This document discusses the benefits of shared leadership in schools. It argues that traditionally, leadership has been confined to the principal, but shared leadership empowers teachers to take on both formal and informal leadership roles. This can cultivate leadership skills in teachers and provide opportunities for professional growth without having to leave the classroom. When teachers are given leadership responsibilities and authority, it leads to benefits like improved collaboration, accountability, and student outcomes. The document outlines various ways schools can identify potential teacher leaders and create structures to promote shared leadership.

1. ‘Shared Leadership:
Explore, Empower, Excel’
Leena Pimpley
Principal, Bunts Sangha’s S M Shetty International School & Junior College, Mumbai
December 28, 2014

2. Decisive Factors for a High Achieving
School
Be A Learning
School
Cultivate
Effective
Leadership

3. What is a Learning School?
A school that adapts a culture of learning
in every aspect of its operation
Every member of the school is learning
Learning is a habit developed with
purpose and perseverance

4. Cultivating Leadership
• Traditional School
Set Up:
‘Principal’
or
‘Head of School’
=
Leadership

5. Michael Fullan:
‘Leading a Culture of Change’
‘The litmus test of all leadership is
whether it mobilizes people's
commitment to putting their energy into
actions designed to improve things. It is
individual commitment, but above all it is
collective mobilization’

6. Teacher in a Traditional School Set UP
• confined to the four walls of the classroom
• restricted to the delivery of curriculum
• Teaching, a ‘Flat Profession’ with very limited
scope for leading or initiating unless one
leaves ‘academics’ and enters ‘administration’

7. Teacher in a Traditional School Set UP
• Responsibilities: more or less the same
throughout career span
• Outcome:
– too many teachers remained in isolated
classrooms
– lacked opportunities to explore and contribute

8. Demands from today’s Principal
• Instructional Leader
• Visionary
• Competent Manager
• Custodian of Rules and
Regulations
• Respondent to
Multiple Stakeholders

9. Shared Leadership
• An idea whose time has come…
• Varied leadership roles have begun to emerge
and promise real prospects for teachers to
impact educational change-without
necessarily leaving ‘academics’.

10. The Wallace Perspective
• ..Shaping a vision of academic success for all
students.
• ..Creating a climate hospitable to education.
• ..Cultivating leadership in others.
• ..Improving instruction.
• ..Managing people, data and processes to
foster school improvement.
Wallace Foundation Report
2012

11. Types of Teacher Leadership
Formal Leadership Informal Leadership
Apply for their positions No positional authority
Chosen through a selection process No formal selection rather emerge
spontaneously and organically from
the teacher ranks
May receive training No formal training
Section Head, Coordinator, Head of
Department, Member of the School
Governing Council
Share their expertise
volunteer for new projects
bring new ideas to the school
Evaluate other teachers and
observations are considered during
teacher appraisals
take the initiative to address a
problem or institute a new program

12. Shared Teacher Leadership (STL)
• Exhibits important skills, values, and
dispositions
• Calls others to action and energize them with
the aim of improving teaching and learning
• Offers to help colleagues to carry out their
classroom duties and assist in the
improvement of classroom practice

13. Conditions Promoting STL
Accommodating
Risk Takers
Nurturing
Leadership
Sparks
Rising above
of Reclusive
or Crab
Mentality
Opportunities
to learn
leadership
skills

14. Explore Potential Teacher Leaders
• Shared Vision and Mission
• Brain storming and Collaborative sessions

15. Competency Matrix

16. Lieberman A.: Essential Elements of
‘Teacher Leadership’
Structure
TimeSkills
Vision

17. Shared
Vision
Collaboration
Collective
Accountability
Integrated Systems
Approach
Widely Distributed Leadership
Shared Leadership Model

18. Leadership Skills
Promoting a clear vision
Taking initiative
Persevering in the face of obstacles
Communicating effectively
Building support with parents and community
Building a team spirit among the faculty
Providing support and encouragement when
needed
Celebrating and recognizing program successes
Exercising patience

19. Beyond Skills: Values and Attitude
Reflective
Dynamic
Optimistic
Respectful
Active
Listener
Open
Minded
EQ

20. Empower Teacher Leadership
• Professional & Personal Development
– In-house
– Out-bound

21. 6 Areas to create Teacher Leadership
Opportunities
Set
Examples
• Improve
One’s
own
performa
nce
Reflect
• Organizin
g and
Leading
Reviews
of School
System
and
Processes
Extend
Knowledge
• Curriculum
Developme
nt
• Classroom
practices
Involve in
Decision
Making
• Actively
participat
e in
school-
level
decisions
In-Service
Education
• Mentorin
g new
teachers
• Assisting
peers
Peer
Review
• Buddy
System
• Peer
Review
and
Constructi
ve
feedback

22. Responsibility-Authority Matrix

23. Benefits of Shared Teacher Leadership
Teacher leadership is the process by which
teachers, individually or collectively, influence
their colleagues, principals, and other
members of the school community to improve
teaching and learning practices with the aim of
increased student learning and
achievement.
- The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and
Improvement, Washington DC

24. Benefit 1: Within the Department or
Team
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Teacher leader’s credibility and trust among
colleagues
• A number of activities and projects can be
initiated

25. Benefit 2: Across the School
• Efforts can be mobilized towards enhancing
programmes across school
– Grading Policies
– Co-curricular Activities
– Events
– Inter-school competitions
– Competitive Examinations

26. Benefit 3: Beyond School
• Representing School at seminars and
conferences
• Out reach programmes
• Community service projects

27. Excel with Shared Teacher Leadership
• Reflection and Feedback
• Acknowledging the Success and Efforts

28. Thank you
Every man must decide whether he will
walk in the light of creative altruism or in
the darkness of destructive selfishness.
Life’s most persistent and urgent
question is, What are you doing for
others?
- Martin Luther King Jr.