School Improvement and Better Student Learning Outcomes - Assignment Example

Teacher leadership Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Teacher leadership Critically discuss what teacher-leaders need to know and do in order to contribute effectively to school improvement and better student learning outcomes in your organizational context (or one you are familiar with). Objectives: To understand the nature, origin and context of teacher leadership To understand how teacher leaders are developed To outline the effects of teacher leadership on school improvement and student learning outcomes Introduction Schools should be able to embrace the new forms of leadership that are being developed. In particular, they should recognize the importance of teacher leadership and the effects it has on school improvements also student outcomes. Teachers have a responsibility of teaching and learning but this does not mean that they cannot become leaders. However, it is unfortunate that teacher voices are unheard, uninvited, also devalued making them unable to utilize their knowledge in practice. Teacher leadership does have an impact on the development and improvement of the structures of a school as a form of organization. Their voice should be made central, and their unique perspectives should be recognized, and incorporated into school programs. Teacher leadership is argued on the grounds that it leads to teacher morale and retention, it promotes school improvement and effectiveness also improves the democratic values of the teachers. Leadership in a school setting is different from the traditional bureaucratic and hierarchical forms of leadership. They are not defined by the formal roles or positions, but by the power to accomplish or achieve a certain purpose. Leadership is diffused, and it flows from matches that evolve between the expertise, and interest of the teachers, and the inventive work that has to be done (Frost & Durrant, 2003). The knowledge and leadership exercised by teachers is widely recognized as a major resource to the school community. As a result, there has never been any case where tapping of these resources has occurred. The decision by teachers to take up leadership roles is based on what is needed in order to support teaching, as well as learning for both teachers and students. Teacher leadership This is the extent to which school leaders accept to take the roles of management. Teachers, who are leaders lead beyond and within the classroom setting, contribute towards community of teacher learners and strive towards improved educational practice. The teachers move from their roles as researchers, to a more senior position of management. Teachers take part in learning-centered development work which consists of dimensions that are interrelated. The dimensions include the process of obtaining and using evidence, experimenting with practice and handling change through collaboration. Teacher leadership is recognized through understanding of the developments and leadership in organizations. The knowledge suggests that individuals should be involved in all activities and at all levels in order for change to be embraced well (York-Barr & Duke, 2004). Education is improved when students accept instructions from their teachers. Teacher leadership can also be improved through roles ranging. The teachers can be involved in the management of schools, in evaluation of educational initiatives as well as facilitation of professional learning communities. Teacher Leadership and Distributed Leadership Teacher leadership is considered as distributed because of the leadership they offer students and other teachers. The leadership is offered through coaching, mentorship training and so on. The teachers can also exercise their leadership roles through the performance of administrative tasks and partnership and decision making. Distributed Leadership is where the practice of leadership is center staged. This means that focus is shifted from the attributes and traits of leaders to the functions and activities that are shared by leaders. It involves distribution of influence that eventually affects the definition also the achievement of organizational goals. The influences are both formal and informal where some are planned, and others arise spontaneously. Leadership is viewed as a variety of activities that are performed by a group. It is represented as inclusive, dynamic, collaborative, relational and contextually-situated. In an education setting, distributed leadership is considered through the contribution of students, teachers, parents, local community as well as the governors in the leadership of the school. Distributed leadership therefore, includes learning together and constructing knowledge and meaning in a way that is collective and collaborative. It involves the generation of ideas as a group, while seeking to make sense out of the work performed having the shared beliefs and understandings in mind (Harris, 2003). The different forms of distributed leadership in schools include; cultural, formal, opportunistic, pragmatic, incremental and strategic. The choice of either form depends on the situation at hand. Distributed leadership is most appropriate in a school setting where improvement of both the school and students is crucial. This is so, because this type of leadership provides an influential post-heroic representation of leadership that best suits environments that are changing, complex and inter-dependent. Teacher Leadership roles: aims of education and teaching excellence There are some aims for which education may be considered. Education can be pursued the purposes of work, socialization also for the development of oneself and mind. Students should be equipped and prepared for the workforce. Education from socialization comes in forms such as citizenship education, values education also education aimed at formation of self identity. The development activities in the education system is aimed at promoting the teaching practices which in turn, leads to improvements in students’ appreciation and understanding of curriculum (Berry & Loughran, 2010). The teachers’ central key role is recognized in the construction of their own knowledge. Their experiences, skills and knowledge that they bring into learning are also recognized and valued. Students should develop talents and capacities before they leave schools. The aims of education for students include: To have the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for establishing and maintaining of healthy living To have the needed employment related skills also have an understanding of the work environment, a positive attitude towards employment and life-long learning as well as career options To equip themselves with the ability to exercise responsibility, and judgment in certain matters as ethics, morality and social justice (Adelaide Declaration, 1999). To have the skills, and capacity in analyzing and solving problems, as well as the ability to communicate information and ideas necessary for the planning and organizing activities. To have optimism, self-confidence, and commitment qualities that will form the basis for their lives as workforce members, family and community. Teacher Leadership roles: student learning and autonomy Teachers act as mentors to the students as well as their fellow teachers. As they take up the roles of mentorship, they assume greater responsibility for the profession that is collective in nature. They also get comfortable with the conception that needs to seek and lead collective advancements in practice are features of a professional role. Teachers take the roles of coaching, advising, offering assistance also holding seminars, where they can encourage students and their fellow teachers (Buss, 2008). Autonomy is the act of being the law to oneself. It is the ability to be accountable for whatever action we perform. An individual is able to authorize the motivating power of those desires that push them to act. They provide students with the ability to make their own decisions that are aimed at the achievement of goals and improvement of their outcomes. There are some student based theories of learning that explain the factors that influence the outcomes and effectiveness of students. The factors include prior knowledge, abilities, motivation and facts that lead to the promotion of student teach ability and learning styles (Biggs, 1994). The individual learning styles affect the nature of the outcome. Students stabilize their learning approaches according to their experiences and motivation. Student autonomy and self-direction enables students to take responsibility for their own and personal learning, but they also need assistance to achieve skills. Technology can be useful in the creation and provision of contexts for learning. It also provides resources that give students opportunities to connect to the outside world; to create simulations that enable the creation of tasks and contexts for assessments; and to represent and express ideas in various ways. It exposes learners to multiple views leading to openness and flexibility in the integration of learning experiences (McLoughlin & Luca, 2000). Student learning can be achieved through team work and planning, development of criteria for assessment, reflection on feedback which leads to revision of information and ideas and high order thinking and analysis. The encouragement and implementation of change in the assessment practices is essential in self-directed learning because assessments drive students learning and motivation. Teacher Leadership roles: knowledge and the curriculum Teachers as curriculum developers and decision makers Curriculum is designed for development of successful and creative learners. Curriculum development leads to the creation of leadership roles for teachers because they are involved in the exercise of redefining teaching. Teachers are involved in the implementation of curriculum that has been designed by others (Darling-Hammond et al., 1995). They come up with an act that is useful to the talents, experiences and needs of the students. Teachers are curriculum developers as well as assessors who make decisions continuously concerning content and methods that are varied. A solid foundation of knowledge and understanding should be developed in order for learning to be improved. Knowledge gives students the ability to create ideas that are new also translate the ideas into practical applications. Forms of assessments that are richer are developed that enable teachers to understand how and what the students are able to learn. As a result, this makes the teachers to be more effective. The teachers, in turn, become assessment developers, observers also documenters of learning. They assess and discuss the development of appropriate performance as they define shared standards of practice. The teachers grow into the roles of leadership from the start. The knowledge of students is built upon their prior experiences, knowledge and beliefs. The teacher’s role is to build bridges from these factors with the support of curriculum. Teachers perform researches, and in the process, they take the roles of producers of knowledge, knowledge shapers as well as knowledge users. Teachers assume the leadership roles of constructing knowledge, which leads to the creation of more powerful learning cultures in schools. This, in turn, leads to school improvement and better student learning outcomes. A teacher’s role in a school is that of an individual who does the transformation of the knowledge base, does a reflection on practice also generates new knowledge. The teacher should have the ability to learn so that they can be able to teach. In so doing, the teacher becomes the owner and producer of knowledge instead of being the controller of knowledge. The learning areas that are incorporated in the curriculum are English, Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities and social sciences, Arts, Languages, Health and Physical Education and Information and Communications Technology and Design and Technology. Curriculum enables students to develop knowledge in the above learning areas and open up new ways of thinking. The incorporation is done with breadth, depth, and balance for it, to be appropriate to students. The school system and schools are also responsible for delivering and provision of curriculum programs, which reflects on the learning areas so that the best learning outcomes are achieved. The assessment of students needs to reflect the curriculum in order for student achievements to be measured in a meaningful way. Curriculum also helps in the development of deep knowledge within an area or discipline which in turn, provides an opportunity for inter-disciplinary approaches that aid innovation, and complex problem solving (Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians, 2008). It supports the development of employability skills that are useful in the world of work also in furthering education and training. Teacher Leadership roles: administration and mentoring staff Schools provide sites where beginning teachers are prepared in a way that integrate their experience with structured internship. Successful preparation of teachers involves both foundations of theoretical knowledge as well as classroom experiences. Teachers construct knowledge which in turn enables them to create powerful learning cultures in schools. Working with student teachers has also helped the teachers to expand their sense of a teacher’s professional role (Darling-Hammond et al., 1995). The process where new teachers are taught provides an opportunity to learn more causing the teaching and learning processes to be deeply intertwined and interdependent. Teachers should be empowered also be self-empowered in order to develop also implement suitable mentoring programs. Mentoring programs help in improving teacher morale and reduce the overload of school headship (Jugmohan, 2007). They provide a way in which staff members work creatively and flexibly together towards becoming a learning organization. Managers and head teachers have an extremely crucial role to play as mentors of the teachers who are ready and prepared to exercise leadership. Teachers should be encouraged to view leadership of development work as part of leadership roles. They should be encouraged to work in collaboration with each other in order to share and for support learning. Teacher Leadership roles: parent and community engagement Parents and the community at large have involvement in schools as stakeholders. They have an interest in the management as well as in the decision making activities of the schools. Parents are involved in the learning of students both at home and school. The community helps in the coordination of resources also services for students and families, as well. The nature of the roles of teacher-leaders depends on the nature parent and community participation. Parents and the community participate in decision making, and in the process, they offer a number of inputs. It also affects the quality of the approach used in the involvement of parents. The school heads should encourage participation by operating in the communities outside their schools also bringing the communities into the school environment (Smith et al., 1999). Parent involvement leads to the optimization of the student’s development opportunities, enhancement of the students’ education career and improvement of teacher performance. The types of involvements that schools can have with parents and the community are parenting, volunteering, communicating, and decision making, learning at home and collaborating with the community. Schools encourage parent and community engagement by recognizing and investing in the policies and practices that deal with parent engagement (Redding et al., 2004). Through this, they ensure that the achievement gap is closed, and success for all students is considered. Inside school, parents and the community participate in extracurricular activities, help in decision making, and are consulted on school policy and in classroom teaching. Outside school, they help in learning, homework and school projects. They take part in fundraising; school events and seminars also receive circulars and give feedback through children’s handbook. Teacher Leadership effects: school improvement The relationship that exists between teacher leadership and school improvement is a complex issue, because of the concepts that may be difficult to contest. Teacher leadership is a key tool for school improvement as well as renewal. Effective schools are those that make an effort to improve. An effective school has a principal who has leadership roles and ability. The principal provides quality instruction in an environment that is safe for the instructions. All this is aimed at achievement of academic goals and objectives. Effective schools have measures used in the evaluation of student achievement, and teachers have high expectations for learning of the students. Effective schools involve students, parents and teachers in learning also in the school activities. Teacher leadership improves school effectiveness through the change they can bring into schools as organizations. Teacher leadership empowers teachers and has contributed to school improvement through the empowerment, and the spread of excellent practices and initiatives that are generated by teachers. School improvement depends on the ability of every school to manage development and change (Muijs & Harris, 2006). For school improvement to be achieved, teacher professional learning should be maximized. The school as an organization should provide teachers an opportunity to learn from one another, also to work together towards the achievement of goals. Teacher Leadership effects: student learning outcomes Teachers have roles in bringing change also in the improvements of both students and schools. They have a central role in quality teaching also in learning which results in improvement of student learning outcomes (Muijs & Harris, 2003). Student learning outcomes is a key factor that leads to the improvement of schools. Distributive leadership has led to the promotion of both student and organizational learning. Organizational learning influences teaching and student learning also the way the teachers delivered their services, and the challenges and expectations they place for students. When students perceive the work of their teachers positively, their participation, engagement, academic self confidence and factors that lead to the achievement of academic goals are promoted. The more the teachers rate a school as a learning organization, the more the students perceive their work positively (Mulford, 2004). A school should be confident about what they are doing, and this leads to movement towards development, change, and learning, which also include working with other earning institutions. Teacher Leadership and critical self-learning: Case Studies I The main aim of the example to be given is to show the use of epistemology in the development of a perspective on how a teacher employs continuous learning strategies, for the betterment of the organization. Two people were trained on how to repair television sets. One student was trained on the common sets of problems, where the student only obtained general knowledge about the repair. The other student obtained training about circuit theory. The two students did not obtain the same knowledge depending on their training. The student who was trained in circuit theory had more advantages than the other. The student could repair any television problem because they understood how the television works. The student also had the ability to handle any changes in the manufacture of televisions because of the use of circuit theory. Another example involves a teacher who did not have experience in the field of teaching. The teaching tried to apply lifelong learning strategies to improve his knowledge of classroom control. The aim was to stop his students from sleeping during class sessions. The idea of control led to a chain of events that eventually became exceedingly complex (Evers, 2007, p. 176). The most appropriate way to deal with this problem is through the engagement of continuous learning from experience which the teacher lacked. Experience here is the knowledge that is obtained from a variety of sources. Another example involves supervision of a PhD student whose area was teacher leadership. The purpose for the study was to test a claim that teacher leadership has little or no effect on the participation and engagement of students in schools. The case study was carried out in three Hong Kong schools where data was gathered from students, teachers and parents. The findings revealed that teachers had a crucial role and effect on the participation and engagement of students in schools. It was also discovered that most learning occurred through autonomous learning where students were responsible for their own education as well as decision making. It was also discovered that parents were not partners but clients in the education of their children. The future of Teacher Leadership: what the research says High schools are extremely significant as part of the learning institutions. They however, are unusually resistant to change. Schools often appear as fragmented institutions where maintain order is an extremely difficult task to perform. The schools tend to focus their attention on crises which often interferes with how various departments monitor, evaluate and improve learning and teaching. High school completion rates differ in many schools where in some, the rates have increased and in some the rates have decreased. Conclusion Teachers are the main agents of change in the learning environments. School effectiveness is achieved through collaborative teaching and learning environment. Leadership activities should be distributed among the teachers would have a positive influence and impact on both the students and teachers. Leadership cooperation and support with the teachers leads to the creation of an environment for learning to be exercised and it is also vital for making schools effective. There are many opportunities for development of new kinds of knowledge. This forms the basis for which teachers can become leaders. Experiences gained by teachers enable them to create a different frame in which they will have continuous learning. If teachers view learning as a continuous process, and if they view reflection as well as collaboration as an opportunity to learn, then they have a chance to develop new kinds of knowledge. The knowledge can then be utilized for practice or different uses. 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