In my last post I attempted to capture within a single framework the things that mattered most when we strive for deep learning for all learners. My most succinct summary would be that we need to focus on being Warm & Demanding (caring for students while having high expectations for and of them and for ourselves and colleagues) while promoting high levels of student agency and using a wide range of proven teaching strategies that allow for that.
The previous post identifies flaws in this framework and it is still very much a work in progress. But let’s go with it in the meantime.
So, how do we take action in this space? The answer is Leadership.
But a particular type of leadership - leadership that is driven by a strong moral purpose to do what is right for our learners, our staff and our school and its community; leadership that has courage to bring that moral purpose to life; leadership that is open to learning and doing things differently.
However, if you have the courage to take action and are open to learning and doing things differently you still need tools and strategies to take action, overcome resistance, maintain momentum and embed the transformation.
Over the past couple of years my colleague Derek Wenmoth and I have been running some boutique PD programmes to empower leaders for transformational change. With those programmes we worked with individual leaders, within a group setting, to bring a particular change idea they had into fruition.
We are now in a position to offer a range of flexible programmes for individual leaders, networks of across schools leaders (PLGs), and school based senior leadership teams and/or middle leadership teams.
Across four face-to-face sessions and regular on-line connection spread over a 12 month period we undertake four purposeful cycles that take you on a journey from self-discovery to sustainable impact. Participating as an individual or as part of a leadership group, you’ll explore what drives you as a leader, translating that understanding into how you lead and empower others, develop strategies for managing conflict and change, gathering evidence of your growth along the way to create systems that celebrate, sustain, and share your success.
Our experience with our previous work means that it is important to not only focus on tools and strategies, but also to surface how we feel about our work, how we want to and not want to feel, how we want fellow team members to feel about their work and our team, and how we want those whom we lead to feel and not feel. We all respond emotionally to our work and particularly to change and we must be purposeful about the emotions we wish to promote and those we wish to manage.
The design of these programmes, particularly those for PLGs and senior and middle leadership teams, has been informed by our work when working with teams to spend time describing the culture we aspire to and agreeing on the norms and ways of working that contribute to this culture. Such a focus makes it more likely that the team will be successful in its work
All the information you need on any of these programmes can be found here. Simply register your interest through the link or email me directly at maurie@hmwlead.co.nz. You can also access a flyer with all details here.
The frameworks explored in my previous post have helped shape the GROW programmes which are focused on supporting you to make the changes you want in your schools.
Reach out if you want to talk further.
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