Professor Loretta Giorcelli's presentation at AHDS annual conference 2015

1. 10/11/15
1
Keynote Presentation
© Prof Loretta Giorcelli, OAM
AHDS Annual Conference, Dunblane, Scotland,
6th November, 2015
Equity Leadership
LEADERSHIP
“Leadership exists where people are no longer victims
of circumstances but participate in creating new
circumstances...
It’s not about position or
power; it’s not about
accomplishments; it’s
ultimately not even about
what we do.
LEADERSHIP
Leadership is about creating a domain in which human beings
continually deepen their understanding of reality and become
more capable of participating in the unfolding of the world.
Leadership is about creating new realities.”
(Senge, 1990, 2006)
~68~
To provide safe, supportive environments where all
students are valued, individual differences are
respected and catered for, students from all cultures
are welcomed, where learning is an adventure creating
independent, responsible learners in inclusive settings.
Inclusive Schooling Practice
~68~
CONTEXTS ~ Inclusive Schooling Practices
! Poverty
! Disempowerment
! AIDS/ illness
! Trauma
! Drugs
! Alcohol
! Multiple cross-generational contexts
! Variation and hegemony of schools
! Standard for School Leaders
Best schools taught 8 survival skills
(Wagner,2008)
1. Critical Thinking &
Problem Solving
2. Collaboration Across
Networks
3. Leading By Influence
4. Agility & Adaptability
Best Schools Taught 8 Survival Skills
5. Initiative & Entrepreneurship
6. Effective Communication &
Computer Skills
7. Accessing & Analyzing
Information
8. Employing Curiosity &
Imagination.
(Wagner,2008)
ACADEMIC OPTIMISM
Schools of Excellence and Equity:
! Closing Achievement Gaps Through Academic Optimism
1) Academic Emphasis (Jen Benkovitz)
2) Collective Efficacy (A.J. Muttillo)
3) Faculty Trust (Thad Urban)
(Hoy, Tarter, & Woolfolk Hoy, 2006)
Inclusive schools have effective
leaders who can articulate a
vision for systemic change &
communicate and support plans
to realize it.
ROLE OF LEADERSHIP

2. 10/11/15
2
Inclusive schools have effective
equity-informed “leaders” who
can clearly articulate the
school’s legal & ethical
responsibilities
Inclusive schools have effective equity
leaders who use inclusive, non-
discriminatory language when
speaking to or of learners and their
families
FAIR & EQUITABLE SCHOOLS
7 Guiding Principles
1. Every student has an inherent right to education
on the basis of equality of opportunity.
2. No student is excluded from, or discriminated
within education on the grounds of race, colour,
sex, language, religion, politics, ethnic or social
origin, disability, birth, poverty or other status.
3. All students can learn and benefit from education.
4. Schools adapt to the needs of students, rather than
students adapting to the needs of the school.
7 Guiding Principles
5. Students’ views are listened to and taken
seriously.
6. Individual differences between students are
sources of richness and diversity, and not
necessarily viewed as a problem.
7. The diversity of needs and pace of
development of students are addressed
through a wide & flexible range of positive
research-based responses.
Context:
NATIONAL
PERSPECTIVES
Queensland Equity
Leadership Training
Multi-faceted Process
QSIL PROCESS
~ Quality Schools
~ Inclusive Leaders
927 schools
Queensland
2013 - 22nd Oct, 2015
QSIL
Website
QSIL
BOOK
Queensland Equity
Leadership
Multi-faceted Process:
" Training and Mentoring of leaders
" On-line Training for all staff
" 2 Autism Research Centres
" Technology-embedded learning
" Coaching of leadership teams (12)
" Lighthouse process for 145 schools
Queensland Equity
Leadership
Multi-faceted Process:
AIMS
1. To address need for general strengthening of
equity leadership skills in leaders
2. To move the issues of inclusive schooling
practices from the “bolt-on” bin to the core
business of all school planning and
enhancement activities and into the AIP
3. To embed the 4 tools of ISPs into each of 927
schools
Quality Schools~Inclusive Leaders
The Invisible Needs of
Learners (Giorcelli) +
Visible Learning (Hattie)
Northern Territory:
Central Australia Region
2015-2016

3. 10/11/15
3
The Attraction for Leaders
Buy-in based on:
• Improved data on school leadership
• A tool to measure inclusivity in their schools
• Help with complex legal compliance issues
• New equity-sensitive Education Department Governance
• Strength of parental rights frameworks
• More schools highlighted for their Inclusive Schooling Practices
• Context: a new Standard promulgated for Leaders by the Australian
Institute for Teaching & School Leadership:
<www.aitsl.edu.au>
Excellence in school leadership
Vision
and
values
Knowledge
and
understanding
Personal
qualiFes,
social
and
interpersonal
skills
Professional
practices
Leading
teaching
and
learning
Developing
self
and
others
Leading
improvement,
innovaFon
and
change
Leading
the
management
of
the
school
Engaging
and
working
with
the
community
High
quality
learning,
teaching
and
schooling
The
standard
for
Leaders
:
The
role
in
ac2on
Leadership
requirements
Successful
learners,
confident
creative
individuals
& active
informed
citizens*
Context: School, sector, community: socio-economic, geographic: and education
systems at local, regional, national and global levels
1. Leading Teaching & Learning
2. Developing Self & Others
3. Leading Improvement, Innovation & Change
4. Leading the Management of the School
5. Engaging & Working with the Community
The 5 Tasks of Leaders
Manor Lakes
P-12 College
• Manor Lakes P-12 College, Hoppers Crossing, Melbourne
• A school that aims to be the most inclusive in Australia
(Ref: Carrington: The Special School of the Future)
• Has absorbed a full special school into its population
• Has generated an “alliance model” which places every
SWAN into the regular class
Head Teacher:
Jason Smallwood
• Winner of the 2012 Victorian
• Public Schools School Leadership Award
• Winner of the 2013 Victorian Outstanding
Principal Award
• 2013: Research Journeys across the world
• 2014: March Conference for dissemination of
information “Under the One Umbrella” including
these tips: 05/15/14
~68~
24
1. Make the change you plan visible to all
2. Have the courage to make
changes to the school timetable,
its routines and its traditions
where necessary!
25
3. Foster problem-solving,
collaborative, instructional teams
which can make data-informed
decisions in the service of high-
quality instruction.
4. Provide ongoing professional
development to build staff capacity:
~ for personal learning (book club)
~ for working collaboratively (Professional Learning
Community),with parents and other partners
~ for initiating change.
(Ref: Louise Stoll: PLCs)

4. 10/11/15
4
5. Change is the product of coherent,
consistent, collaborative and aligned
school improvement and NOT about
random acts of improvement
Fairness
does
not
mean
everyone
gets
the
same
Fairness
means
that
everyone
gets
what
he
or
she
needs
W2=Whatever Works!
FAIR = Treating Differently
EQUITY Understanding social justice,
valuing diversity; encouraging
partial to full participation;
Building community
awareness of Normalization;
Leading community to practise
Social Role Valorization
Elimination of entrenched
practices and rituals; Using
an “On the Same Basis as”
approach; Facilitating
differentiation, adjustments
and modifications
EQUITY cont.
Having Courageous
conversations
Articulating equity
approaches eg in our
school we….
Reviewing change through the
4H Format prism:
Heart; Hospitality; Hope &
Healing of our school
community.
INCLUSION RESEARCH (2005-2007)
hSp://www.dest.gov.au/schools/losd
1. PROJECT
REPORT
2. FREE
STRATEGIES
BOOKLET
Shaddock,
Giorcelli
et
al,
2007,
2008
4
ELEMENTS
FOR
INCLUSION
SUCCESS
An environment where all students, regardless of
ability, feel included and appreciated
An environment where all students, staff,
parents, and visitors feel welcome
An environment committed to repairing
unfair and hurtful beliefs, actions and policies
from the past and (2) showing students how to
repair their own behaviour
An environment where all students can be hopeful
of a future and benefit from respectful work

5. 10/11/15
5
The leader is the major player and sets the tone for
the whole school in terms of attitude to dealing with
the challenges of all learners and the community
Parents find it hard to balance the fine line
between caring/ supporting and being seen as
“pushy”. Welcome and empower!
Peers and OSPs require an understanding of the
school’s commitment to inclusive practices
Links between EYs (0-5)/school/applied learning
options (at HS level) and future environments give
students and parents hope for the future
The 5 stages of school improvement cycle
1
2
5
3
4
PATHOLOGICAL
REACTIVE
GENERATIVE
(lighthouse)
PROACTIVE
COLLABORATIVE
(Giorcelli, 1996, 2004)
EQUITY: Social Justice
Definitions and actions
PRINCIPLE OF FAIRNESS
NORMALIZATION (Nirje)
SOCIAL ROLE VALORIZATION
(Wolfenburger)
PARTIAL
PARTICIPATION
ULTIMATE
FUNCTIONING
NATURAL PROPORTION
SPREAD OF
POSITIVE IMPACT
EQUITY PRINCIPLES
DIFFERENTIATION
UNIVERSAL DESIGNS FOR
LEARNING (UDL)
RESPONSE TO
INTERVENTION (RTI)
EQUITY TOOLS
COLLABORATION & CO-
TEACHING
Inclusive schools utilize the research
bases which help address needs and
provide advocacy for learners in
schools
Research bases that support inclusive schooling
practices
1. Positive Behaviour Support (www.pbis.org)
2. Response to Intervention Research
(www.rti4success.org)
3. Professional Learning Communities (Elmore/
Dafour/Stoll)
4. Visible Learning eg Factors that impact
student achievement (Hattie: Visible Learning)
5. Paraprofessional Support (Giangreco)
www.uvm.edu/~cdci/archives/mgiangre/
6. Principles of Universal Design
www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/
7. Working with parents and other
Professionals.
www.positivepartnerships.com.au

6. 10/11/15
6
EQUITY AND EQUALITY:RECAP
What do inclusive (equity-based)
schools look like?
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS UNDERSTAND
EQUALITY AS WELLAS EQUITY
• Equality…..every child’s right to an education
• Equity…….what we do in EVERY school to
bring a child experiencing barriers to the
curriculum table
INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS UNDERSTAND
EQUALITY AS WELLAS EQUITY
Equity is based on the Principles of:
• Normaliztion (Nirje)
• Social Role Valorization (Wolfensburger)
49
Fairness does not mean that everyone gets the same
Fairness means that everyone gets what he or she needs
(Socrates)
Inclusive schools know that in order
to reach ALL students, it is
necessary to reach EVERY student.
Gaining Momentum for
Widening the Circle
Adopt proven strategies for creating
more inclusive schools
# UN charters
# Local Racial Discrimination,
Human Rights and Disability legislation
# Education White Papers etc
# USE YOUR SUPPORT MANUAL
KNOW THE LAW
ADOPT THE STAR INCLUSIVE
LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
1. Setting the Tone
2. Translating Research into Action
3. Arranging Necessary
Collaborations
4. Reviewing Progress + Processes
Sharpen your school-improvement focus
1. Drawing from research-reculturing
2. Working together- networking, coteaching
3. Changing old systems-restructuring,
introducing new learning technologies
4. Working with a critical friend- using an
external facilitator (MICHAEL FULLAN, 1996)
54
54

7. 10/11/15
7
Sophie Dow and Annie
Mindroom Charity
Scotland 2007----­‐
REF: Solomon,A (2013)
Far from the tree: a
dozen kinds of love
Chatto+Windus
ACQUIRE UNDERSTANDING OF THE GRIEF PROCESS IN PARENTS &
DEEP RESPECT FOR COLLABORATION WITH FAMILIES
Never stop learning –
the science has changed
and will continue to change!
( eg ADHD, Autism, EAL etc)
DON’T SUCCUMB TO THE LURE OF NON-
EMPIRICALAPPROACHES:
1. Doman-Delacato
2. Dore
3. cranial, lenses, fish oil, aroma, incense, meditation,
brain, healing, patterning, manipulation etc
SWV DO NOT HAVE LEARNING MINUTES TO
WASTE
Ref: Controversial Therapies for Developmental Disabilities: Fad,
Fashion and Science in Professional Practice. Jacobson, Foxx and
Mulick 2014
To make the circle wider in some
schools you must be ready for the
turbulence that follows
(eg OSP factor)
APPROACH LEARNING VIA
3 DOMAINS
" academic
" social
" organisational
Embrace technology & its potential
in the lives of children with
vulnerabilities.. you may need to deal
with some dinosaurs!
Kathy Schrock:
Bloomin’Apps
www.a4cwsn.com
SHARPEN COLLABORATION
& CO-TEACHING SKILLS
A truly effective teacher should be able to work in
many roles:
1. One-on-one
2. Small group
3. Whole class
4. Co-teaching/team teaching/collaborating
5. Mentor
6. Coach
7. Leader
KNOW & USE EVERY C
FROM THE
BOY’S LIST OF Cs
UNDERSTAND
VULNERABILITY
IN BOYS

8. 10/11/15
8
AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL IS
BOY-FRIENDLY
1. Connection
2. Care
3. Consistency
4. Choice
5. Control
6. Challenge
7. Competition
8. Chance of winning
9. Creativity
10. Closure
DEAL WITH
DISENGAGEMENT
ROBUSTLY
1. Connection
2. Competence
3. Confidence
4. Contribution
TEAM WORK IS
CRITICAL
-----
ALL SERVICES MUST BE:
$ joined up,
$ fit for purpose
$ delivered at point of need
TO LEARNERS WHO ARE:
Included
Engaged
Valued
Invited
Nurture your
own
buoyancy
and
resilience
-----
Caring for Others
Caring for Self
Workshop
Don’t be afraid to ask,
refute or challenge
but always from a basis of facts/
scientific knowledge ….. “it
doesn’t feel right to me” or “We
do it our way in this school are
not scientific responses!
4
QuesFon
check
1. What
in
this
classroom
makes
it
easy
for
you
to
learn?
2. What
in
this
classroom
makes
it
difficult
for
you
to
learn?
4
QuesFon
check
3 What
do
I
do
as
a
teacher
that
makes
it
easy
for
you
to
learn?
4
What
do
I
do
as
a
teacher
that
makes
it
difficult
for
you
to
learn?
INDIVIDUAL AUDIT OF RESPONSES TO LEARNERS
1. Am I fair (do things differently according to needs)?
2. Am I consistent?
3. Use of Sarcasm?
4. Use of Irony?
5. Use of Putdowns?
(Giorcelli, 1993)
1. Project
2. Tape!
3. Listen!
4. Reflect!
5. Change!

9. 10/11/15
9
INDIVIDUAL AUDIT OF RESPONSES TO LEARNERS
6. Use of Unnecessary warnings?
7. Use of Negative groupings?
8. Negative use of non-verbals and shoulder?
9. Verbiage (too much teacher talk)?
10. Attention to attention span?
11. Use of PBS strategies? (www.pbis.org)
(Giorcelli, 1993)
1. Project
2. Tape!
3. Listen!
4. Reflect!
5. Change!
The most essential factor in
developing an inclusive
school is persistence - the
determination never to
allow your energy or
enthusiasm to be dampened
by the discouragement that
must inevitably come.
(James Riley)
www.doctorg.org
info@doctorg.org
Dr Loretta Giorcelli, OAM
~THANK YOU~