|
|
The best way a Middle Leader can develop other leaders in service to the team is by facilitating meetings where all team members can lead and influence their peers professional learning.
|
View in browser
|
|
|
|
|
The top priority of any leader is to develop leaders.
|
|
|
|
|
When the leader is at the center of all activity, they are managing, not leading. They are intentionally, or unintentionally, signaling to other team members to direct everything towards them and anything team members need will come from them. When these leaders leave, they create a vacuum.
Instead of relying on one efficient leader, the top priority for any team should be to work interdependently to plan work, solve problems, make decisions, and review progress in service of a shared purpose. By this definition, there are many ways that team members can lead, given the opportunity and resources.
The best way a Middle Leader can develop other leaders in service to the team is by facilitating meetings where all team members can lead and influence their peers professional learning. This was the premise for my EARCOS presentation two weeks ago.
|
|
Everyone Needs Peer Learning
I began my presentation with this provocation. On the whole, everyone agreed, but like any good provocation, (and especially when educators are being provoked) there was some resistance as the statement read like a mandate to some.
You can’t mandate peer learning, but you can create the environment in which peer learning can flourish, and in time, everyone will benefit from the knowledge and experience of their peers.
To achieve this, though, takes a lot of resolve and resources. It is not enough to simply block a period in the timetable for collaboration or professional development or whatever your school wants to call it. Andy Hargreaves rightly referred to this as contrived collaboration.
Creating an Environment for Peer Learning to Flourish
Some of the resources I shared in my presentation included a case peer learning was mandated, which the result was staff passively revolting. Imagine showing up to a learning community where the topic of discussion is why peer learning won’t work.
I also shared the case of a school that succeeded at fostering an environment that relished peer learning. The major differences between the two cases, the school that succeeded did the following:
- Articulated how peer learning contributes to the Vision and Mission of the school
- Provided guidance on what staff can collaborate on that will further the school’s development
- Trained PLC facilitators on how to lead collaborative meetings
- Trained staff on how to craft professional inquiries that aligned their needs with that of their PLC and the school
- Aligned Professional Growth and Evaluation policies and processes to support staff professional inquiries
|
|
|
The Role of the Facilitator
Without the necessary groundwork established by the school, it is very unlikely that anyone will be able to effect authentic and impactful peer learning, unless the cause for such relationships organically develops. Organically induced peer learning is a very rare instance, which is often the result of very closely aligned staff members that prefer this mode of learning.
If the necessary groundwork is put in place, the responsibility now falls to the facilitators of the PLCs, which even with all the necessary supports, can still be a very difficult task.
As I moved the focus from the school to the facilitator, I stressed the importance of not trying to be a leader of learning, but an enabler of team member’s learning interests. To effectively facilitate this shift I introduced a tool, the Focus Inquiry Interview, which was introduced to me by a good friend, Chris Jansen at Leadership Labs.
Once an effective professional inquiry has been established, aligned with the interests of the school, team and teacher, the facilitator of the PLC can begin to withdraw from the center of the PLC and put in place the structure for team members to lead the learning. The tool I introduced was a novel use of Affinity Mapping.
With Affinity Mapping, once the professional inquiries of all the team members have been collected, they can be grouped into categories. These categories become the basis for forming working groups within the team that team members can lead. This is a fantastic tool for large departments.
For smaller teams of 3-5 people, I recommended jointly agreeing on an inquiry and then use Affinity Mapping to group and categorize various themes, ideas, outcomes, etc., related to that inquiry so that each team member can lead the investigation and reporting on each category.
Click here if you would like to download my EARCOS presentation and click here if you would like to schedule a call with me to learn how I can help your school set the groundwork for authentic and impactful peer sharing and learning.
It’s a long stretch to the next big break, so look after yourself and your team,
Mike
|
|
|
|
|
I would greatly appreciate it if you can share this article with your colleagues and ask them to consider subscribing to this monthly newsletter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EARCOS Middle Leader Community Key Learnings
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our community is a hub for subject leaders in international schools to share their knowledge, ideas, and experiences. Join us if you’re passionate about collaborating with team members to improve teaching and learning in your subject area and want to connect with like-minded teacher leaders.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Let’s seek inspiration, feedback, tips, tools, and resources together. Join a group of committed like-minded professionals, who truly believe that education can make a difference, one child at a time, one colleague at a time, one day at a time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Secondary Pastoral Heads of Grade Community is a dedicated group of educators who come together to share knowledge, insights, and experiences in the field of secondary pastoral care.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Connect with fellow non-teaching professionals embarking on leadership journeys in a multi-cultural context. Join us, share your experiences, and learn from seasoned leaders to propel your leadership journey in an international school!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Will this be your first year leading a team? Are you concerned about managing more experienced team members or managing the expectations of senior leaders? This community will provide the resources, guidance, and tools needed to address the numerous questions you will face in your new role.
|
|
|
|
|
EARCOS Middle Leader Community Dates
Join PeerSphere communities for Middle Leaders, crafted with EARCOS to support both teaching and non-teaching middle leaders. These spaces empower Middle Leaders to tackle meaningful challenges together. Click below to explore each community!
|
|
|
|
Join Me and Other Leaders At:
|
|
|
|
|
|
NESSIC Leadership Conference: Forging Creative Futures
November 15-16, Friday & Saturday
Harrow Haikou LiDe School
|
|
|
|
|
John Maxwell On CEOs Bringing People Together ‘In A World That Divides’
For school leaders, this article underscores the importance of building a collaborative culture and focusing on collective goals to navigate challenges within educational communities.
A questioning approach to professional learning
What if, I just started with a question, such as: "How are my peers using AI to improve their performance?" Perhaps, instead of trying to digest large chunks of knowledge, such as learning about AI, I can engage in shorter and more directed inquiry with peers.
Making Space for Principled Resistance
My job as a facilitator is to expand on the insights, explore the wonderings and create a safe space to challenge assumptions.
Gathering With Intention to Maximize Staff Meetings
Some simple shifts here for Effective Meeting Management. Having a clear purpose is top of the list. Avoid these common pitfalls - Are we meeting because 'it's on the calendar'? 🙄 Are we meeting because 'we should probably see eachother'? 😠 Are we meeting because 'I've got a list as long as my arm of things I NEED to TELL you'? 🥺
Hustle Culture vs. Quiet Quitting: How Bosses Can Walk the Line
This article highlights how leaders are caught in the middle, especially mid-level leaders who must balance organisational goals with the well-being of their teams. This is particularly relevant for international schools, where diverse cultural expectations and varying degrees of support can create a complex environment.
|
|
|
|
MiddleLeader
Units 901-903, Core C, No. 100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport, Hong Kong
|
|
You received this email because you signed up on our website or made a purchase from us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
