Runninghead:LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
LeadershipActionPlan:
ANewLeaderinaSpecialEducationSchool
RobinderKahlon
UniversityofOntarioInstituteofTechnology
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
TheContext
ASpecialEducationprogram,consistingofapproximately100teachers,4viceprincipals
andaprincipal,[Link]
requirethemtobeoutofthemainstreamschoolsystem,inspecialclasseswheretheyreceive
treatmentfromanagencyoutsideoftheschoolboard,[Link],ahospital,an
agencythatspecializesindevelopmentaldelays,agenciesforyoungmothers,[Link]
treatmentprogram,whichmaytaketheformofgroupsessionswithaChildandYouthWorker,
[Link]
programisspreadacrossthecity,indozensoflocations,withoneortwoclassroomsateachsite.
Thisprogramisoftenconsideredaplacetosendstudentswithwhomprincipalsdont
knowwhatelsetodo,thereforeteachersinthisprogramcanfacegreatchallengesinteaching
[Link],classsizesarekeptsmall,about6to8
[Link],carefullycraftingindividualizedprogramsto
meettheneedsoftheirstudents,supportingthestudentsemotionallyinordertobetterteach
[Link]
fortheirstudents.
Tomakemattersworse,eachyear,manyteachersfromtherestoftheboardarebumped
intothisprogram,thatis,theyarepushedoutoftheirteachingpositionsinthemainstream
[Link]
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
mayhavenointerestorexperienceinteachingstudentswithspecialneedsandareoftenineptor
resentful.
[Link]
withapassionforservingneedsstudents,shesought:
tomaketheteachersmoreaccountablethroughamorerigorousinspectionprocess
togivetheteachersmoreprofessionaldevelopmentthroughfrequenttrainingsessions
tomaketheschoolmoreofacommunitythroughscheduledstaffmeetingseverytwo
weeks,forcingtheteacherstotravelfromalloverthecitytoasinglelocation
[Link],with
disparateteachersformingrelationshipswitheachotherandsharingwitheachother
[Link],someteachershavegainednew
skills,gainingaccesstoknowledgeregardingneweducationalinitiativesthattheyneverhad
[Link].
Despitethebenefits,however,[Link]
principalisperceivedasautocratic,domineering,critical,andnotappreciativeoftheirefforts.
Whiletheprincipalhashadapositiveimpactonteacherpractice,teachers,viceprincipals,and
supportstaffarenothappyintheirjobs,feelingthatnothingthattheydoisgoodenough.
Theprincipalhadcomein,seenaprogramindireneedofanoverhaul,anddespitea
greatdealofresistance,[Link]
shouldanew,incomingleaderhandlethesituation?
SituationalLeadership
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
Inthesituationalapproach,theleaderadjustshisorherapproachdependingonthe
characteristicsofthestaff.
ifthestaffislowcompetence/highcommitment,theleaderwillemployadirecting
approach
ifthestaffhassomecompetence/lowcommitment,theleaderwillemployacoaching
approach
ifthestaffhasmediumtohighcompetence/lowcommitment,theleaderwillemploya
supportingapproach
ifthestaffhasahighcompetence/highcommitment,theleaderwillemployadelegating
approach
(Blanchard,2015)
Inthiscase,[Link]
stafflackedtheskillstodoabetterjob,soshefacilitatedplentyofprofessionaldevelopmentfor
them,andsheassumedthattheyhadacommitmenttotheirjobthelowcompetenceand
[Link],herstaffwouldhavebeenbetter
characterizedashavingsomecompetencebutlowcommitmentabletodoagoodjobbutnot
[Link],offering
bestpracticestothestaff,butnotforcingthesenewideasuponthem.
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
Infact,concurrentlywiththeprincipalsdirectingapproach,oneoftheviceprincipals
[Link]
incoaching,[Link]
portionofteachersthatwereunderthisviceprincipalsmentorshipreceivedpersuasive
coaching,neverforcedtoimplementnewideasbutshownthevalueofthemintheclassroom.
[Link]
workedverywell,influencingmanyteachers.
Theincomingleadershouldthereforesetagoaltocoachtheteachersinbestpractices,
modellingthesepracticesintheclassroomduringvisits.
TransformationalLeadership
Theprinciplesoftransformationalleadershipare:
idealizedinfluence
inspirationalmotivation
intellectualstimulation
individualizedconsideration
(Cherry,2015)
Howdidthecurrentprincipalfarewhenmeasuredagainsttheprinciplesof
transformationalleadership?
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
idealizedinfluenceShecameinwithastrongvisiontoimproveconditionsforstudents.
Shewasexceptionallyclearaboutthisvision,however,duetohercoarsemannerwiththe
teachers,manypeoplemisinterpretedheractions,perceivingherassimplyexerther
poweroverthem,notperceivingheridealizedmotivesofdoingthebestforthestudents.
inspirationalmotivationWhileherpassionforherworkmotivatedsometeacherstorise
tothechallenge,other,lesstaskorientedteachersfeltoverwhelmedandinadequate,
leadingthemtoresentherreforms,andtoresistthem.
intellectualstimulationAllteacherswerestimulatedbytheregularprofessional
developmentseminars,butmanyfeltliketheywerebeingoverloadedwithinformation.
Manyreportedfeelingconfusedbyallthevariousdirectionsinwhichtheywerebeing
pushed.
individualizedconsiderationShedidnotconsulttheteachersonwhattheirprofessional
[Link].
Whatwouldatrulytransformationalleaderdotorepairthissituation?
IdealizedinfluenceThenewleadershouldclearlycommunicatehisorhervisiontothe
[Link],[Link]
aimingtopromoteanimprovedlevelofserviceforthestudentsoftheprogram,the
principalherselfshouldmodelthisbydemonstratingaserviceorientedattitudetowards
theteachersintheprogram.
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
InspirationalmotivationThenewprincipalshouldsharehisorhervisionwiththe
[Link],
notablySteveJobs,whothroughsimpletalkswithhisstaffandbyrolemodellingthe
valuesthathebelievedin,wasabletoinspirethem.
IntellectualstimulationTeachersarereceivingplentyofnewideaswhenattending
[Link]
asuccessfulone,thoughmoreteacherinputshouldbesoughtonthecontentofthe
professionallearningsessions.
IndividualizedconsiderationTheteachersvoicesshouldbevaluedbythenewleader.
Teachersshouldbeconsultedontheirprofessionalgoalsandtheleadershouldfacilitate
[Link]
ontheteachers.
SMARTGoals
BasedonideasfrombothSituationalLeadershiptheoryandTransformationalLeadership
theoryexplainedabove,thefollowinggoalswouldbeadvisableforaleadertopursue:
1. Coachteachersinbestteachingpractices
2. Haveteacherscreateprofessionalgrowthplans,outliningwhatareastheywouldliketo
grow,howtheyplantoachievethisgrowth,whatresourcestheyneedfromthe
administration
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
3. Establishavisionfortheprogram
Theschoolboardusesaparticularframework,intheformofatable,fortheexecutionof
[Link]:
Goals:ThisistheSMARTgoalitself.
Actions/Activities:Whatactivitiesdoestheindividualordepartmentplantoundertaketo
meetthegoal?
Measures:Whatmeasureswillbeusedtodetermineprogressontheattainmentofthe
goal?
Impact/Evidence:Whatistheevidencethatthegoalwassuccessfullyachieved?
Forthethreegoalslistedabove,thefollowingActions/ActivitiesandMeasuresareappropriate:
Goals
Actions/Activites
Measures
Impact/Evidence
[Link]
Visitwithteachers
bestteachingpractices [Link]
[Link]
lessontodemonstratethevalue
ofanewteachingtechnique.
Createanenvironment
whereateacher
comfortablyexpressa
[Link]
debriefingsessionafterthe
lesson,allowtheteacherto
expresshowheorshefelt
thatthelessonwentand
whatimprovementscould
havebeenmade.
[Link]
theirownprofessional
goals.
Attheendoftheyear,have
teacherssubmitasummary
ofwhatprogresstheyhave
madeinachievingtheirgoal
andrevisethesegoalsfor
nextyear.
Haveteacherscreate
professionalgrowthplans,
indicatinghowtheyplanto
achievethesegoalsandwhat
resourcestheyrequirefromthe
administrationtoachievethem.
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LEADERSHIPACTIONPLAN
[Link]
fortheprogram
Incollaborationwiththe
teachers,developand
communicateamission
statementabouttheoverall
purposeofthisprogram.
Conductprofessionalactivities
thatalignwiththismission
statementtoreinforcethese
valuesonanongoingbasis.
Atregularcheckpoints
duringtheyear,facilitate
discussionsduringstaff
meetingsaboutthemission
statementandhowitis
impactingteacherpractice.
TheImpact/Evidencecolumnofthistablecanonlybefilledoutoncetheleaderhasexecutedthe
actionsandmeasuredtheoutcomes.
References
Blanchard,K.(n.d.).KenBlanchardTheSituationalLeadershipModel.RetrievedJune12,
2015,from[Link]
Cherry,K.(n.d.).WhatisTransformationalLeadership?RetrievedJune11,2015,from
[Link]
