space to contribute in a

leadership capacity. Southworth (2009) states that the “Commitment to improving

students’ achievements [is what] drives so many individuals to become school leaders.

They explicitly seek and want to make a difference to the schools they lead” (p. 92). The

role of teacher-leader needs to be encouraged and valued to a greater degree than in the

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past. It is also important for the teachers to see results of their efforts in a timely manner

so the process of distributed leadership can be trusted.

Distributed leadership provides teachers with the opportunity to have “A voice in

the organization, impact students' lives, and develop themselves personally and

professionally. It changes the way educators are seen and treated within a school,

community, district, and profession” (Singh, 2012, p. 19). Again, this is not to confuse

distributed leadership with task delegation; instead, teachers are given opportunities to

build upon and develop their strengths. Sometimes this requires the teacher to step

forward, seek experiences, and offer to help as many leaders have a difficult time asking

for such help. “Ultimately, the goal for teacher-leaders is to enjoy and benefit from the

experience [of distributed leadership] as well as to make worthwhile contributions where

it counts—in the teaching-learning arena” (Singh, 2012, p. 15). The idea is not to add

more to the daily to-do list of a classroom teacher as the demands are already barely

manageable for most; instead, the idea is to add depth to what the classroom teacher is

already doing by working with others to reciprocally gain and share ideas, perspectives,

assistance, and support.

The Significance of Distributed Leadership in Bridging Formal and Informal

Leadership Roles

Distributed leadership leads to overall school improvement. While student learning

is at the heart of all school actions, job satisfaction contributes greatly to the school

climate. Singh (2012) supports this statement by affirming that:

Teachers who believe in the organization's goals and values are willing to exert the effort required to reach those goals, and feel loyalty toward the organization. Ultimately, sharing the responsibility for school improvement provides a support

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structure for teachers. Also, a greater sense of professionalism develops as teachers feel more empowered. (p. 17)

If people enjoy their jobs, they will innately want to give more and be more

invested in what happens, how it happens, and why it happens. The belief, loyalty, and

empowerment experienced by the teachers will undoubtedly contribute to a stronger

school culture and climate by, at the very least, minimizing the gap that exists between

informal and formal leaders. Imagine the possibilities of what could be achieved in the

situation described by Singh (2012):

Teachers who take a front seat in designing, delivering, and evaluating the whole teaching and learning process have the potential to do great things. Distributing leadership is a gradual process that involves gathering knowledge about the model, examining current practices in the school and district, assessing areas of expertise, building capacity, shifting paradigms, opening dialogue, resolving conflict, and putting in time and effort. Working together, districts, school administrators, and teachers can move toward this model. (p. 20)

The notion of district involvement may seem too abstract to some, but in fact it is a

necessary component to any effective leadership model. Schools cannot wait, however,

for district implementation of effective leadership models and instead must take matters

into their own hands for the betterment of the school. Parsons and Harding (2011)

researched the characteristics of effective schools and have concluded the following on

the notion of distributed leadership:

The good schools we researched invested time in creating leadership teams – positioning staff members in specific focus areas such as technology, assessment, math and reading literacy, and community relationships. Members of specific teams worked to become site-based experts – taking responsibility and accountability for how their school addressed its energies and resources in these areas and communicating with the rest of the staff. Omni-competence was absent. Instead, leadership was teamwork and good schools shared the leadership load. (p. 105)

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Parsons and Harding (2011) make this statement seem like an act of common sense that

more schools and districts should already be working toward – so why is distributed

leadership not ubiquitous in schools today? With any approach or model, barriers to

distributed leadership exist which hinders progress.

Obstacles to Distributed Leadership

While distributed leadership may seem appealing to a leader for various reasons,

there are some obstacles and limitations to this leadership approach. Harris (2006)

emphasizes that we must acknowledge the “Structural, cultural and micro-political

barriers operating in schools that make more distributed forms of leadership difficult to

implement” (p.42). While some leaders may view these obstacles as opportunities, others

may treat them as excuses to not move forward.

The main factor that stands in the way of successful distributed leadership lies in

the traditional design of schools. The traditional school structure is limiting, hierarchical,

isolating, and “Still dominated by compartmentalizing subjects, pupils and learning into

discrete but manageable boxes” (Harris, 2006, p.42). This compartmentalizing, described

by Harris (2006) as “Artificial barriers,” creates too much structure and rigidity for

distributed leadership to be truly effective (p.42). Paradoxically, distributed leadership

could actually break down this barrier entirely and lead to a method of school

organization that is more level and holistic. This is, of course, assuming that the leader

wants to remove the traditional barriers.

Another major obstacle to distributed leadership is the amount of unhealthy power

and ego held by the traditional leader. While distributed leadership on the surface level

may be perceived as an opportunity for the leader to simply outsource and delegate tasks,

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this is not the case; “Distributed leadership requires senior leaders to let go” (Southworth,

2009, p. 108). The ability to let go involves minimizing power and the ego from the

workplace; this requires a great deal of personal work and some people are just not

willing to go there. Effective distributed leadership requires the confidence to elevate

others. The leader must be able to relinquish power and minimize the ego to truly

support and allow others to contribute. Otherwise, the overpowering ego of a leader

creates a culture of apathy and unwillingness among teachers.

Finally, a lack of evidence on the usefulness of the distributed approach exists

(Leithwood et al., 2008). Harris (2006) points out that we do not know enough about

how school leaders enact and interact with staff and students on a daily basis through

distributed leadership to effectively convince skeptical leaders. This lack of evidence

creates ambiguity when it comes to implementation of distributed leadership. For

example, Spillane (2006) contends that distributed leadership is not a model, but an

approach that is focused on leadership interactions. For some, this focus on interactions

rather than implementation of a model takes the leader “Into the realm of the abstract and

away from the practical realities” (Harris, 2006, p. 43). Harris (2006) asserts that

“Distributed leadership is not restricted to any particular configuration whether in an

individual school or across a group of schools” (p. 41). While this lack of precise

configuration may seem appealing to more visionary leaders, other leaders may be

daunted by such a blank slate. Harris and Spillane (2008) further enforce the need to

understand that “Distributed leadership is not a panacea or a blueprint or a recipe. It is a

way of getting under the skin of leadership practice, of seeing leadership practice

differently and illuminating the possibilities for organisational transformation” (p. 33).

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A progressive and more abstract lens is required to see the potential of distributed

leadership in a school instead of searching solely for quantifiable evidence.

Other Requirements for Effective Distributed Leadership

School leaders need to approach distributed leadership strategically; distributed

leadership is not an approach for just any leader to adopt. It is not enough for a leader of

a school to simply possess managerial skills; leaders need to also possess leadership

skills, which focus more on people development rather than timetable organization. I

believe that, before attempting distributed leadership, leaders must first be able to

demonstrate vulnerability, develop trusting relationships, and be able to effectively build

capacity. Slater (2008) confirms that the leadership that develops future leaders must

possess excellent communication skills, a high emotional intelligence, and have the

ability to let go of the ego and some of the power that accompanies the hierarchical

leadership role. These skills must be present and developed, or in process of developing,

before distributed leadership can be attempted. Trying to implement distributed

leadership without these aspects may do more damage and set the leader even further

behind.

Emotional Intelligence

Goleman’s (1998) theory of emotional intelligence is a definite asset in the realm of

knowing how to act and when. The skill of emotional intelligence can be learned and

leaders need to take this component of leadership development seriously as it can make

or break the culture of a school (Fullan, 2001). Generally speaking, aspects of emotional

intelligence include: being able to manage stressful moods; using feelings to make good

choices; being motivated; remaining positively resilient when faced with setbacks;

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empathy; getting along with others; managing emotions; and being able to persuade or

lead others (O’Neil, 1996). Fullan (2001) concludes that “The most effective leaders are

not the smartest in an IQ [intelligence quotient] sense but are those who combine

intellectual brilliance with emotional intelligence” (p. 71). Leaders must be able to have

an emotional sense of where people stand and work to develop relationships based on this

emotional intelligence.

When healthy relationships exist, then people will intrinsically want to be a part of

the greater good, possibly even in a leadership capacity. Kouzes and Posner (as cited in

Fullan, 2001) suggest seven determinants of developing effective relationships: “(1)

Setting clear standards, (2) expecting the best, (3) paying attention, (4) personalizing

recognition, (5) telling the story, (6) celebrating together, and (7) setting the example” (p.

54). These determinants take time to develop and nurture, especially when doing so in an

authentic manner. In order to develop authentic relationships, the power dimension of

leadership must be assessed critically and minimized greatly.

A leader who cannot move beyond the power and prestige may “Prove as a barrier

to developing capacity in others” (Slater, 2008, p. 61). For this reason, a leader must be

confident in themselves, as well as their team, and comfortable in relinquishing power

and ego, knowing that it will create more sustainable opportunities for the school as a

whole. Top-level leaders must first be willing to look within to let go of some of the

power that has been assigned. Slater (2008) highlights the importance of leading to

inspire others rather than leading as the chosen one; “As principals share the lead and the

load, the success of their performance will be determined by their ability to inspire a

culture of empowerment by acting as ‘hero-makers’ rather than heroes” (p. 55). This

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concept is fundamental when enrolling others to take on leadership roles. If the leader

acts as the superhero then no room is left for others to contribute meaningfully.

Harris (2006) frames teacher-leaders as “Co-producers of leadership” through their

interactions with leaders and others; this in turn raises the possibility of “having greater

influence over leadership practice than those in formal leadership positions in schools”

(p.43). This possibility of greater influence is a perfect reason why leaders feel the need

to exert more power rather than share it, contributing to a culture of hierarchy.

Leithwood et al. (2008) offer a different view by describing power not as finite, but as a

relatively unlimited resource in organisations; “There is no loss of power and influence

on the part of headteachers when, for example, the power and influence of many others in

the school increase” (p. 35). This shift in perspective reduces a huge barrier to

implementing distributed leadership and opens up a limitless, purposeful approach to the

power continuum.

Culture of Trust

The notions of interdependency and reciprocity that are brought forth in the

distributed leadership approach assume that trust exists among individuals, particularly

between formal leader(s) and the rest of the team. To build trust requires effective

relationship-building skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to be vulnerable. A

leader must be willing to take risks, make and admit to mistakes, and be as transparent as

possible. Alberta Education (2011) states that: “A school leader must build trust and

foster positive working relationships within the school community on the basis of

appropriate values and ethical foundations” (p. 3). It must be emphasized that trusting

relationships are the key to successful distributed leadership; trust enables and empowers

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people to take risks and feel valuably included (Fullan, 2001). Trust is not easily

established, however, and deliberate attention needs to be paid to building a culture of

trust before leadership can truly be distributed. Educational reforms are often top-down

initiatives and support from the staff is imperative. People naturally look to the leader for

guidance and direction. If the leader is able to relinquish authority and include others in

the decision-making process, then authentic change can occur; again, this is assuming

that the leader is willing to share control and this is not always easily done. Trust among

the school team is essential for honest dialogue to exist in a safe and caring environment.

People need to feel as though they can offer ideas without the fear of judgment,

consequence, or negative criticism. Leithwood et al. (2008) point out that, “At least

under challenging circumstances, the most successful school leaders are open-minded

and ready to learn from others” (p. 35). Trust must exist so people feel comfortable to

share their professional ideas as part of respectful forums.

Building capacity

Earley and Jones (2009) define leadership development as “The activities involved

in strengthening one’s ability to establish clear vision and achievable goals, and to

motivate others to subscribe to the same vision and goals” (p. 168). Leadership

development in education lies in the ability to recognize and utilize the strengths in the

collective to improve student learning. To clarify, leadership does not only refer to top-

level leadership roles. Earley and Jones (2009) emphasize that “Leadership development

is critical at almost any level in an organization” (p. 168). Leadership and initiative in

schools should include teams of people and can be formed in smaller yet meaningful

ways. It is important to acknowledge that the sustainability of an organization relies

16

heavily on developing those who demonstrate leadership qualities, but those individuals

must also be willing and interested in both filling leadership roles and continuing their

learning journey.

Following the development of formal school leaders is the task of identifying and

using the strengths of the people with the building. Though everyone plays a part in

what Earley and Jones (2009) call “Fuelling the leadership pipeline,” some may feel more

comfortable with assisting rather than being in the spotlight and this must be honoured by

the leader when considering who fits where (p. 167). The main idea is to properly

identify the capacity of leadership potential within each individual and foster a culture of

shared responsibility; this will increase the value of the collective and create a positive

culture of collaboration.

Leadership opportunities can be encouraged in small ways and appropriate,

scaffolded support can be provided to allow for success. If educators feel as though they

are valued as individuals, they will be more inclined to want to be a part of the collective

unit and will feel more intrinsic motivation to stand behind the vision and mission. This

purpose alone should encourage leaders to continue looking within to develop their own

people as leaders.

Field Interviews

Context and Rationale

I determined that I wanted to get a more holistic perspective on the topic of

distributed leadership and decided to conduct my own research on the topic. I am

fortunate enough to know a large number of incredible educators and am even more

fortunate enough that some of them agreed to be interviewed for this paper. I was

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curious about the perceptions that exist around distributed leadership and felt as though

the interviews would provide insight outside of my own experiences and hopefully

confirm my own research, learning, and thoughts on the topic. I created a set of

questions (Appendix A) and interviewed seven educators; I made a concerted effort to

choose a varied sample, including current classroom teachers, newer teachers, master

teachers, current formal leaders, and retired formal leaders. The following is a

compilation of what was graciously contributed by my colleagues.

Perspectives on what works in educational leadership

The number of positive comments regarding effective leadership in education gave

me a great deal of encouragement to believe that there is room for more to exist beyond

the status quo. Two interviewees even chose “Shared leadership” to describe the most

common form of leadership in education today (Appendix A). Shared leadership was

regarded positively by participants and aptly summarized:

Shared leadership works if you want people to have buy-in and feel that they have a say, as more people are working towards the common goal. Talents of others need to be utilized; you [as leader] don’t need to know everything, but you do need to know the people who know things and be able to ask for help. (D. Christiansen, personal communication, February 20, 2013)

A balanced approach to leadership was suggested; however, as it was acknowledged that

a shared approach may not always be appropriate. If the leader doesn’t know when to

make a decision, it can be a negative approach. When open forum is provided, people

tend to talk in circles and sometimes consensus can’t be made, therefore making it

difficult to move forward. The leader needs to guide the collaboration and still be

responsible for making informed choices.

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When asked to describe the most effective leader they have worked with,

participants shared stories of inspiring leadership actions and consequent successes.

These leaders were collaborative, fair, visionary, open to feedback, excellent

communicators, fun, trusting, active listeners, positive, magnanimous, mutually

respectful, hands-on, calm, authentic, approachable, team-oriented, connected, could

choose the right people and coach accordingly, highly visible before, during, and after

school, resourceful, proactive, honest, confident, supportive, recognized the strengths of

others, held people to account, and provided opportunities for growth. While it is

unrealistic to expect all of the above qualities in one person, it can be agreed that these

merits contribute to a healthy school culture that can focus on teaching and learning.

These qualities fall in line with the qualities needed for effective distributed leadership

which I also find very encouraging.

Perspectives on what doesn’t work in educational leadership

It can be agreed that while decisions need to be made by leaders, there is always an

appropriate approach, especially when not collaborating. When asked about the current

type of leadership model that is most common in education today, 6 of the 7 participants

chose “Top-down leadership” and all participants designated this form of leadership as a

negative and ineffective way of leading (Appendix A). Interviewees described this leader

as exclusive, reactive, ad-hoc, isolating, assumptive, lacking touch, single-minded,

secretive, inefficient and thus unresponsive; hierarchical leadership lacks involvement

and the sharing of success or failures of the system which separates individuals from the

group because their role in the overall functioning and success of the system is reduced.

The top-down leader is not out of the office enough to contact and connect with people

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and therefore becomes unintentionally uninviting. Interviewees acknowledged that a

shift is in fact happening in terms of moving toward a more shared leadership approach,

but also noted that leaders revert to top-down leadership when times get difficult.

The most ineffective leaders that the interviewees have worked with were further

described as not trusting of staff, micro-managers, lacking sense of humour, dictatorial,

lacking communication skills, inauthentic, insincere, self-absorbed, uninspiring, anti-

social, and negative. The office door may have been open but ideas were not heard and

these leaders focused too much on administrivia rather than leadership for teaching and

learning. It can be agreed that the leadership qualities described above do not contribute

to effective leadership, yet top-down leadership is what the interviewees chose as the

most common form of leadership. This brings to light a major concern in terms of the

future of educational leadership and the possible difficulties that lie ahead due to an

unhealthy culture of traditional leadership.

Perspectives on bridging the gap

In what ways can current and future leaders in education get past what is clearly not

working in education and move forward more collaboratively? Interviewees were asked

to discuss their thoughts on tangible teacher and leader collaboration. When asked to

rate, on a scale of 1 to 5, the importance of leaders and teachers working together in a

collaborative nature, the question received a median answer of 4, fitting into the scale of

“4 – very important” (Appendix A). Participants offered the following insights:

I believe more collaboration between leaders & teachers is important, because it strengthens rapport and commitment to teacher’s jobs, while also allowing the leaders to gain more experience/feedback/input from others (more investment from all staff members). It creates a better dynamic as well, where teachers feel that they are valued and that they are “smart enough” to contribute to goals/plans for the school/students. (Interviewee two, personal communication, February 11, 2013)

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Collaboration is necessary to ensure the best possible choices are made to provide the best education, experiences, and development of our students. Collaboration increases the knowledge base of the staff, creates sound and effective teaching techniques, plans, etc. which ultimately increases the growth of the students. Sharing ideas, allowing others to provide input, and working with others (in all areas) creates a sense of ownership and self-worth amongst the staff. Of course, all this depends on whether or not the staff (or those being led) are willing to accept the responsibility for their role. (Interviewee one, personal communication, January 28, 2013)

When asked to rate, on a scale of 1 to 5, how realistic it is for leaders and teachers

to work together in a collaborative nature, the question received a median answer of 3.5,

fitting between “3 – realistic” and “4 – very realistic” on the scale (Appendix A).

Though this question received a slightly lower rating than the previous question, I think

that this answer is very important to consider when seriously discussing a distributed

leadership model. In education, there are so many initiatives that are perceived by their

creators as, theoretically, being potentially wildly successful in practice but they are not

because they are ill conceived or just take too long to develop. On the other hand many

people use time as an excuse not to engage in innovation that is practical – not to use

effective leadership practices. This mentality is no longer acceptable. The question is

what is pragmatic, practical and realistic, and how can leaders think and behave to enable

their group to put it into practice?

The school staff, teachers and leaders alike, must be willing to work together,

toward the common goals. Three participants discussed the need for embedded

collaboration time within the schedule which would create respect and value for the

process instead of resentment. Participants stated that both leaders and teachers can learn

from each other, leading to improved student learning due to better communication and

confidence in team members and teaching methods. A leader needs to be able to make

21

decisions and listen; an authentic approach allows the leader to do both and still be

respected. There must be constant consultation around how to make things work and

congruent, reflective dialogue must be present. We are all educational leaders in our own

ways; we all have strengths and need to feel encouraged and supported to explore and

share these strengths.

It is difficult to have meaningful action if you can’t have relationships and open conversations with people. Staff cannot be afraid to walk into the principal’s office. One leader cannot possess all of the skills to be effective in a school environment. Here [in a shared leadership model] you can draw on the strengths which allows for variety and flexibility. Successes and failures can be shared. (Interviewee three, personal communication, February 17, 2013)

The traditional nature of leadership in education has run its course. The past is done. There needs to be a different kind of communication, more like successful businesses. Communication, collaboration, authenticity, and working toward a common goal will allow for success. This success is based on the ability of its leaders to create. (Interviewee four, personal communication, February 18, 2013)

I feel as though the insights provided through the interviews affirm my beliefs regarding

the need for a widespread paradigm shift in educational leadership. I am greatly

encouraged, as all participants offered real examples of effective distributed leadership;

these examples tell me that people are committed and ready to move toward achieving

authentic school improvement.

Examples of Distributed Leadership in My Career

The role of a teacher is dynamic and demanding at best, especially in the first few

years while experimenting to discover best and most effective teaching practices. I often

reflect on my career thus far and have come to realize that I have had many different

learning opportunities come to light based on circumstance and hard work. As research

highlights the need for more substantial accounts of distributed leadership, the following

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is a reflection of distributed leadership based on the past three years of my career at three

different schools.

Pre-Program Leadership: Division Coordinator

My first leadership opportunity came to me before my acceptance to the M.Ed.

Educational Leadership program. Perhaps this experience was the catalyst that made me

realize my need for knowledge, growth, and development in the realm of leadership. I

entered my fourth year of teaching as both teacher and division coordinator for the high

school (including grades 10 to 12) division at a school that I had been at for 2 years prior.

This role required management of the day to day operations and leadership for

accountability to school goals with a primary focus on improved literacy. Trust existed

between me and the leadership team and I felt supported as I stepped into the role. I was

lucky to already have a rapport with a large majority of the teachers in the division as this

was my third year at the school. The high school team, however, was composed of an

archipelago of personalities and I knew that I would have to work hard to cultivate buy-

in, collaboration, and authentic ownership among the team.

I was assigned tasks including developing division goals based on literacy, tracking

literacy levels and analyzing results for growth, developing goals for Canadian

Achievement Test and diploma exam achievement, leading monthly meetings,

coordinating specialty meetings, and creating a mission and vision for the division. I was

on the school improvement team with the other division coordinators and was able to

collaborate with and learn from an incredible team of educators. I was mentored by a

fantastic leader who sought my opinion, encouraged me to take risks, appreciated my

craft as an educator, and provided me with many learning opportunities. I was a part of a

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distributed leadership team and learned an incredible amount in a very short time. All of

the above sounds like an incredible opportunity, which it was, but it was also challenging

when it came to working through the daily tasks collaboratively. I tried my best to

advocate for the high school students and staff but found that my efforts ultimately

created greater work and frustration for me, and probably for others as well.

The role of division coordinator was not easy for me and I certainly learned a great

deal as my leadership skills were novice. I learned the importance of emotional

intelligence; it was imperative that I made an effort to check in with each teacher on the

high school floor daily, no exceptions. I learned that active listening, collaboration, and

interaction is where people feel most valued. I quickly discovered the necessity of food

at meetings for improved productivity and used my baking skills as outright bribery for

participation; this definitely worked to build community which is an inherent aspect of

effective leadership. I learned that people resist leadership and change and, sometimes,

implementing change is an uphill battle; I had to develop a thick skin to avoid taking

reactions personally, and this was difficult for me. I learned that though there is a unique

approach for every situation, each approach almost always boils down to relationships,

relationships, and relationships.

What I learned did not necessarily come to me right away; the M.Ed. program has

allowed for reflective growth since leaving this school. I think my greatest point of

learning has come from reflecting on my hesitation to engage in collaboration and

distributed leadership with the other high school teachers. Extra prep time was

designated to me as a part of the role and I felt as though I needed to take on most tasks

on my own and not disrupt anyone else as everyone was justifiably busy. Some people

24

came with the mentality that certain tasks were part of my job and not theirs, and I was

selective, perhaps too selective, with engagement and enrollment. I would involve others

and collaborate only as needed at never more; I took on the majority of the workload due

to guilt, the desire to make everyone happy, and not wanting to disrupt the equilibrium.

The result was that I chose the role of superhero and did not have balance between

my work life and personal life. This lack of balance was a large reason of why I chose to

leave; looking back I do know that, if I stayed, I would have been able to keep the

momentum as some really significant gains were made that year. I think that I would

have increased confidence in my leadership skills and would have utilized what I learned

in the first summer session to engage and enroll the high school staff towards a culture of

greater collaboration.

Internship I – Implementing a Sustainable ELL Program

The initial idea for my first internship came from circumstance and turned into

something much more valuable. Internship I was incredibly beneficial for me as I came

to the realization that informal leadership may be the fit for me within a school. Part of

my teaching contract last year included teaching English language learners (ELL) and I

took the opportunity to focus on working with teachers to enhance the learning

experience of our ELL students. I quickly realized that the purpose of this project was

not to directly focus on student achievement, but on my role as informal leader. As I was

new to the school, I knew that I had to gain the trust of my colleagues and prove myself

as an educator above anything else. I should stress that my new colleagues were not

entirely trusting of me right away or open to the idea of collaborating; I presented my

Internship at a staff meeting and, while the teachers were kind and seemingly supportive,

25

I did not have anyone take me up on my offer to collaborate right away. I was lucky

enough to know a few teachers at the school and used this to my advantage. I took the

gentle approach of slowly making contact with one teacher in each grade level, three

teachers in total, and went from there. I learned to get a pulse on teachers to determine

what they needed from me.

Once trust had been built, I was able to move forward with intention and, as a

result, many unanticipated doors opened. I started by building a flexible learning

community. Alberta Education (2011) states that: “A school leader must nurture and

sustain a school culture that values and supports learning” (p. 4). The community that I

was a part of was not a structured community with specific meeting dates or defined

members as it changed shape frequently depending on needs. What did remain constant

throughout this time, however, was the desire to improve the experience of the ELL

students at our school and district. I can definitely say that learning was both valued and

supported during my internship. Some teachers were happy to sit down and collaborate

on unit planning, some were happy to give me resources that I could modify and then

review with them, and some were happy to send the students to ELL class in lieu of being

in their classrooms. I learned to help and support my colleagues in the capacity that they

needed, to the extent that I could.

The actions that I took during this internship were multi-dimensional and included

collaborating with the learning coach, testing all ELL students for benchmark data,

collaborating with a group of teachers at my school, informally mentoring a new teacher

at another middle school, co-presenting at another middle school, and co-presenting at a

district mentorship workshop. By the end of my internship, I had worked closely with

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thirteen teachers at my school which I think is incredible considering I had one 48-minute

period a day to do this. The main challenges for this internship revolved around time as I

needed to start by building trust and rapport with my new colleagues; once trust was

established, my services were in high demand and this project could have easily been

carried out as a full-time position.

My favourite part of the internship was working with teachers and students.

Alberta Education (2011) states that “A school leader must ensure that each student has

access to quality teaching and the opportunity to engage in quality learning experiences”

(p. 3). I loved that I helped to design an entire science unit using dual-language

instructional modifications. I loved working with my Nepali students to engage them in

foods class, a class that they were skipping because they did not like the food. It was

wonderful to see the Canadian students watch in awe as they cut up vegetables like

professional chefs and then share the amazing Nepali food with teachers. Most of all

though, I am really happy with the sustainability of the project; I genuinely believe that

some high-quality resources and activities have been created and carried out and that

teachers will continue to develop more enriching resources for our ELL population. The

domino effect definitely occurred and more people became interested toward the end of

the year which seemed too late. I spent hours with certain teachers who soaked up all

that I could give them but it still didn’t seem enough. Given the opportunity to start

again, I would organize a session, or more, at a PD Day to highlight some best practices

within the school in regards to teaching and reaching the ELL students.

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Internship II – Implementing a Strategic Plan

I stumbled upon my final internship project somewhat by chance rather than

strategy. I moved provinces and therefore had to find a new teaching position, which has

not been an easy process. My current school recently designed a 10 year strategic plan

for school improvement that was ready to be put into action. The school developed a

steering committee composed of various stakeholders and, in December, I was chosen to

be the residence representative as, at the time, I was working in residence. I am now

working in the senior school which allows me to bring a greater depth to my role on the

steering committee as I have a working understanding of the variety of communities that

exist. In a matter of months I have attended formal training sessions and meetings, been

a part of focus groups for the teaching and residence staff, and am in the process of

designing, with other committee members, how to get meaningful student feedback for

effective implementation of the strategies. We have agreed upon terms of reference and

continue to work together to create an equitable, trusting, and open space where

meaningful work is accomplished and supported. It is important to note that students

make up half of the steering committee, making this process truly student-driven. Other

members include staff, parents, and members of the community.

Our current endeavour is trying to reach and empower the student voice. Often the

student voice is missing from school improvement plans and it is clear that the school

cannot move forward without the voices of the students. Alberta Education (2011) states

that “A school leader must promote the development of leadership capacity within the

school community for the overall benefit of the school community and education system”

(p. 5); I believe that this facilitation of leadership is being done more effectively than

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most schools by placing the student voice at the forefront as both facilitators and

contributors. I am so excited to see how the rest of this process unfolds as the first

session of student focus groups has provided a great deal of insight and innovation.

The biggest learning opportunity came as an extension of being on the steering

committee when I was offered a contract position at my school to develop the mission,

vision, values, and goals, as well as a learning curriculum for the residence program.

This project has allowed me to explore visionary leadership which has been a

wonderfully creative undertaking. Alberta Education (2011) indicates that a “School

leader must involve the school community in creating and sustaining shared vision,

mission, values, principles and goals” (p. 3). The limitations that have been placed upon

this project are minimal and the direction is clear and forward-thinking.

I have been intentional in my approach to be incredibly collaborative and inclusive.

I have worked hard to honour the voices of the residence staff and boarding students

through asking purposeful questions and engaging in meaningful conversations during

formal meetings and informal times such as during breakfast and lunch. The leadership

team of the school has adhered to our agreed-upon check-ins and has provided supportive

and thought-provoking feedback. I feel as though my skills have been recognized and are

being utilized; trust and support exists. Distributed leadership is present in every way. I

am working with my colleagues to facilitate student-driven school improvement. Though

I do not know what my future looks like at my current school, I am excited and inspired

by what I have already been able to contribute and can only hope that the momentum

continues. Appendix B is the visual representation of what I have been able to

collaboratively create. I can say that I would not have been able to create such a

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document without the knowledge that I have cultivated in this program and brought

forward in this paper.

My Leadership Action Plan

I wholeheartedly agree with the claim that Harris and Spillane (2008) make in

regards to the fact that there is no blueprint or recipe for distributed leadership. For me, I

embrace this assertion and like the idea that I can create my distributed leadership plan

how I see fit, depending on the situation. I do not thrive under prescribed and rigid

models; perhaps this is why I am more inclined to accept distributed leadership as a

sound approach to leadership practice. I understand the need for effective leadership and

am committed to being a leader in every capacity I find myself in. I have created the

following leadership plans which will hopefully allow me to maintain leadership

accountability and integrity throughout my career.

As an informal leader (teacher-leader)

In some ways it seems easier to accomplish and achieve goals as an informal rather

than formal leader. An informal leader has the option to choose when to be in the

forefront and when to fly under the radar. Informal leaders can choose what to take on in

a strategic and intentional manner. Informal leaders are typically less intimidating and

more colleagues approach informal leaders with concerns as a result. It is easier to build

relationships with colleagues as the hierarchical barriers are non-existent. Ideally, an

informal leader empowers others by sharing knowledge through casual means, for

example over a conversation in the hallway or staffroom before or in between classes.

Informal leaders also have more direct contact with students, and therefore have greater

opportunities for influence.

30

At this point in my career I find myself gravitating more toward informal leadership

than formal leadership. As someone who has not been at the same school for the

majority of my career, however, I see that even informal leadership takes time to develop

as trust needs to be established and proven. Interestingly enough, while I still had to

work hard to develop trust in my internship projects, I think it was easier than anticipated

because I did not have a role or title attached to me. My role was entirely informal and, I

believe, this is why teachers were more inclined to work with me; there was support and

collegiality without the fear of evaluation and judgement. I found that more productive

work occurred because there was no hierarchical gap or inequality between me and with

the teacher I was collaborating.

My greatest point of learning thus far has come from my Internship I project. I

provided guidance and support to my colleagues with the hopes of increasing

effectiveness for student learning. I was reminded of the importance of quality rather

than quantity. I created authentic conversations which were learner-focused. What I was

able to practice during my Internship I project, I have been able to strengthen during my

Internship II project. I am specifically working on my leadership skills by capitalizing on

communication opportunities. I am committed to continuing to practice my informal

leadership skills by getting to know my colleagues, offering assistance and support when

appropriate, creating meaningful dialogue, creating opportunities for collaboration, taking

intentional risks and sharing the results, and teaching using best and informed practice

based on sound pedagogical research.

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As a formal leader

As discussed briefly, I have some skepticism around myself as a formal leader. My

greatest fear lies in the natural process of getting immersed in the management demands

and subsequently moving my leadership values to the wayside. If the right opportunity to

be a formal leader in education comes my way, however, I will do my best to honour the

action plan that I have created.

I will work to develop relationships and build human and social capital within and

among my team. I contacted my elementary school principal before beginning the

division coordinator position because I have always thought of him as an exemplary

leader. I asked him about leadership and what he felt was the most important component

and he told me that building relationships was number one and that the rest would follow.

At the time I thought about his comments and tried putting this method into practice;

though I had a difficult time balancing the development of human and social capital with

productivity, I saw a huge difference in the climate of the high school floor when

attention was paid to the former.

If I focus on developing relationships, I feel as though the trust will be present to

accomplish meaningful school improvement. I will value this trust and do my best to

actively honour my words and intentions. To maintain trust, I need to have the courage

to be vulnerable enough to admit my mistakes, ask for help, and always be transparent in

my communication. I will know when to lead and when to make a decision. I will be

purposeful with my words and actions, specifically paying attention to avoid hasty

reactions by first listening and then asking the right questions to move forward. I will

lead with integrity by following up and following through with crucial conversations. In

32

the process of vulnerability, I will build capacity by identifying and seeking the strengths

and expertise of others. This will hopefully make people feel as though they are valued

and a genuine part of the process.

Most importantly, I will continue to teach students and create space for and

encourage team teaching opportunities. I will create the structure needed for embedded

learning communities. I will encourage reciprocal feedback and continue to learn and be

a part of best teaching practices with my colleagues. I will create opportunities for and

encourage collaboration, be present in the classrooms, and interact with students at any

given opportunity. I do believe in the advice given by my elementary principal; if I am

able to include the above actions in my leadership approach, then the other, more

managerial, pieces will follow.

Potential obstacles

The greatest flaw in my leadership plan is the potential, and unintentional,

development of the superhero and champion effects. I want to create a culture of

sustainability where I elevate others to be successful with or without my presence. To

reduce the superhero or champion possibilities, I will empower others and build the

leadership pipeline. I will also pay attention to the potential superhero and champion

effects that could be created by building capacity and work to distribute initiatives among

colleagues wherever possible. As education is dynamic and teacher retention is

unpredictable, it is important to develop a school where the leadership is intentionally

spread rather than isolated.

33

Concluding Remarks

This project was unique as I was not able to complete it all in one place; since 2011

I have taught at 3 different schools in 3 different cities (in 2 different continents). The

beauty of hindsight allows me to reflect upon my poor timing. In some ways my various

moves have been advantageous as I have been exposed to a variety of leadership

experiences and opportunities. On the contrary, however, I think that I would have been

able to develop my leadership skills to a greater depth had I stayed at the school where I

held the division coordinator role. For this reason, I do not feel as though this project

created a sustainable bridge between formal and informal leaders. I was not at one school

long enough to really put distributed leadership to the test.

Regardless of my nomadic tendencies, I truly feel as though I made impacts in the

given times that I had as I worked with leaders who trusted me. In particular, my

Internship I project was the most surprising in terms of what was actually accomplished

in the short amount of time that I had. In moving forward, I won’t be constrained to the

timelines of the program and can therefore create my scope differently. I was really

pleased with the number of teachers I worked with and the students who benefitted as a

result. The distributed leadership was informal but I believe this is what made it

successful; mutual trust and respect existed which broke down the walls of insecurity and

fear of being judged. My Internship II was entirely different but I was able to use the

same lens that I did for my previous project. The difference was that I was not a teaching

member of staff when I began the process which put me as a complete outsider. I think

the role of outsider has worked to my benefit though, as I have been able to provide a

fresh perspective to the projects.

34

Overall, I realized my growth as a leader. With each leadership opportunity or

project that I have been a part of, I have slowly transitioned from independent struggler to

meaningful professional partner for improvement. I will most definitely continue to

develop my leadership capabilities through collaborative projects. For the next time I

would like to be at the same school for the duration of the project; I definitely made it

more difficult on myself by beginning the program having just left a school, then getting

hired at another school, and then moving only to have to piece together my career. What

I would like to develop in my next project is sustainability. The superhero in me is happy

to take on more than I should and I would like to continue working with others through

distributed leadership so the project could continue with or without my presence.

35

References

Alberta Ministry of Education, The School Leadership Framework Committee and the

Alberta Commission on Learning Recommendation 76 Stakeholder Advisory

Committee. (2011). The Alberta professional practice competencies for school

leaders. Draft

Earley, P. & Jones, J. (2009). Leadership development in schools. In B. Davies (Ed.),

The essentials of school leadership (2nd ed., pp. 166-182). London, England: Sage

Publications Ltd.

Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

Harris, A. (2004). Distributed leadership and school improvement: Leading or

misleading? Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 32(1), 11-24.

Harris, A. (2006). Opening up the 'black box' of leadership practice: Taking a distributed

leadership perspective. International Studies in Educational Administration

(Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration & Management

(CCEAM)), 34(2), 37-45.

Harris, A., & Spillane, J. (2008). Distributed leadership through the looking glass.

Management in Education, 22(1), 31-34. doi:10.1177/0892020607085623

Lambert, L. (2009). Constructivist leadership. In B. Davies (Ed.), The essentials of

school leadership (2nd ed., pp. 112-132). London, England: Sage Publications

Ltd.

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Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2008). Seven strong claims about successful

school leadership. School Leadership & Management, 28(1), 27-42.

doi:10.1080/13632430701800060

Leithwood, K., Mascall, B., & Strauss, T. (2009). Distributed leadership according to

the evidence. New York: Routledge.

Leithwood, K., Seashore-Louis, K., Anderson, S., & Wahlstrom, K. (2004). How

leadership influences student learning: A review of research for the learning from

leadership project. New York: Wallace Foundation.

O'Neil, J. (1996). On emotional intelligence: A conversation with Daniel Goleman.

Educational Leadership, 54(1), 6.

Parsons, J. & Harding, K. (2011). Research reflections about when schools work well:

Twenty-one specific activities for improving schools. e-Journal of Organizational

Learning and Leadership, 9(1), 97-108.

Singh, K. (2012). Teacher leadership: Making your voice count. Education Digest,

77(7), 15-20.

Slater, L. (2008). Pathways to building leadership capacity. Educational Management

Administration & Leadership, 36(55), 55-70. doi: 10.1177/1741143207084060

Southworth, G. (2009). Learning-centred leadership. In B. Davies (Ed.), The essentials

of school leadership (2nd ed., pp. 91-111). London, England: Sage Publications

Ltd.

Spillane, J. P. (2006). Distributed leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Spillane, J. P., & Diamond, J. B. (2007). Distributed leadership in practice. New York:

Teachers College Press.

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Spillane, J. P., Diamond, J. B., & Jita, L. (2003). Leading instruction: The distribution

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Spillane, J. P., & Harris, A. (2008). Distributed leadership through the looking glass.

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38

Appendices

Appendix A

Interview Instrument

Firstly, thank you for allowing me to interview you. I value your opinions and encourage

you to be as candid as possible. These questions have been designed to provide

perspectives on leadership in education for my final masters’ project. The research

question for my M.Ed. capstone is: how can distributed leadership create a bridge

between formal and informal leaders?

For consistency purposes:

Distributed leadership focuses on a collaborative and shared approach to school

leadership as opposed to the traditional approach of the leader doing everything. The

formal leader enrolls others when completing tasks and projects.

Formal leader refers to any leader in education who holds a formal title or role

Examples include principal, department head, learning support coordinator, etc.

Informal leader refers to any person in education who does not hold a formal title or

role, but consistently demonstrates qualities of leadership.

Your answers to these questions will remain anonymous and may be included in my final

paper as a vignette. By participating in this interview, you agree to the above.

Name: ____________________________ Length of time in education: ________

Length of time as leader (if applicable): ___________

1. In your experience, what leadership approach is most common in education?

(Choose one or more)

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a. Top-down leadership (Hierarchical, authoritarian)

b. Political leadership (appeasing to the most important/loudest)

c. Shared leadership (distributed, collaborative)

d. Charismatic leadership (relies solely on relationships)

2. Is the approach is negative or positive?

a. If positive, what characteristics make it so and how is this approach sustained?

b. If negative, what characteristics make it so and what could be done to improve the

approach?

3. Describe the characteristics of the most effective leader you have worked with.

What title or role did this person hold?

4. Describe the characteristics of the least effective leader you have worked with. What

title or role did this person hold?

5. On a scale on 1 to 5, rate how important it is for leaders and teachers to work

together in a collaborative nature. Please explain.

(1 = not important at all, 2 = not very important, 3= important, 4 = very important,

and 5 = extremely important)

6. On a scale on 1 to 5, rate how realistic you think it is for leaders and teachers to work

together in this collaborative nature. Please explain.

(1 = not realistic at all, 2 = not very realistic, 3= realistic, 4 = very realistic, and 5 =

extremely realistic)

7. Other comments:

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Appendix B

Internship II Residence Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals

Personal wellness

Leadership development

Character development

Inclusive, diverse community

Authentic service opportunties

Empowering her to set her own course and shape her own dreams.

As a partner of the * learning community, * Residence provides opportunities and experiences to support well-rounded, girl-

centred development in a safe and nurturing family environment.

Confident girls.Inspiring women.

I am proud to belong to a sisterhood where we engage in

and learn from shared experiences, and feel supported and empowered to flourish into

accountable, compassionate, and inspiring young women.

Global-minded

Girl-centered

Courage

Excellence Integrity

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Goals for whole-girl development

Goal 1: I am a part of an inclusive, diverse community.

I am an active member of the * community. I connect with a variety of individuals on a

daily basis and embrace the cultural diversity that exists.

Goal 2: I actively participate in authentic service opportunities.

I honour the * school motto, “Servite en Caritate,” by purposefully giving back to my

local and global communities.

Goal 3: I am given the tools to design a lifestyle for sustainable personal wellness.

I balance my academic responsibilities with active pursuits, creative endeavors, and

social events. I value the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices which are

manageable and sustainable for my future.

Goal 4: I discover my genius as a leader.

I work to realize my strengths and unique expressions of leadership that contribute to the

collective.

Goal 5: I am action and solution-focused.

I continuously seek opportunities for self-discovery and character development. I create

and nurture healthy relationships through caring, solution-oriented actions and effective

communication. I seek to empower the voices of others as well as my own.