LEADING A SCHOOL FOR IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES Professor Stephen Dinham Research Director –...

LEADING A SCHOOL FOR LEADING A SCHOOL FOR IMPROVED STUDENT IMPROVED STUDENT

OUTCOMESOUTCOMESProfessor Stephen DinhamProfessor Stephen Dinham

Research Director – Teaching, Learning and Research Director – Teaching, Learning and LeadershipLeadership

ACERACER

CURRICULUM CORPORATIONCURRICULUM CORPORATIONMelbourne 11Melbourne 11thth November 2008 November 2008

Dinham CC 11/11/08Dinham CC 11/11/08 22

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT?STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT?

Schools Schools dodo make a difference make a difference The teacher is The teacher is thethe major in-school major in-school

influence on student achievementinfluence on student achievement How teacher expertise developsHow teacher expertise develops What works in teachingWhat works in teaching Leadership mattersLeadership matters


The Effects of The Effects of Quality TeachingQuality TeachingThe Effects of The Effects of Quality TeachingQuality Teaching

~5-10%

~50%~5-10%

> 30%

Hattie (2003, 2005)

(Findings from meta-analytic research)(Findings from meta-analytic research)


It’s the Teacher …It’s the Teacher …

‘‘... the most important factor affecting student ... the most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher. ... The immediate learning is the teacher. ... The immediate and clear implication of this finding is that and clear implication of this finding is that seemingly more can be done to improve seemingly more can be done to improve education by improving the effectiveness of education by improving the effectiveness of teachers than by any other single factor’.teachers than by any other single factor’.

Wright, S.; Horn, S. & Sanders, W. (1997). 'Teacher Wright, S.; Horn, S. & Sanders, W. (1997). 'Teacher and Classroom Context Effects on Student and Classroom Context Effects on Student Achievement: Implications for Teacher Evaluation', Achievement: Implications for Teacher Evaluation', Journal of Personnel Evaluation in EducationJournal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 11, pp. , 11, pp. 57-67.57-67.


Four Fundamentals of Student SuccessFour Fundamentals of Student Success (Dinham, 2008)*(Dinham, 2008)*

FOCUS ON THE STUDENT

(Learner, Person)

LEADERSHIP

QUALITYTEACHING

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING


Unpacking Leadership (Dinham, 2008)*Unpacking Leadership (Dinham, 2008)*


PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: WHAT PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: WHAT SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL LEADERS DO*SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL LEADERS DO*

They make students, as learners and people, the They make students, as learners and people, the central central focusfocus of the school. of the school.

They make teaching and learning the central They make teaching and learning the central purposepurpose of the school. of the school.

They ensure that student They ensure that student welfarewelfare policies and policies and programs are integrated with and underpin programs are integrated with and underpin academic achievement.academic achievement.

They have a They have a visionvision for where they want their for where they want their school to go and for what they want it to be.school to go and for what they want it to be.



They are effective They are effective communicatorscommunicators at all levels. at all levels. They are able to They are able to balancebalance the big picture with finer the big picture with finer

detail.detail. They possess They possess perspectiveperspective and can prioritise. and can prioritise. They place a high priority on and invest in the They place a high priority on and invest in the

professional learningprofessional learning of themselves and others. of themselves and others. They are informed, critical users of educational They are informed, critical users of educational

researchresearch..



They continually seek to They continually seek to improveimprove the quality of the quality of teaching in their school.teaching in their school.

They seek ways for every student to achieve and They seek ways for every student to achieve and experience experience successsuccess..

They act as talent spotters and coaches of They act as talent spotters and coaches of talented teacherstalented teachers and release individual and and release individual and organisational potential.organisational potential.

They question and push against They question and push against constraintsconstraints.. They seek They seek benefitsbenefits from imposed change. from imposed change. They are informed They are informed risk takersrisk takers and encourage and encourage

others to do the same.others to do the same.



They have a They have a positivepositive attitude and seek to drive attitude and seek to drive out negativity.out negativity.

They They modelmodel the values they expect in others such the values they expect in others such as integrity, altruism and self-growth.as integrity, altruism and self-growth.

They build a They build a climateclimate of trust, mutual respect, of trust, mutual respect, collegiality and group identity. collegiality and group identity.

They believe in education for the They believe in education for the benefitbenefit of the of the individual and society.individual and society.

They work They work forfor students, staff, the school and students, staff, the school and community, rather than for themself.community, rather than for themself.



They can read and They can read and respondrespond to people and build to people and build relationships.relationships.

They have high professional They have high professional standardsstandards and expect high and expect high levels of professionalism in return.levels of professionalism in return.

They possess courage and demonstrate They possess courage and demonstrate persistencepersistence and and resilience.resilience.

They build productive external They build productive external alliancesalliances with parents, the with parents, the community, government agencies, business and the community, government agencies, business and the profession.profession.

They entrust, empower and encourage others through They entrust, empower and encourage others through distributed leadershipdistributed leadership and engage in productive team and engage in productive team building.building.



They provide timely and constructive They provide timely and constructive feedbackfeedback, , good and bad.good and bad.

They are They are approachableapproachable and good listeners; they and good listeners; they can read and reach people.can read and reach people.

They create an environment where people strive They create an environment where people strive to do their best and where they are to do their best and where they are recognisedrecognised for for their effort and achievement.their effort and achievement.

They emphasise and use They emphasise and use evidenceevidence, planning and , planning and data. data.



They are constantly concerned with lifting school They are constantly concerned with lifting school performanceperformance; nothing is permitted to get in the ; nothing is permitted to get in the way.way.

They see themselves and their school as being They see themselves and their school as being accountableaccountable for student achievement. for student achievement.

Overall, they are Overall, they are authoritativeauthoritative, being highly , being highly responsive and highly demanding of individuals, responsive and highly demanding of individuals, teams and groups, and above all, themselves.teams and groups, and above all, themselves.


ImplicationsImplications

If we hope to promote student achievement, we If we hope to promote student achievement, we need to begin by need to begin by understanding the research understanding the research evidenceevidence, particularly meta-analytic effect size , particularly meta-analytic effect size research, about what influences student learning.research, about what influences student learning.

The classroom teacher is the major in-school The classroom teacher is the major in-school influence on student achievementinfluence on student achievement.. The The differences we see in student achievement are differences we see in student achievement are larger larger withinwithin schools than schools than betweenbetween schools. schools.



Many of the changes we see in schooling Many of the changes we see in schooling consist of ‘fiddling around the edges’consist of ‘fiddling around the edges’ - changes - changes to the to the conditionsconditions of teaching, which have small of teaching, which have small measured effect sizes - rather than changes to the measured effect sizes - rather than changes to the qualityquality of teaching, which has a large effect size. of teaching, which has a large effect size.

We now have a fairly accurate picture of what We now have a fairly accurate picture of what qualityquality or or effectiveeffective teachingteaching looks like. The looks like. The challenge is to ‘challenge is to ‘spreadspread’ and ‘’ and ‘upscaleupscale’ such ’ such teaching.teaching.



Teacher quality Teacher quality cancan be improved under the be improved under the influence of influence of leadershipleadership and through and through professionalprofessional learninglearning..

The challenge for educational leaders is to The challenge for educational leaders is to penetrate the classroom doorpenetrate the classroom door and to help and to help teachers change their knowledge, thinking and teachers change their knowledge, thinking and practice.practice.

The most effective schools have a central focus on The most effective schools have a central focus on students as students as learnerslearners and and peoplepeople. Student welfare . Student welfare and student achievement are not dichotomous but and student achievement are not dichotomous but are mutually reinforcing. The best teachers and are mutually reinforcing. The best teachers and schools emphasise each.schools emphasise each.



Likewise, the teaching of highly effective teachers Likewise, the teaching of highly effective teachers is both is both teacher-directedteacher-directed and and studentstudent--centredcentred – – again, the two are not dichotomous.again, the two are not dichotomous.

Student welfare is not an end in itselfStudent welfare is not an end in itself but a but a means to enhance the learning and development means to enhance the learning and development of every student. of every student. The best way to boost student The best way to boost student self-esteem is through achievementself-esteem is through achievement. . Every Every student can be successful.student can be successful.



Socio-economic status does have a large effect on Socio-economic status does have a large effect on student learningstudent learning, but only as far as it determines , but only as far as it determines advantage/disadvantageadvantage/disadvantage. . SES does not indicate SES does not indicate innate learning capacity.innate learning capacity. Effective teachers and Effective teachers and successful schools overcome or reduce such successful schools overcome or reduce such disadvantage.disadvantage.

Effective educational leaders help create a climate Effective educational leaders help create a climate where teachers can teach and students can learnwhere teachers can teach and students can learn ..

Successful school leaders (and teachers) are both Successful school leaders (and teachers) are both highlyhighly responsiveresponsive andand highly demandinghighly demanding of others, of others, i.e., they are i.e., they are authoritativeauthoritative, rather than permissive, , rather than permissive, authoritarian or uninvolved.authoritarian or uninvolved.



Successful school leaders set Successful school leaders set high professional high professional standardsstandards for themselves and others and model for themselves and others and model and invest in professional learning. They are risk and invest in professional learning. They are risk takers and empower others to do the same.takers and empower others to do the same.

While we largely know what effective educational While we largely know what effective educational leadership looks like, leadership looks like, the challenge is to attract the challenge is to attract new leaders and develop their leadership new leaders and develop their leadership capacity, along with that of our current leaderscapacity, along with that of our current leaders ..

There are There are no quick fixesno quick fixes or recipes for success, or recipes for success, but there are useful frameworks for reflection, but there are useful frameworks for reflection, planning, action and evaluation.planning, action and evaluation.



Context is importantContext is important. School history and context must be . School history and context must be taken into account, but context can also act as a ‘swamp’, taken into account, but context can also act as a ‘swamp’, in that failure to improve can be rationalised and schools in that failure to improve can be rationalised and schools can be too internally focussed.can be too internally focussed.

‘‘Turning around’ and ‘lifting up’ a school isn’t easy, Turning around’ and ‘lifting up’ a school isn’t easy, but it can be done.but it can be done. The research shows us how. It can’t, The research shows us how. It can’t, however be accomplished alone and educational leaders however be accomplished alone and educational leaders need to build teams and increase capacity through need to build teams and increase capacity through distributed leadership and professional learning to distributed leadership and professional learning to accomplish this task. accomplish this task.

Teachers and educational leaders are not bornTeachers and educational leaders are not born. Every . Every teacher and school leader is capable of improving his or teacher and school leader is capable of improving his or her knowledge and practice.her knowledge and practice.



Principals are not the Principals are not the onlyonly leaders, but they are the leaders, but they are the keykey leaders.leaders.

I have yet to see a successfully ‘turned around’ or I have yet to see a successfully ‘turned around’ or ‘lifted up’ school where there wasn’t a ‘lifted up’ school where there wasn’t a change in change in leadershipleadership at or near the ‘top’. at or near the ‘top’.

It is possible to have quality teaching in some classes It is possible to have quality teaching in some classes without effective leadership, but without effective leadership, but it is impossible to have a it is impossible to have a successful school without effective leadershipsuccessful school without effective leadership..

While the measured effects of school leadership on While the measured effects of school leadership on student achievement are small compared with those student achievement are small compared with those for the classroom teacher, they are nevertheless for the classroom teacher, they are nevertheless significant. significant.


LeadershipLeadership

““While leadership explains only three to five While leadership explains only three to five per cent of the variation in student learning per cent of the variation in student learning across schools, this is actually about one across schools, this is actually about one quarter of the total variation (10-20 per cent) quarter of the total variation (10-20 per cent) explained by all school-level variables.”explained by all school-level variables.”

(Leithwood, et al , 2004).(Leithwood, et al , 2004).


FINALLYFINALLY

At the school level, the challenge for educational leaders is At the school level, the challenge for educational leaders is to to initiate change that penetrates the classroom doorinitiate change that penetrates the classroom door. . Once again, research tells us what effective educational Once again, research tells us what effective educational leadership look like, but attracting, preparing and leadership look like, but attracting, preparing and supporting suitable leaders and spreading and increasing supporting suitable leaders and spreading and increasing leadership expertise across more educators and schools is leadership expertise across more educators and schools is difficult.difficult.

Research also tells us that Research also tells us that quick fixes are a miragequick fixes are a mirage and and that that intensive, strategic, collaborative workintensive, strategic, collaborative work under the under the influence of leadership are needed turn around and lift up a influence of leadership are needed turn around and lift up a school. school. The good news is that it can be done. The bad The good news is that it can be done. The bad news is that it isn’t easy. news is that it isn’t easy.


FinallyFinally

We need to learn from the experiences of We need to learn from the experiences of successful teachers, successful educational successful teachers, successful educational leaders and successful schools but leaders and successful schools but it is a mistake it is a mistake to reduce this understanding to a series of points to reduce this understanding to a series of points or a recipe for an ‘instant pudding’. or a recipe for an ‘instant pudding’.

Achieving quality teaching, school Achieving quality teaching, school improvement and student success is more an improvement and student success is more an ongoing ongoing journeyjourney than arriving at a than arriving at a destinationdestination, , with the most successful teachers and schools with the most successful teachers and schools always always striving to move forwardstriving to move forward. This attitude . This attitude helps explain their success.helps explain their success.


*(2008) ACER Press*(2008) ACER Press


Contact DetailsContact Details

Professor Stephen DinhamProfessor Stephen DinhamResearch Director – Teaching, Learning and LeadershipResearch Director – Teaching, Learning and LeadershipACERACERPrivate Bag 55Private Bag 55Camberwell Vic 3124Camberwell Vic 3124Email: Email: [email protected]@acer.edu.auPhone: 03 9277 5463Phone: 03 9277 5463Website: Website: www.acer.edu.au/staffbio/dinham_stephen.htmlwww.acer.edu.au/staffbio/dinham_stephen.html

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