Reflection


 * Key Leadership Learnings**

Exercising leadership in a school setting primarily entails mobilising and energising others,with the aim of improving teaching and learning (Catholic Education Office Melbourne 2005 Leadership in Catholic Schools Development Framework and Standards of Practice pg 4). This was the main focus in running our Professional Learning Modules within the maths domain. We wanted to develop a 'collaborative approach' to adopting change with our collegues within the domain in order to empower, energise and drive them to risk- take with their teaching practices, pedagogy and assessment in a small group environment.

A Key Leadership learning, as we ran our PLM and engaged with our participants, was that they were not only willing to get involved but were in fact energised by the collaborative approach and were driven to adopt change that would benefit student learning. In a small group environment, participants felt no judgement of their professional credability and were therefore willing to risk- take and share knowledge and resources.

Identifying each participants intrinsic motivation was pivitol in developing the right forum for innovation and change. We identified the following as key aspects we needed to address for our group in order to harness their energy and drive. In a small group setting we were able to provide opportunities which addressed each individual participants needs which then had a flow on effect in energising and opening up the possibilities of change. Allowing time for professional dialogue and time to 'play' with ideas and resources created an atmosphere of 'collaborative team'. In leading change and innovation we found time was an integral component from which the following aspects could develop - discussion, reflection, co-operation, exploration, sharing, brainstorming,creativity, evaluation, collaboration, challenge, motivation.
 * positive feedback
 * resourcing material
 * sharing knowledge and resources
 * time
 * shared vision and passion
 * collaboration
 * permission to experiment
 * listening
 * appreciation of work
 * co-operative risk-taking
 * time to share
 * internal drive

The learnings that emerged through the PLM's leads to a style of leadership known as transformational leadership which in essence is the growth of staff and enhancing their commitment by elevating their goals. (Burns, Leadership 1978). Transformational leadership seeks to increase the capacity of others to produce first-order effects on learning. Leithwood and Jantzi (2005) found additional effects of transformational leadership existed on : changed classroom practices, collective teacher efficacy and organisational learning, and on pedagogical quality. (Mulford, The Leadership Challenge: Improving learning in schools 2008)