Changing practice through distributed leadership
by Peter Witana
Report overview
Over a number of years teachers at Kawakawa Primary School have been involved in sustained professional learning that has led them to make some fundamental changes to their teaching practice. Central to these changes has been the leadership provided by middle and senior leaders. In his project report principal Peter Witana writes about the process he undertook to build leadership capacity in the school.
Reflective questions
These reflective questions might guide you in your reading of this report:
- Peter Witana’s project has developed a group of middle and senior leaders in Kawakawa Primary School who take responsibility for a number of initiatives to improve student learning in the school. What potential leaders do you have in your school? What projects they could take responsibility for? What initial support and guidance might you need to offer them so that they can ‘step up’ to their new roles in the school?
- The Kawakawa example shows the importance for new middle and senior leaders in schools to have opportunities to build networks beyond the school. What other groups in your area might provide support for developing leaders at your school?
- Using middle and senior leaders in the school requires providing opportunities for them to take initiatives at school-wide level. Kawakawa School restructured staff meeting practices to give these opportunities, which in turn changed how other groups ran their meetings. What school-wide practices could you change so that other leaders in the school add new skills to their leadership practices?
- Distributing leadership throughout a school develops a group of teachers who can be accountable for effective teaching and learning beyond their own classrooms. What can you do as an educational leader to provide opportunities for your effective teachers to be models for others in the school?
Educational Leadership Model link:
Awhinatanga / Distributed Leadership
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