Leadership: The Evolving Vision

Roz Mexted - Sabbatical Report

In this report Roz reports on her sabbatical to Harvard University's Graduate School of Education to attend Leadership: An Evolving Vision: (L.E.V.)

Emerging Technologies and Transformative Education:

There is no doubt that technologies are changing the knowledge and skills that learners need (and that educators need to help develop in their students). Technology is changing students (and all people in fact). It changes how we do many of the day to day things as well as how we learn. Information is instantly available regardless of time or place, people often multi-task and it is taken for-granted that we have powerful tools to enable us to do what we want - no longer are such things as movie making the domain of a specialised few - the ability to be creative in a high-tech sort of way has been democratised. Change is constant and rapid and the young people (and not so young) are constantly figuring out how to do things. The question is how do we mirror this in the classroom, how do we let go of the reins and create greater student agency while maintaining rigour and meeting curriculum standards. Even though these challenges may be tricky at times, they are integral to what we do and at no time can teachers let their guard down and think they have things figured out because, if you dare to be caught napping. I know many times I have figured out what I have thought is a great way of doing something just to find, a few months later that has been superseded - and that is just something we have to accept - don't hold on too tight to your way of doing things or you might find yourself standing still.  

Adaptive Leadership

As for students, teachers and leaders need to change in the face of technological changes. While students may celebrate change, for many teachers and leaders they may resist it, as their 'old' way of doing things may not be the best, and learning a new way can be time consuming - just to find out once you have got the hang of it there is another way that might even be better! See what the staff at the leading (not bleeding) edge are doing with technology - celebrate and distribute the leadership for this. Give these talented staff the power to help initiate change within a organisation. Yet leaders still need to model best practice, no one can lead by authority alone, leaders must walk the talk. 

Improving the technical core: What's a leader to do

Compared to many other professions teachers often work in isolation, they can shut their classroom door and their day to day practice is not scrutinised. Flexible learning environments go a long way to counter some of the issues around teachers working as individuals (in a non-collaborative manner). 

If teachers wish, how hard in a traditional environment is it for them to ignore what is no regarded as best practice - things such as student agency and effective use of technology. No doubt we have all come across teachers who don't use technology - and think it is quite OK to not adapt their teaching for the changing needs to the students. I agree that if teaching wants to be taken seriously as a profession there are teachers who need to up their game, and be more accountable for what happens day to day in their classrooms - not just the test results - the 'how' of their teaching not just the 'what'.

Increased accountability for teachers comes as we move away from individual practice to collective practice. The promise of this environment is not just for what it can do for students as learners but also for what it can do for teachers as learners.

The Why What and How of School Family and Community Partnerships

Stakeholders, resources, systems, structure and culture all need to be in alignment for a successful school. Without a doubt parents are one of the most important stakeholders and the stronger the partnerships the more likely students are to experience success. Parents, students and schools all need to be wanting to go in the same direction. There is no doubt that for schools, having the families of the students on their side makes life a lot easier - how often do senior management in school spend time, that should be spent on pedagogical factors, placating parents. In times of change though it can be difficult to engage effectively (or educate) with parents. No one feels comfortable with change and in this time of rapid educational change it is important we take our communities with us in the change process and of great importance is communication, communication and more communication. And then, when you think you must have communicated enough, communicate more!!! It will make education more successful for all.