Educational Leadership
Professional Leadership Appraisal
Assignment
EDUC 8813
Karene Biggs, Michael Hart, Ian Morrison, Michael Shiu & Murray Smith
Introduction
• Definition of professional leadership
• Present a model
• Elaborate on the concepts and
components of the model
• A reflective self-appraisal tool has been
produced
Professional Leadership
Professional leaders create and articulate a
shared vision which promotes quality
teaching and learning for all within a
focused, safe and supportive environment.
They manage and allocate resources and
lead curriculum development to achieve
strategic goals. Professional leaders have a
keen situational awareness and implement
quality review processes to achieve
continuous improvement.
Starratt (2003), Robinson (2007), Weber (1987), Marzano, Waters & McNulty (2005)
… to promote …
Quality
Teaching
and
Learning
…demonstrates
curriculum leadership
… promotes staff
development
… creates a focused, safe
and supportive
environment
…manages strategic
resources
Adapt to
maintain
course
Funding
Initiatives
Guidelines
A professional leader…
Progress of students
Monitoring/
Evaluation
…has shared
values, and
beliefs
…possesses
situational awareness
Governance
Policy
Delegation
Resourcing
Local Expectations
within a wider educational context
(Ministry of Education, 2003; Razik & Swanson, 2001; Duke, 1987; Weber, 1987)
Citizenship
National Expectations
Diverse communities
Regulations
Choice
A MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
Shared Vision
This is the direction in which we are
heading.
It is:
– Collaborative
– Context specific
– Clearly articulated
– Embedded in all we do (‘the way we do things
here’)
Bush (2003), Starratt (2003), Robinson (2006)
Strategic Resourcing
Professional leadership effectively
allocates the available resources
to achieve teaching and learning
goals.
• Allocates resources to support
improved student learning
outcomes.
• Manages financial and physical
resources efficiently.
• Recruitment of high quality staff.
• Ensures a review of resourcing
takes place.
(Ministry of Education, 1999; Robinson, 2007)
Staff development and growth
Professional leaders:
• Establish procedures and practices to maintain
•
and improve staff effectiveness through
provision of professional development and
encouragement of self-development.
Motivate and support staff to improve the
quality of teaching and learning.
(Blase & Blase, 2000;
Druker, 1955; Fitzgerald,
Gunter & Eaton, 2006;
Southworth, 2004)
Curriculum Leadership
Professional leaders demonstrate
effective planning, monitoring and
review of the curriculum to
enhance the learning and teaching
in a school.
Curriculum leadership is the
primary task of a professional
leader (Cardno & Collett, 2003)
Equivalently: “pedagogical
leadership” (Robinson, 2006).
(Lashway, 1996)
Teaching and Learning
Environment
Professional leaders act as gatekeepers and ensure that time for
the core activity of teaching and
learning is protected by reducing
external pressures and
interruptions.
They also establish a focused,
safe and supportive environment
both inside and outside the
classrooms.
( Weber, 1987 ; Sallis, 2002 ; Lashway,
1995; Robinson, 2007 ; Ministry of
Education, 1999 )
Situational Awareness
The professional leader:
• “is aware of the details and
undercurrents in the running of the
school and uses this information to
address current and potential
problems”
• “is an advocate and spokesperson for
the school to all stakeholders” and
“establishes strong lines of
communication with and among
teachers and students”
(Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005, p. 43; Duke,
1987; Harris, 1985; Razik, 2001).
Self-Appraisal Tool
Components of model  Six reflective questions
Questions  Aspects  Indicators
Reflective Questions
1. Is the shared vision clearly articulated and
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
embedded in all aspects of school life?
Do I allocate and manage resources and assets
to support improved student learning
outcomes?
Do I promote professional growth and selfreflection?
Do I demonstrate curriculum leadership?
Do I create a focused, safe, and supportive
teaching and learning environment?
Am I aware of the potential opportunities and
threats, through effective communication and
outreach?
Self-Appraisal Tool (example)
Am I aware of the potential
opportunities and threats,
through effective
communication and
outreach?
Situational Awareness
Aspects
Indicators
Awareness
prediction of what could go
wrong from day to day
awareness of issues that may
cause discord; and
addressing concerns proactively
meeting with informal and
formal groups of teachers
meeting with informal and
formal groups of students
aware of the tone of the school
(Formal and informal
awareness of trends)
1
(weak)
2
3
4
(strong)
Self-Appraisal Tool
Areas of strength:
Areas of weakness:
Threats to success:
Opportunities for growth:
REFLECTION
… to promote …
Quality
Teaching
and
Learning
…demonstrates
curriculum leadership
… promotes staff
development
… creates a focused, safe
and supportive
environment
…manages strategic
resources
Adapt to
maintain
course
Funding
Initiatives
Guidelines
A professional leader…
Progress of students
Monitoring/
Evaluation
…has shared
values, and
beliefs
…possesses
situational awareness
Governance
Policy
Delegation
Resourcing
Local Expectations
within a wider educational context
(Ministry of Education, 2003; Razik & Swanson, 2001; Duke, 1987; Weber, 1987)
Citizenship
National Expectations
Diverse communities
Regulations
Choice
A MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
References
Blase, J. & Blase, J. (2000). Effective instructional leadership:
Teachers’ perspectives on how principals promote
teaching and learning in schools. Journal of Educational
Administration, 38(2), 130-141.
Bush, T. (2003). Theories of educational leadership and
management (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications.
Cardno, C. & Collett, D. (2003). Curriculum leadership:
Secondary school principals’ perspectives on this
challenging role in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal
of Educational Leadership, 19(2), 15-29.
Drucker, P. (1955). The Practice of Management. London:
Heinemann.
Duke D. L. (1987). School Leadership and instructional
improvement. New York: Random House.
Fitzgerald, T. & Gunter, H. with Eaton, J. (2006). The missing
link?: Middle leadership in schools in New Zealand and
England. New Zealand Journal of Educational
Leadership, 21(1), 29-43.
Harris, B. (1985). Supervisory behaviour in education. San
Francisco: Prentice-Hall.
Lashway, L. (1995). Can instructional leaders be facilitative
leaders? ERIC Digest Number 98. University of Oregon:
Clearninghouse on Educational Management.
Marzano, R. J., Waters, T. & McNulty, B. A. (2005). School
Leadership That Works. Alexandria: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Ministry of Education (1999). Principal performance
management. Wellington: School Labour Market
Development.
Ministry of Education (2003). Planning for better student
outcomes. April. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Razik, T. A. & Swanson, A. D. (2001). Fundamental concepts
of educational leadership. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Robinson, V.M.J. (2006). Putting education back into
educational leadership. Leading & Managing, 12(1), 6275.
Robinson, V.M.J. (2007). How School Leaders Make a
Difference to their Students. Paper presented at the
International Confederation of Principals, Auckand.
Sallis, E. (2002). Total quality management in education. (3rd
ed.). London; Sterling, VA: Kogan Page; Sylus Pub.
Southworth, G. (2004). Primary school leadership in context:
leading small, medium and large sized schools. London:
RoutledgeFalmer.
Starratt, R. J. (2003). Centering educational administration:
Cultivating meaning, community, responsibility.
Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Weber, J. R. (1987). Instructional leadership: A composite
working model. University of Oregon: ERIC
Clearninghouse on Educational Management.