Could having an extra hour in bed improve your GCSE results?
Tonight we discuss this story as reported here. We also talk about the benefits and pitfalls of school placement, how some parents views have affected the decision to allow a boy from Sierra Leone to visit a school in Stockport (find more information here) and the struggles a Headteacher faced over anti-homophobic messages in the curriculum(find more information here).
We welcome back our erstwhile colleague, and founder podcaster Jay Helbert who updated us on his journey with the Scottish College for Educational Leadership. Jay is currently undertaking SCEL’s inaugural fellowship programme, and as part of this has been undertaking a project investigating developing leadership beyond authority.
Jay:
I have been looking into some of the skills and qualities that make a high performing leader and how these skills are relevant to high performing class teachers. In this podcast, I have identified 8 areas that help make teachers and school principals successful leaders. I have drawn on the work of Prof. Clive Dimmock, Alma Harris, Daniel Goleman and others. Clive’s latest book, ‘Leadership, Capacity Building and School Improvement’ and Alma’s latest book, ‘Uplifting Leadership: How organizations, Teams and Communities Raise Performance’ are both fascinating reads. Daniel Goleman contributes to the fantastic ‘More Than Sound’ Podcast series on emotional intelligence and leadership.
My thoughts on this are still developing, but the 8 ideas I have identified so far are that high performing leaders at classroom and school level:
Draw upon a variety of leadership styles and chose the one that suits the situation at any given time.
Are resilient in the face of success and failure and are self-compassionate - Dr Kristin Neff's outstanding TED Talk is here.
Have a strong sense of moral purpose to draw upon.
Draw upon research to inform change and improvement - Scottish Teachers can access a wide range of research by signing in to My GTCS.
Are emotionally intelligent; they can recognise their own, and others’ feelings and then act in the way that best results in a desired outcome.
Makes best use of synergies; they use effective collaborative approaches to ensure that teams achieve more than their constituent parts would be individually capable of.
Develops leadership skills and potential in those around them for the benefit of the individuals and of the wider organisation.
Has a secure knowledge, and the ability to access further knowledge of issues pertinent to the student’s, class’ or school’s success.
(not mentioned on the podcast) Can make use of tacit knowledge and experience to ensure success.
