Understanding leadership in schools

Introduction
Society is continually changing and schools have always tried to reflect these changes. Our responsibilities are increasing rapidly as, more and more, we have to assume responsibilities previously held by families, both in terms of education and value inculcation. Even though we may not agree readily with these new tasks, we must learn to do the job effectively. It means therefore that education must develop continually to meet the needs of these new challenges.

Leadership involves helping others to work towards common goals and purpose. Leaders must learn how to involve and motivate others and in so doing, there is a shared goal between leaders and followers and the leader is in tune with those being lead.

In addition, leadership is a combination of functions involving the sharing of tasks whilst at the same time building and maintaining the team of people who will carry them out. This is accomplished by helping to set and clearly define objectives and by co-operatively working towards them. The ability to lead is not necessarily an inherited trait and can certainly be learnt and developed through experience. A leader in one area may be ineffective in another area. In each area, an effective leader will demonstrate learned and practical skills in his / her ability to organise, to communicate and to self-evaluate.

Individual study time: 4 hours

Learning outcomes
After working through this unit, you should be able to:

§ clarify your priorities relating to the core purpose of schools.
§ identify the differences between administration, management and leadership.
§ show how effective leadership is essential to the development of efficient and successful schools.
§ relate the need for proactive and dynamic leadership to all of the roles and responsibilities of the headteacher as identified in the earlier modules.
§ understand the relationship between leaders and followers and how a leader should be both.

The core purpose of schools
Picture a school, your school, any school. What do you see? What should you see? What is the difference between what you see and what you ought to see? We ask these questions because sometimes teachers and headteachers forget, in their daily lives of challenges, disputes and change management, the real reason why the school and its occupants exist. Yes, if asked the questions, we would always give the right answers. We are there for the children, to help them to learn and to live fulfilling lives.
However, we sometimes need to go deeper than that. In fact, as they say “actions speaker louder than words”, looking at what we do, can be a real test of whether we actually believe we are primarily there for the children.

Reflect for a short while on the reason why schools exist, given a few lines ago. Expand on it and give some thought as to whether you personally always act as though this is the prime reason for your existence in the school, whatever your current role.

Comments
You will no doubt agree that the children come first and that you will provide a child-centred education approach. However, do your actions and the way your school operates actually indicate that this is the case? You will need to analyse what you do very carefully. For example, how much time do you spend doing various activities? If you spend more time on administrative tasks in your office than you do coaching supervising, observing and advising teachers, then you cannot say that your approach is child-centred. We might call it administration-centred. Although certain aspects of administration are essential, they only support education and your role. They are not your role. Your responsibility is to provide a quality education for the children in an effective school. You cannot do this in your office filling in forms! That will have to be done outside of the school day.

The whole purpose of this module is to help you to understand the concept of leadership and, more importantly to locate it in appropriate action in your school. When you complete the following activity, be scrupulously honest with yourself. It will help you to face reality.

Activity 1.1.
You may have to approach this exercise differently depending on whether you are a head or have another leadership capacity in your school. Please discount in your calculations the time you spend teaching and only consider the time available to you in the school day, at the beginning, end and non-contact time, when you have a choice of what you do.

Keep a record book for a typical week and record the time you spend completing certain activities in chronological order. It might look this for a head:

7-30 Completion of Department of Education records 20 mins

7-50 Meet with Deputy to plan the day’s work 10 mins

8 -00 Monitor punctuality of teachers 15 mins

8-15 Speak with children as they arrive to school 15 mins

8-30 Deliver assembly 20 mins

8-50 Observe lesson of junior teacher 40 mins

Activity 1.2
Analyse the results of Activity 1.1. Perhaps you spent 9 hours in school each day over 5 days. Do not forget to count any time you spent working at home. Your week was, say, 45 hours. Divide your activities into categories. E.g. observation of lessons, talking with teachers, monitoring teachers, paperwork, social, interaction with children etc.

Now score each activity based on the following:

5 = Direct interaction with teachers relating to their performance in the classroom or the improvement of standards
4 = Direct interaction with children or their parents relating to their progress and general standards
3 = Production or analysis of performance-based assessment or statistics, planning or implementation of school development strategies
2 = Any other kind of interaction with teachers or children or tasks which do not directly relate to performance, standards or school effectiveness
1 = Completion of administrative tasks or social interaction with staff or children

On completion, calculate the amount of time and percentage of time that you spend on each of these activities. Where an activity does not fall into one of these categories, give the score based on 5 = activity which has a direct impact on pupil performance and standards and 1 = an activity which has little or no impact on pupil performance and standards.

If you are not a headteacher, you could do the activity as though it were an ideal week.

Comments
You will learn a lot from this analysis about yourself and your priorities. It would be easy to say “I do not have a choice in certain activities” and hold up your hands and feel that your week is being controlled by circumstances and other people. This may sometimes feel like the case but, in fact, your week is in your own hands. How you react to situations, how you operate under pressure and, particularly, how you delegate are all within your control. The most successful and innovative leaders understand this and do not allow circumstances to control them but organise and manage situations to meet their own priorities. This is a skill you need to develop very early on in your role as a leader.

As we are sure you will want us to comment on your results, we will offer the following as a guide only:

§ All of the activities 1 – 5 are important to form part of your week.
§ You should have a balance of activities which takes in involvement with people and operating with systems, strategies and administration.
§ Your main focus throughout the week should be on the high scoring tasks 3 – 5 and this should take up the highest percentage of your time.
§ You should be operating as a LEADER for at least 75% of your time.

You have no doubt confirmed in your own mind that schools are institutions which have the sole purpose of educating children and providing learning opportunities for them to reach their maximum potential. If you are offering anything less or you allow your teachers to have different or lower priorities, you are failing the children to a greater or lesser extent.

In conclusion, therefore, we must keep in the forefront of our minds “The child who sits on the chair” – the one for whom you are in the profession, who relies totally on you to be an effective leader and create a learning environment for him / her which is appropriate for his / her needs, stimulating and challenging. There are thousands like him / her, each with their own personalities, talents and needs. It is for us to meet those needs and be proactive in what we do, especially in terms of our responsibilities to ensure that others do the same.

Administration, management or leadership?
In Guyana, and, in effect, throughout the whole of the Americas, the running of a school has traditionally been referred to as administration and the person who runs it as an administrator.

Think for a moment about what is your definition of an administrator.

Comments
Everyone will have their own ideas about this. For some, it will include everything that a headteacher does. For others, the definition will be much narrower and will only include the carrying out of tasks which will enable an institution to function well, often paperwork and record keeping. The former is probably true in Guyana, but does it adequately reflect that aspects of a head’s role which has the biggest impact on the strategic direction of a school?

You could try looking on the internet and type into a search engine the words “define administrator”. You will find hundreds of definitions. Here are a few of them at one point in time:

A method of tending to or managing the affairs of a group of people (especially the group's business affairs)
The persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something
The word "administration" is derived from the Middle English word “administracioun”, which is in turn derived from the French “administration”, itself derived from the Latin “administration” -- a compounding of “ad” ("to") and “ministration" ("give service").
The act or process of administering, especially the management of a government or large institution.
The direction or oversight of any office, service
Management comprises planning, organising, resourcing, leading or directing, and controlling an organisation (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal.

The last probably fits best with the Guyanese meaning but this is a definition of management. Note this Programme is called the “Education Management Certificate” and not the Education “Administration Certificate.” The definition which perhaps fits best with narrower view is that which derives from the Collins English Dictionary:

“An administrator is a person whose job involves helping to organise and supervise the way that an organsation or institution functions.”

If we are to analyse effectively the different roles of a head, we need to focus on grouping specific tasks. We will, therefore, use the last definition as the one which best describes that portion of a headteacher’s work.

Now, think what you understand by the term management.

We won’t make specific comments about this but, once again, will offer some definitions:

Someone who controls resources and expenditures
Management comprises planning, organising, resourcing, leading or directing, and controlling an organisation (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal.
A person whose job is to manage something, such as a business
A person responsible for purchasing, managing systems or managing institutions or businesses

Most of these definitions are about controlling and operating systems relating to resources, finances and businesses. So once again, we will use the Collins definition as follows:

“A manager is a person who is responsible for running part of or the whole of a business organisation. “

Again, we will use this definition because it best suits our purposes. However, one can manage or run an organisation without ever developing it, responding to change or making progress towards greater effectiveness and efficiency. So, we have to ask whether either of these roles, as defined, actually describe that part of the work of a headteacher which will have the biggest impact on pupil learning – the core purpose of a school. The role of administrator, as defined, is too narrow to have an impact and that of a manager is too wide to do so.

Therefore, what is the part of the managerial role which will affect vision, development, change and strategic planning in the best interests of the children’s education and welfare?

For this, we look at the title of this module and unit – Leadership in Schools. Let us apply the same process to the word “Leader”.

§ A person who rules or guides or inspires others
§ The ability to affect human behaviour so as to accomplish a mission designated by the leader
§ The ability "to get people to follow voluntarily”
§ The process of social influence in which one person is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task
§ Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen
§ It consists of styles and behaviours, power, situational interaction, vision and values, charisma and intelligence

Activity 1.3
Using these definitions and any other that you can find of your own, make up your own definition of leadership which bests suits your understanding of it.

We will not comment on your definition as it is personal to you but, once again we will fall back on the dictionary definition:

“A leader of a group of people or an organisation is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it. “

In some ways, for our purposes, this definition is disappointing as it has too many similarities with that of a manager. So we turn to the definition of the role rather than the person who does it, and it becomes clearer:

Leadership refers to the qualities that make someone a good leader, or the methods a leader uses to do his or her job.

Now, we are getting closer to an understanding of what is required of a headteacher. It is not merely about the role but the qualities required to fulfil that role. There can be good and bad administrators, managers and leaders but, with specific, identified qualities, a leader will move from the mediocre to the exceptional. This is what is required of Guyana’s educational leaders – an outstanding aptitude to lead their schools through the 21st Century to allow Guyana’s children to have every advantage they deserve as Guyanese citizens who live in a world which will make demands on them if they are to survive.

So, it is for you to decide. Will you be an administrator, manager or leader and, If you opt for all three, in what proportions will you carry out the roles and responsibilities?

In our view, leadership is the most important of the three concepts. as it will have the biggest impact on the school, whereas management refers more to the operation of responsibilities once they have been decided and administration deals with tasks and duties which emanate from management.

The qualities of leadership
Let us now look at some of those qualities of a good leader that the definition refers to. Perhaps a better way of saying it might be the characteristics of leadership.

The leader:

Creates teams: People generally work better when working with others and have the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other and share an array of experience.
Develops others: It is the responsibility of leaders to plan for a time when they will have moved on and others will take their place and to develop those around them to carry out their role effectively.

Has drive: A leader will have enthusiasm, energy and be competent at “getting things done”.
Is self-assured: Good leaders will be confident in all they do. This often is not a natural trait but comes with experience.

Creates a vision for the school: He / she will be able to articulate the direction of the school in the short and the long term.

Is accountable to all: Leaders will understand that they are answerable to those they serve, those they lead and those to whom they are responsible.

Is capable of influencing others: They will have the power to persuade others and sway them in an appropriate direction.

Thinks in the wider context of the school and beyond: To be effective, leaders will need to think beyond their own school and place it in the context of education generally in the region and in the country, ensuring that their actions are in the best interests of all.

Activity 1.4
Look again at the kind of leadership that we have described.
1) Are you able to add any others to this list?
2) How would you rate your own performance in each of these qualities of leadership? When doing this exercise, make sure that you provide examples of evidence that show you are competent in a particular area.

Comments
Many writers have identified an array of leadership characteristics and the ones here are not the only ones. We are sure you will have been able to add to the list. However, to rate your performance, you will perhaps need a perceptive and honest colleague to assist you. Whenever we judge our own performance, we can often be quite subjective. Discuss the evidence you have cited with a friend or colleague who knows your practice well.

We would hope that you would apply these characteristics in all that you do in your leadership role, whether working directly with people to coach them, providing written or verbal guidance or acting in a supervisory capacity. We must remember that the performance of teachers is a major factor in determining school effectiveness and learning outcomes. They play a pivotal role in enabling Guyana to realise its educational aspirations.

Education is the key to success in a nation and if we fail in education, we fail the nation. The quality of our educational leaders, therefore, is paramount in this process. Put another way, we should remember that children are practically “a clean slate” and they learn from the adults and children around them. What children see, hear and experience is what they learn and what they learn in school moulds the type of adults they become. So, what they see, hear, experience and learn in school must be nothing less than quality because what you give them during their formative years is what you get back from them as adults in society. Neglect this and you neglect society. Neglect leadership training and you neglect the major agents who are capable of educational reform. This is why we need to concentrate so much on our heads as leaders.

Proactive leadership
As we indicated earlier, it is not necessary for administrators or managers to make changes, develop others or even react to the situations in which they find themselves in. Although they are complex institutions, many schools in Guyana are static in their development. Many more react and simply adjust to the requirements of the day. The former may provide an adequate education for its pupils but will not meet all of their needs because they are diverse, complex and changing all the time. The latter may fair better but may be ill-prepared for the multifarious demands placed on schools in the 21st century.

A “reactive” leadership style is not really leadership. To meet the characteristics described above, a headteacher must be proactive in his / her approach to problem solving, conflict management and organising the change process.

Let us, first of all, look at how traditional organisations are structured. They tend to be organised in departments which may communicate well within themselves but be limited in inter-departmental interaction. As a result of this, there is little cross-fertilisation of ideas and learning is restricted. In short, the headteacher is forced to “push” his / her staff into new situations rather than leading them.

Now think for a moment about the extent that you, as an educational leader, operate by either “pushing” or “leading from the front”? What is the evidence for this?

Comments
You may recognise in yourself some of the characteristics described in the previous paragraph. If this is the case, do not be too concerned because it is probably the norm. However, we hope that you will wish to learn a new approach to how you tackle your day to day role in the school. Read on.

In previous modules, we have talked about the head as the lead professional. They will:

§ set high standards for themselves so that others will follow;
§ lead from the front and by example, never asking anyone to do what they are not prepared to do themselves, given the circumstances;
§ develop cross-functional teams to maximise the experience of all and involve everyone when required;
§ go beyond conventional thinking, “break out of the box” and be innovative in what they do;
§ have the humility to admit when they have made a mistake, not blaming others;
§ participate in others’ learning, facilitating it rather than directing it;
§ give people the credit they deserve, thus motivating them and keeping them on target;
§ create an environment where others can make mistakes and learn from them.

Someone once said “The great leaders are like the best orchestral conductors. They reach beyond the notes to reach the magic in the players.” The job of a head is to reach beyond the challenges of the classroom to reach the magic in the teachers.

However, we as leaders in schools have a grave responsibility. What we do or don’t do affects everyone around us, especially the children. It is our duty to be professional and accountable to those who rely on us. None of them, let alone ourselves, deserves second best. As leaders, we have a great power for good or for bad and that power invested in us is not for self-gratification but for the service of others. We do not deserve the power by right but must earn it. That is the only way we will gain true respect. We earn power and influence by doing, following, leading and, most of all, being humble in what we do by respecting the rights, skills and knowledge of others.

Consider for a moment what, in an ideal world, would Senior Leaders be doing to demonstrate this kind of leadership? What are the barriers to doing it? (and the solutions).

Comments
You will find below just a few practical examples of the ways in which heads may be proactive in what they do.

Lead by example e.g. timekeeping and time management.
Visit classes on regular basis to ascertain the quality of learning an d teaching.
Provide practical advice and coach teachers on how to improve their classroom performance.
Minimise bureaucracy and prioritise tasks, always tackling the ones with the biggest impact on learning first.
Observe lessons and develop teaching strategies for teachers to follow.
Be knowledgeable about all aspects of school life.
Be accountable for all.
Show no compromise on your high expectations of teachers.
Plan thoroughly.


This is what we mean by proactive leadership. We urge you to become a proactive leader!

Leaders as followers
Finally, we will look briefly at the way leaders can enhance their performance by becoming good followers and accepting the knowledge and skills of those around them. Headteachers need to model what it looks like to be an effective follower and staff members will follow them accordingly. They need to be keenly aware of opportunities to learn from, and follow others as the situation dictates. In doing so, they need to understand, accept, respect and expect professionalism.

Here are some of the traits of effective followers:-

§ They are capable of managing themselves well with some direction and little supervision
§ They are committed and loyal to the school and what it stands for.
§ They accept work willingly when it is given to them.
§ They value appraisals and feedback from peers and supervisors.
§ They respect the authority of those who supervise them.
§ They seek specific directions rather than waiting for them.
§ They take responsibility for their own learning, development, growth and enrichment.
§ They are honest and show integrity in their work.
§ They confront wrongdoing and lack of professionalism in the school.

Summary
In this unit, we have looked at the main reasons why we have schools in Guyana in order to focus on the role of the leader and the concept of leadership and, in particular, the type of action that is associated with a good leader. We concentrated on the differences between administration, management and leadership and concluded that, although all have their place, leadership is the most important role and is essential to the development of efficient and successful schools. We examined the characteristics of effective leaders.

We looked particularly at the diverse approaches of the reactive and the proactive headteacher and concluded that it is essential for heads to be proactive in all that they do rather than simply waiting for the specific instructions of others. And finally, we brought to your attention the need for leaders to model how to follow and highlighted the main hallmarks of effective followers.